Getting your sleep apnea treated is important in your health and your sleep. However, there is another factor you might want to consider when it comes to your sleep. Throughout the year many people will celebrate a holiday, birthday or other even by drinking. Whether it is at a local bar or friend’s house, drinking alcohol can play a negative role in your sleep. In light of upcoming holidays and events, let’s take a look at why alcohol and a good night’s sleep do not mix well.

Your Sleep is Interrupted

Even just a couple drinks can interfere with the normal sleep process. When a person drinks alcohol close to bedtime, he or she can go straight into a deep sleep, which eliminates the usual first stage of sleep called rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Deep sleep is when the body restores itself, and alcohol can interrupt that.

As the alcohol begins to wear off, your body can come out of deep sleep and back into REM sleep, which is much easier to wake from—many times, you might end up waking up frequently after just a few hours of sleep after you’ve been drinking. After a night of drinking, you can often experience only one or two cycles of REM sleep. The normal amount of REM sleep a night is six to seven in order to leave you feeling refreshed. With that being said, alcohol takes a toll on your sleep. Instead of feeling refreshed and awake the next day, you might be struggling the next day to keep up with your tasks and activities.

Avoid Alcohol Right Before Bed

When it comes to alcohol think twice about what you drink and when. It is extremely important to avoid drinking before bedtime. Instead, take the time to give your body a break so that it can process the alcohol before going to bed—on average it takes an hour to process one unit, but this can vary from person to person.

In addition to avoiding alcohol at nighttime, there are some other things you might want to consider in order to sleep more soundly each night:

  • Stay away from caffeine and alcohol late in the evening.
  • Make sure your bedroom is cool and uncluttered.
  • Exercise to relieve the day’s stresses and strains.

To get a better night’s sleep, it is important to not drink alcohol before bed. Think before you continue to drink and know when to stop so you can get a healthier night’s sleep. And, if this doesn’t improve your sleep, consider sleep apnea and treatment with an oral appliance from Craniofacial Pain & Dental Sleep Center of Georgia. After all, your sleep can set the tone for your entire day!