Alcohol and REM

[andreafburns]

How and why does alcohol effect REM and does it make a difference?

[lisaartis]

Thanks for your question.

Sleep patterns are altered during the first part of the night after drinking alcohol. The immediate and short-term impact of alcohol is to reduce the time it takes to fall asleep and you end spending more time in deep, slow-wave sleep. However alcohol reduces rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which is the most restorative type of sleep. With less REM sleep, you’re likely to wake up feeling groggy and unfocused. And the more you drink before bed, the more pronounced these effects.