2023-12-29 09:24:00
There’s actually some truth to this: alcohol can help you fall asleep. However, the first half of the night can feel like a coma.
What happens to alcohol in our body
Alcohol enters the bloodstream through the stomach and travels to the liver and brain. In the brain, alcohol causes the release of serotonin and dopamine, which serve as elements of the brain’s “reward system” and relaxation. They are also called neurotransmitters.
However, the effects of these substances wear off after about four to five hours. From this moment on, we sleep noticeably worse or even wake up, and a good night ends there. “The reason is that alcohol is broken down into acetaldehyde in the body,” explains gastroenterologist and alcohol researcher Helmut Seitz.
According to Zaitz, acetaldehyde releases adrenaline and the stress hormone cortisol into the brain. “This causes us to wake up and become more alert,” explains the scientist.
Low-quality alcohol impairs sleep
Whether it’s wine, beer or gin and tonic, no matter what alcoholic drinks we drink in the evening, they all disrupt our sleep. However, low-quality alcoholic drinks can also aggravate the situation.
“Cheap wine may contain additional substances such as flavorings, fusel oils and long-chain alcohols,” says alcohol researcher Helmut Seitz. This can cause nausea and headaches and make your hangover even worse.
Amount and strength of alcohol
Even the highest quality and purest vodka turns into toxic acetaldehyde. The subsequent rush of adrenaline and cortisol will not necessarily wake you up, but it will disrupt what is called REM sleep. And this depends not so much on the quality as on the quantity of alcohol taken. “The higher the dose of alcohol, the more disrupted REM sleep is in the second half of the night,” explains Henrik Oster, professor of neurobiology at the University of Lübeck. As a rule, the quality of sleep noticeably deteriorates from 0.2 to 0.3 ppm of alcohol, the professor clarifies.
Alcohol disrupts REM sleep and leads to fatiguePhoto: Fotolia/lassedesignen
Exactly when this blood alcohol level is reached depends on various factors: gender, body weight, whether your stomach is empty or full, and whether you are taking medication. However, it is worth noting that a level of 0.2 ppm can be reached quite quickly – two glasses of wine will be enough.
REM sleep for physical and mental health
REM sleep is considered an active rest phase and is critical to our physical and mental health. For babies, REM sleep makes up the majority of sleep and is important for babies’ brain development.
“Alcohol suppresses REM sleep,” says Professor Oster. When REM sleep is regularly disrupted, problems arise such as poor concentration and poor memory. Scientists believe that REM sleep disorders are also the cause of higher mortality rates in the population.
According to alcohol researcher Helmut Seitz, those who give up alcohol immediately experience noticeable improvements in sleep. “You will become more relaxed, more balanced and better able to solve problems,” the expert is confident.
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