Alcohol and Sleep: Realistic Strategies for the Festive Season

If you're like me, and many people I know, you might find "the most wonderful time of the year" can also be quite stressful and at times overwhelming. Whether you're preparing for Christmas, shopping, attending or organising end-of-year events, preparing to get away or have busy weekends with social gatherings and family commitments, this whirlwind of activity can raise stress levels and disrupt routines.
Unsurprisingly, all of this can affect our sleep. And it's not just the end-of-year stress that impacts our rest - it's also the time when our alcohol consumption tends to spike. End-of-year events typically involve celebratory drinks, symbolising the time for fun and festivities. The pop of a cork from a champagne bottle, the hiss of the bottle top when opening a cold beer, and the clink of colourful cocktail glasses evoke feelings of relaxation and frivolity, connection and friendship.
Alcohol can play a role in helping us unwind and connect with others. But its effects on our sleep can make managing the season's demands even harder. Let me share what research tells us about alcohol's impact on sleep, and some practical ways to navigate social events while protecting our rest.
The Effects of Alcohol on Sleep
Research on alcohol's impact on sleep has evolved significantly since the 1880s when its sedative effects were first studied. Early research reported that large volumes of alcohol led to sounder sleep at the start of the night but caused more disruption in the second half. While this is still mostly true, since the introduction of overnight sleep studies in the 1960s and '70s, measuring brain waves, heart rate, and breathing rate, we've gained an even clearer understanding of alcohol's hidden costs during sleep.
Impact on Sleep Cycles
Even small amounts of alcohol can disrupt our natural sleep cycles, causing more frequent wakings throughout the night and leaving us less refreshed in the morning (1). Studies have shown changes in brain wave patterns during different sleep stages. During our deep restorative sleep, that occurs at the start of the night, alcohol increases 'alpha' waves that typically only occur in a waking state, making us more vulnerable to sleep disruption and reducing sleep quality. So, the sound sleep we thought alcohol delivered at the start of the night, is actually fragmented and of lower quality (1).
Effect on REM Sleep
Alcohol suppresses rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, the dreaming stage of the sleep cycle associated with memory consolidation and emotional regulation (1,2,3). After drinking, we often experience "REM rebound" in the second half of the night, likely causing more vivid dreams and nightmares, leading to a more restless night (1,2,3).
Physical Effects
Additional impacts include:
- Worsened breathing issues due to relaxed throat muscles, potentially increasing snoring or sleep apnoea symptoms (1)
- More frequent bathroom visits during the night, which can make it difficult to return to sleep
- Morning grogginess, leaving us feeling tired and irritable even after a full night in bed (4)
Strategies for Managing Sleep During the Festive Season
The cultural pressures to drink during celebrations are real, and sometimes saying no isn't easy or what we want. Rather than suggest unrealistic complete abstinence, here are some practical approaches that have worked for many of my clients - and myself - in balancing social enjoyment with restful nights and reasonable sleep quality.
During Social Events
- Practice the "alternating drinks" strategy: Keep a soda water going alongside your alcoholic drink. Drink the soda when thirsty and sip the alcoholic drink for enjoyment. This naturally extends the time between drinks and reduces overall consumption.
- Manage social rounds strategically: Consider offering to buy the first round, then step out of the rotation. While it might cost more upfront, the benefits to your sleep and next-day wellbeing are worth it.
- Use driving as a natural limit: Volunteering to drive sets a clear boundary on consumption (approximately one drink per hour) while providing a valuable service to friends.
Planning Ahead
- Time your drinks wisely: Avoid alcohol within 3-4 hours of bedtime to allow your body time to process it.
- Choose alcohol-free occasions: Consider which events don't require drinking and enjoy the benefits of better sleep and saving money.
- Set personal limits before events: Decide on your limits in advance and stick to them.
Long Term Strategies
- Connect with your values: Focus on what matters most to you, whether it's maintaining mental clarity, enjoying quality sleep, or feeling energised the next day.
- Utilise support resources: Explore helpful resources like hellosundaymorning.org for additional guidance.
- Practice self-compassion: If you drink more than planned, avoid self-criticism. Instead, reflect on what happened and use that insight to plan better for next time.
Conclusion
We can’t always avoid end of year stress and busyness, but we can be mindful of how alcohol affects our sleep and aim to implement some of these strategies to make the most of this special time of year. Navigating the complex relationship between stress, alcohol, and sleep isn't easy - but understanding how they interact gives us the power to make more conscious choices about how we spend our nights and how we'll feel the next day.
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