Alcohol may help you fall asleep, but it disrupts sleep patterns

The question: Is it true that giving up alcohol can improve your sleep?

The science: You may want to rethink that nightcap. Research shows that even one or two beverages containing alcohol in the evening is associated with reduced-quality sleep.

Alcohol may help some people fall asleep, but it can disrupt sleep patterns, “so you’re not getting the restorative sleep you would get without alcohol,” said Aaron White, the senior scientific adviser to the director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

Also, once the alcohol wears off, there can be a rebound effect, causing some people to wake up early and have trouble falling back asleep, White said.

A 2022 review of research on month-long alcohol abstention showed participants frequently reported sleep improvements. In one study of more than 4,000 participants from a Dry January challenge in the U.K., 56% reported they slept better without alcohol.

When alcohol, a depressant, enters the stomach and small intestine, it is absorbed into the bloodstream and carried to the liver. There, enzymes metabolize the alcohol. But the process can take awhile and, during that time, the excess alcohol continues to circulate through the body, repeatedly distracting the brain as it tries to cycle through the stages of sleep, said Abhinav Singh, a sleep medicine and internal medicine physician and director of the Indiana Sleep Center.

Singh likened it to a washing machine trying to complete a cycle while a child keeps opening and closing the door. “It will complete its process, but it’s going to keep stopping and starting,” he said.

The time it takes for the body to metabolize alcohol enough to avoid potential sleep disruptions depends on various factors such as the amount and timing, though it’s unclear what that time frame is because it may vary for each person and situation. But the consensus among experts is that alcohol close to bedtime can disrupt sleep.

A glass of Champagne at brunch won’t affect your sleep. “But if you have a half a bottle of wine with dinner at night, it will definitely have an effect,” said Jennifer Martin, a clinical psychologist and spokesperson for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

Martin said she gave up alcohol for a short period several years ago and noticed “just giving up that one glass of wine in the evening, I slept so much better.”

What else you should know: For people who have trouble sleeping, Dry January may be an opportunity to determine if alcohol may play a role said Deirdre Conroy, the clinical director of the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Clinic at the University of Michigan.

But for those who drink regularly, Singh cautioned against stopping abruptly, which, among other symptoms, can cause insomnia and worsening sleep quality. He suggested cutting alcohol consumption more slowly. You can consult a health care professional for guidance.

The bottom line: Giving up alcohol can improve sleep quality. But frequent drinkers may want to cut back on alcohol more slowly as alcohol withdrawal can also cause insomnia or other sleep issues.