Author: Charles Frank

Alcohol and Sleep

Contact a Recovery Advocate today to learn how we can help you achieve lasting recovery from alcohol addiction. Caffeine and nicotine are stimulants and increase the stimulation you experience during alcohol withdrawal. Using either substance can contribute to insomnia, especially when you use it closer to bedtime. Because your body is already hyperactive from withdrawal, it is best to avoid caffeine and nicotine altogether until you finish detoxing from alcohol. Stopping alcohol is a smart health decision but can cause short-term symptoms during detox.

During a two-week period, patients battling alcoholism and insomnia received progressive relaxation training, while other patients received no treatment. The treatment group reported better sleep quality than did the control group. During apnea-related breathing episodes – which can occur throughout the night – the sleeper may make choking noises.

Possible links between alcohol and insomnia

Those who have been diagnosed with alcohol use disorders frequently report insomnia symptoms. There are a variety of programs available for those wishing to undergo alcohol detox. These specialists in treatment for alcohol addiction will guide users through withdrawal effects with psychotherapy, group therapy, and medication. The good news is that for most people, withdrawal insomnia is only temporary. It is one of the side effects of cleaning out your body and returning to a substance-free life.

Medication can help you sleep better if you struggle with alcohol withdrawal insomnia. Firstly, you can take medications that make you feel more relaxed and ready for sleep. Secondly, during medical detox, you can take medicines that counter the effects of alcohol withdrawal. This promotes sleep by reducing the underlying cause of your insomnia. It’s important to treat sleep disorders such as insomnia (difficulty falling or staying asleep) or sleep apnea (when breathing stops multiple time a night) if they are present. To understand how alcohol impacts sleep, it is important to understand the different stages of the human sleep cycle.

Insomnia occurs despite the opportunity and desire to sleep, and leads to excessive daytime sleepiness and other negative effects. Detoxing from alcohol is dangerous, with many symptoms that can be more unpleasant than just insomnia. Alcohol detox under medical supervision is vital for safely and comfortably detoxing from alcohol. At The Recovery Village at Palmer Lake, we have experience helping people medically detox while avoiding the dangers and discomfort of withdrawing.

Because every person and every addiction is different, the nature and degree of sleep problems varies. When you call our team, you will speak to a Recovery Advocate who will answer any questions and perform a pre-assessment to determine your eligibility for treatment. If eligible, we will create a treatment plan tailored to your specific needs.

The relationship between sleep apnea and alcohol has been researched fairly extensively. You can manage the negative effects of alcohol on sleep by giving your body ample time to metabolize alcohol before falling asleep. To reduce the risk of sleep disruptions, you should stop drinking alcohol at least four hours before bedtime.

Alcohol-induced insomnia will effect withdrawal so substantially that the user will question their ability to get clean and live without the drug. Because of these reasons, it is vital to get the support you need when going through alcoholic insomnia. While alcohol withdrawal causes an unavoidable increase in insomnia, the good news is that you can do many things to help yourself get to sleep during withdrawal. The receptor causes relaxation when stimulated, making alcohol create the feeling of enhanced relaxation that makes it enjoyable. While over-stimulation of these receptors causes relaxation, under-stimulation causes the opposite effect.

Preventing Alcohol Withdrawal Insomnia

The resulting hyperactivity makes sleeping difficult, creating temporary insomnia during detox. Treating anxiety can help reduce insomnia and improve overall sleep quality. They may turn to alcohol to reduce their anxiety symptoms, which also increases insomnia, exacerbating their anxious feelings. Lifestyle changes such as avoiding alcohol hours before sleep may be sufficient for treating mild, short-term insomnia. There are some ways to provide yourself with an alcohol insomnia cure.

1. If your drinking is impacting your sleep or overall quality of life, you may want to make a change.
2. For example, people may experience steroid-induced insomnia, or antidepressants may worsen or induce sleep disorders.
3. There are some symptoms of withdrawal, including nausea, tremors, and depression.
4. To understand how alcohol impacts sleep, it is important to understand the different stages of the human sleep cycle.

As a result, alcohol’s impact on sleep largely depends on the individual. Marixie Ann Manarang-Obsioma is a licensed Medical Technologist (Medical Laboratory Science) and an undergraduate of Doctor of Medicine (MD).

A 2019 study showed that individuals who sleep for under 6 hours each night have a 20% higher chance of heart attack than individuals who sleep between 6 and 9 hours. 2020 research suggests that alcohol impacts the part of sleep known as rapid eye movement (REM). Drinking heavily over time can also disrupt the chemical messengers in the brain, which can affect sleep. Individuals with insomnia have difficulty maintaining a consistent sleep schedule. Experts state that acute insomnia lasts up to a few days to weeks, while chronic insomnia continues for several months. Benzodiazepines and non-benzodiazepines are types of prescription drugs that may be prescribed for insomnia.

How does alcohol affect sleep quality?

If The Recovery Village is not the right fit for you or your loved one, we will help refer you to a facility that is. By Brandon Peters, MDBrandon Peters, MD, is a board-certified neurologist and sleep medicine specialist. Ultimately, no two cases of insomnia are the same, and no treatment plan is right for everyone. Anyone experiencing insomnia should speak with a doctor to learn more about what treatments may work best for them. Studies estimate that 36–91% of people experiencing alcohol dependence may have insomnia.

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People with sleep apnea are also prone to loud, disruptive snoring. Some studies suggest that alcohol contributes to sleep apnea because it causes the throat muscles to relax, which in turn creates more resistance during breathing. This can exacerbate OSA symptoms and lead to disruptive breathing episodes, as well as heavier snoring. Additionally, consuming just one serving of alcohol before bed can lead to symptoms of OSA and heavy snoring, even for people who have not been diagnosed with sleep apnea. Withdrawal occurs when the body is adjusting to life without the substance. There are some symptoms of withdrawal, including nausea, tremors, and depression.

Sleep Medicine Physician

Even though alcohol may help you fall asleep, it interferes with the quality of your sleep. If a person chooses to consume alcohol, drinking in moderation several hours before bed is the best practice for avoiding sleep disturbances. However, in the second half of a night’s sleep, alcohol diminishes the amount of REM sleep. Alcohol’s negative effects on sleep quality worsen after several nights of drinking. Certain medications may cause insomnia as a possible side effect. For example, people may experience steroid-induced insomnia, or antidepressants may worsen or induce sleep disorders.

The CDC defines moderate drinking as two or fewer drinks for males, and one or fewer for females, in a given day. People who drink alcohol before sleep are also more likely to experience breathing difficulties at night. They will also experience shorter periods of sleep, resulting in less restful sleep overall.

These lapses in breathing can in turn cause sleep disruptions and decrease sleep quality. Researchers have noted a link between long-term alcohol abuse and chronic sleep problems. People can develop a tolerance for alcohol rather quickly, leading them to drink more before bed in order to initiate sleep.