There is a misconception that Alcohol brings sleeps. But a new study has shown that one will lose sleep if alcohol is drunk just before sleep. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine has said that about seven in ten Americans lost their sleep as they drank alcohol just before their bed time.
In the survey, men complained more about sleeplessness than women. It said that about 75 per cent of the men and 60 per cent of the women surveyed lost sleep after they drank alcohol to late in night.
AASM President Dr. Kannan Ramar, said that one might think alcohol brings good sleep but it has only negative effects if taken before bed time. Ramar is a sleep medicine physician at the Mayo Clinic.
The researchers said that a moderate amount of alcohol taken an hour before bedtime reduces melatonin production. This disrupts the internal clock that regulates the 24-hour sleep-wake cycle.
They maintained that alcohol could lead to new sleep disorders and even worsen existing ones, including sleep apnea and insomnia. It could also cause excessive relaxation of muscles in the head, neck and throat that could interfere with normal breathing. Another cause is that you have to frequent trips to the bathroom. It also causes parasomnias, including sleep eating and sleepwalking.
The researchers maintain that one should have his last drink three to four hours before sleep. Drinking two glasses of water for every alcoholic drink will help in flushing alcohol from the system. In addition, always better to eat a light snack before going to bed.
