How alcohol disrupts sleep and healthy alternatives: A reminder during Alcohol Awareness Month

April is Alcohol Awareness Month, which means it’s a great time to reflect on the impact alcohol has on our health. One often overlooked consequence of alcohol is how it disrupts sleep. While alcohol may help you fall asleep faster, it's important to recognize how alcohol can interrupt your ability to receive quality rest. Drinking alcohol before bed can:

• Interrupt sleep cycles: Alcohol reduces time spent in restorative deep sleep, leaving you feeling groggy and unrested the next morning, even after a full night of sleep.
• Increase wakefulness: Alcohol may cause you to wake up multiple times during the night. As it leaves your system, your body’s sleep rhythm is disrupted, making it harder to stay asleep.
• Exacerbate sleep disorders: Alcohol relaxes throat muscles, worsening conditions like sleep apnea and snoring.

Additionally, alcohol is a depressant, which can worsen feelings of anxiety and depression. Over time, it may lead to alcohol use disorder and serious long-term consequences.

Healthy alternatives like deep breathing, meditating or drinking herbal teas, such as chamomile or valerian root, can help you relax before calling it a night. Maintaining a consistent sleep schedule and creating a calm, dark and cool environment will also improve your sleep quality.

Getting help

Health care professionals suffering from an alcohol or substance use disorder are not only putting their own health – and careers – at risk but they’re also endangering the health and well-being of their patients.

It’s important to find consistent support. The Nebraska Licensee Assistance Program (NE LAP) can help. If you or someone you know is a licensed health care professional experiencing a substance use disorder, please reach out to the NE LAP at (800) 851-2336 or (402) 354-8055 to begin the recovery process.