How alcohol affects your sleep

What’s the biggest sleep breaker during the holiday period? Alcohol. “Heavy drinking may have you nodding off 5-10 minutes faster,” says sleep expert Professor Leon Lack of Flinders University in South Australia, “but the later part of the sleep period is disrupted.”

Alcohol is metabolised quickly and, after a short period of sedation, we experience more awakenings, explains Lack. “When alcohol blood levels drop, REM sleep and dreams – even nightmares – bounce back with a vengeance.”

If you’re already tired when you arrive at a party, it’s even more important to go easy on the booze. When you are tired your liver is less efficient at processing alcohol and, because alcohol is a depressant, it only adds to the groggy feeling. “You may not be over 0.05,” says Lack, “but being tired can put you well over the limit in terms of impaired functionality.”

Even if you are on your best behaviour, your neighbours may not be. During the holidays, houses up and down the street can crank up music to the max ’til the wee hours of the morning. But remember – "it’s not the noise per se that’s keeping you awake; it’s rarely loud enough,” says Lack. It’s your emotional reaction.

“The fight or flight mechanism is triggered, so your body becomes more alert.” Play it cool and try to allow the night sounds to fade into the background. 10 ways to get more sleep
 

Top sleep tip

Another important way to improve your sleep is sticking to a routine. Even during holiday periods, and even if you're on an extended break from work, it’s a good idea to maintain the same waking and sleeping hours – weekends included. Sticking to a schedule you’ve spent all year establishing should help you fall asleep far more readily. Daily plan for better sleep