Alcohol-fueled sleep 'less satisfying'
For many people, a nightcap of alcohol can help them fall asleep faster. However, new research from the London Sleep Centre has found that a drink before bedtime is actually detrimental to the quality of sleep because it robs a person of their ability to achieve the deepest sleep.
Developing a habit requiring a drink before bed can be troubling on many levels, including building a dependence on the drink to fall asleep, according to the scientists who did the study. Drinking before bed could also turn people into snorers, as alcohol suppresses breathing, and that could lead to sleep apnea. The alcohol tends to prevent people from falling into REM sleep, the stage in which people dream and one that is required for the most restful sleep.
The scientists who did the study recommend that you stop drinking an hour or two before bed.