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Do
Merry Gentleman (and Ladies) Actually Rest
Well?
With
the approach of the holidays, we are sometimes
asked by patients about eating and drinking before
sleep. All the fun and frivolity sometimes
results in eating and drinking more than we had
planned, and later than we had planned. So what
are the consequences for consuming
excessive alcohol before sleep?
Alcohol
is a sedative, a central nervous system
depressant. Most people experience a pleasant
feeling of relaxation and sedation with a serving
of alcohol before sleep. However, it
will also disrupt REM sleep during the second
half of the night.
Studies
indicate that the type of beverage does not
seem to be as much of a factor as the alcohol
content of the drink. In general, alcohol
has been reported to reduce sleep efficiency
as well as a reduction in both the number of
sleeping hours and REM sleep.
In
addition to the sleep stage disruption,
alcohol prior to sleep has other
possible medical adverse effects such as gastric
reflux and breathing problems. This is due to
the interference of alcohol on the
function of the lower esophagus, causing reflux.
This exacerbates sleep apnea by further
relaxing the muscles of the upper airway. For
patients who are treated for sleep apnea, nasal
CPAP therapy settings which are effective when
sober, are likely to be less effective with
alcohol present.
The
best advice for alcohol consumption is
moderation. The following guidelines will
help reduce overconsumption of
alcohol:
Do
not drink on an empty stomach
Pace
yourself by drinking water and other non-alcoholic
beverages
Never
take alcohol with sleeping pills or other sedative
medications
Anyone
with a sleep disorder, especially sleep apnea,
should probably abstain from
alcohol
Over-eating
and Sleep
In
general eating promotes sleepiness. The
process of digestion raises body temperature
slightly. Once the temperature begins to
return to normal, it signals sleepiness,
independent of the time of day. Scientific
studies have demonstrated that the type of food
you eat does not have much effect on your
sleep. However, there are a few
exceptions. Extremely spicy food seems to
disturb sleep, and certain other foods have a
chemical in common which activates the brain and
disturbs sleep. It is called tyramine and is
found in foods such as aged cheeses, chocolate,
bacon, and dark red wines. Tyramine raises
brain levels of norepinephrine. For
many people, the combination of eating late
and going to bed with a full stomach can
result in indigestion, the most
troublesome consequence of holiday
dining. Consequently, indigestion is
another contributor to gastric reflux, compounding
the effects of alcohol.
Furthermore,
from a metabolic standpoint, the endocrinologists
state that going to bed on a full
stomach sends the wrong
physiologic messages to the glycemic control
system. This could possibly lead to
poor blood sugar control and promotes insulin
resistance over the long term.
The
best advice we can provide is to eat less, and eat
early.
Happy
Holidays!! | 
