Why You Can’t Sleep After Drinking Alcohol: Alcohol and Sleep

Even though it’s a natural supplement, it’s not safe to consume alcohol and melatonin together as it could lead to dizziness and drowsiness. The liver can only process one standard drink per hour. “Alcohol is a depressant which causes your brain to slow down,” explains Registered Dietitian Nutritionist can’t sleep without alcohol Erin Macdonald, RDN. About 20 percent of the alcohol is absorbed through the stomach lining and quickly enters the bloodstream. Alcohol wreaks havoc on REM sleep, the crucial sleep stage for memory, mood, and focus. Once it becomes acetic acid, it’s ready to break down into carbon dioxide and water.

Insomnia and alcohol use can create a negative feedback loop, as drinking alcohol to get to sleep can cause more hidden insomnia. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration , 25% to 72% of people with alcohol use disorders report sleep troubles. If you drink to excess, even occasionally, you have probably experienced sleep problems.

Questions About Treatment?

David Susman, PhD is a licensed clinical psychologist with experience providing treatment to individuals with mental illness and substance use concerns. Buddy T is an anonymous writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism. Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization and proceeds from Web advertising help support our mission. Mayo Clinic does not endorse any of the third party products and services advertised. You’ll soon start receiving the latest Mayo Clinic health information you requested in your inbox. Sign up for free, and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips and current health topics, like COVID-19, plus expertise on managing health.

It is, rather, the symptoms of withdrawal taking a physical and mental toll on the person quitting that pushes them back. Insomnia is a very treatable disorder and taking the time to treat it can mean the difference between recovery and relapse. What is consistent from one person to the next, is the science of how alcohol diminishes sleep quality —regardless if you struggle to fall asleep or not after drinking it. While it might help you fall asleep, you will be far less rested overall.

How to Sleep Without Alcohol While in Recovery

Stayingphysically activeduring the day can help you fall asleep at night, as well as promote overall health. There are many medications used to treat insomnia, including benzodiazepine and nonbenzodiazepine medications. If you’re in recovery, your healthcare provider will need to weigh the risks and benefits of prescribing these medications for insomnia. There are also some relapse prevention medications that can help promote sleep.

A growing number of people have had success using kratom to reduce the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal, including insomnia. I vividly remember the day I began supplementing with magnesium during post-acute withdrawal. The average person’s occasional insomnia is a walk in the park compared to the twitching, spiraling negative thoughts, and intense night sweats alcohol withdrawal can cause. Medical detox can help minimize the unpleasant and dangerous side effects of alcohol withdrawal.

How Long Does Insomnia Last After Quitting Drinking?

Here are some simple tips to mitigate alcohol’s effect on sleep. “While alcohol makes you fall into a deeper sleep in the first few hours of your slumber, it also interferes with REM sleep,” says Macdonald.

First, alcohol is a diuretic, so your body works hard to metabolize it and creates large volumes of urine to help you get the alcohol out of your body. So, you’ll https://ecosoberhouse.com/ likely need to get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. By week three without alcohol, your body will start to heal itself in a much deeper way.