Sleep-Related Predictors of Risk for Alcohol Use and Related Problems in Adolescents and Young Adults Alcohol Research: Current Reviews

REM sleep deprivation can result in feelings of grogginess and fatigue upon waking. Insomnia is a common sleep disorder that affects https://ecosoberhouse.com/ many individuals worldwide. It is characterized by difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or experiencing non-restorative sleep.

• Generally, even healthy alcohol consumption can lead to poor sleep quality.
• If you’re having trouble falling or staying asleep, alcohol consumption could be a contributing factor.
• Although the potential relationships between alcohol consumption and insomnia are complex, several recent reviews have described a reciprocal relationship (Blumenthal and Fine 1996; NIAAA 1998; Vitiello 1997).
• Effect sizes (ES) were estimated for changes in sleep problems, days of alcohol abstinence, and symptoms of depression at the first available follow-up.
• Further, bisexual women were more likely to experience short sleep duration and to be diagnosed with a sleep disorder compared to heterosexual women.

Unfortunately, only five studies with naltrexone met the above criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. Of the five studies, four reported measures of insomnia, and four reported measures of sleepiness (or somnolence; Table 2). All the other studies had different design and/or outcomes, and therefore, it was not considered appropriate to pool the data together. It’s important to note that while alcohol may initially induce drowsiness and help with falling asleep, the subsequent disruptions to sleep stages and quality can lead to a vicious cycle of alcohol and insomnia.

Sleep Benefits of Tart Cherry Juice

Details regarding intervention frequency, duration/dose, and content are summarized in Table 1. The majority of interventions were delivered in person, although one involved both in-person and telephone support (Arnedt et al., 2011). Four interventions involved components of sleep education, two involved relaxation training, and one included alcohol education. The methodological quality of each article was assessed using 11 items from measures that have been validated in previous trials (Downs and Black, 1998; Jadad et al., 1996; Miller et al., 1995; Miller and Wilbourne, 2002).

Baseline examination (Phase 1) took place during 1985–1988 and involved a clinical examination and a self-administered questionnaire containing sections on demographic characteristics, health, lifestyle factors, work characteristics, social support and life events. Subsequent phases of data collection have alternated between postal questionnaire alone and postal questionnaire accompanied by a clinical examination. Over this past decade, knowledge in the field of sleep-related disorders has grown considerably with the evolution of sleep medicine and behavioral sleep medicine as independent sub-specialties, and improved comprehension of sleep disorders and their treatments.

What is the Link Between Alcohol and insomnia?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I), in particular, has been effective in reducing insomnia symptoms, both as a primary diagnosis and in the presence of medical and psychiatric disorders (Siebern and Manber, 2011; Smith et al., 2005). Behavioral treatments may be preferable to medication in the context of AUD because they are longer-lasting and, theoretically, may break the cycle of using substances to manage distress (Brower, 2015). Although experts can’t be certain that alcohol directly causes insomnia, numerous studies have found a link between this sleep disorder and alcohol alcohol induced insomnia consumption. Another excitatory neurotransmitter whose activity is altered by alcohol and which may contribute to withdrawal symptoms is noradrenaline. Noradrenaline activity is enhanced during alcohol withdrawal (Hawley et al. 1985), which likely contributes to increased arousal during the early withdrawal phase. This hypothesis is supported by findings that agents that reduce noradrenaline activity (e.g., benzodiazepines, clonidine, and propanolol) both have sedative effects and are useful in the treatment of alcohol withdrawal (Carskadon et al. 1989; Lejoyeux et al. 1998; Mayo-Smith 1997).

By understanding the causes and factors contributing to insomnia, individuals can take the necessary steps to manage and improve their sleep quality. In the following sections, we will delve deeper into the relationship between alcohol and insomnia and explore effective strategies for managing this connection. “Providing times for when to stop drinking alcohol, start winding down for bed, and my optimal wake-up and go-to-bed times have been so helpful…I think it’s helping me set a course to be more in control of my sleep and energy throughout the day.” Read the review. Problems like decreased sleep time and deep sleep and increased light sleep and sleep latency (the time it takes to fall asleep) should clear up with sustained abstinence.