Is there a connection between alcohol and sleep?
February 17, 2021
Is there a connection between alcohol and sleep?
There are many people who get sleepy when they drink alcohol, or who have trouble sleeping on days when they drink alcohol, but I would like to talk about the relationship between alcohol and sleep.
Effects of Alcohol
Alcohol has a variety of effects. One of them is the “anesthetic effect”. When alcohol is consumed, it is absorbed by the stomach and intestines, enters the bloodstream, and is transported to the liver, heart, and neocortex.
The neocortex is the part of the brain responsible for thinking rationally and language functions, but the anesthetic effect of alcohol reduces the functioning of the neocortex. When you drink alcohol, your rational mind is loosened and you may say or do things that you would not normally do.
This happens because the cerebral cortex is less active. To put it more simply, think of the anesthetic effect as the feeling of a little light-headed after drinking alcohol. When you sleep in this state, it is as if you are lightly anesthetized, so you can sleep easily or comfortably.
I’m sure you’ve seen people on the train who are drunk and falling asleep, but those people may be asleep because of the anesthetic effect of alcohol.
When drinking alcohol makes it difficult to sleep
On the other hand, you may find that drinking alcohol makes it harder to sleep. This is also one of the effects of alcohol. Alcohol in the body is metabolized by the liver into a substance called acetaldehyde, which is a poison. When you drink alcohol, you may get a headache, heart palpitations, or a racing heart. That’s because of this poisonous substance.
Another cause is this acetaldehyde, which also causes redness of the face. Acetaldehyde has the effect of opening up the blood vessels, which causes the headache. So, when you drink alcohol, acetaldehyde is produced, and that affects your headache, it is especially difficult to sleep. Also, alcohol has a diuretic effect, so if you have to get up several times a night to go to the bathroom when you are having trouble sleeping, it will make it even harder to sleep.
Finally.
In any case, drinking a lot of alcohol can also cause difficulty in sleeping. In addition, as introduced in the article “Toxic substance acetaldehyde“, acetaldehyde is also a carcinogen and a substance that greatly increases oxidative stress.
The oxidative stress caused by acetaldehyde, combined with the fatigue substances that accumulate in the brain, has a negative effect on the body. In addition, if you make it a habit to drink alcohol before going to bed, you may find it easier to sleep at first due to the anesthetic effect, but as the days go by, your body will gradually get used to it and the amount of alcohol you drink will increase, and there is a risk of falling into alcoholism.
In order to avoid these negative effects of alcohol, please drink in moderation and do not make drinking a habit, but rather a way of life.
