Here’s Why You Have Trouble Sleeping After Drinking Alcohol

‘Tis the season for holiday get-togethers and, for some of us, the occasional boozy drink. Whether drinking is part of your normal routine or you only imbibe on special occasions, you may have already noticed alcohol and a good night’s rest don’t always go hand in hand. It may relax you at first, but alcohol can interfere with your sleep cycle throughout the night, resulting in an unwelcome groggy feeling the next day. 

That said: Teetotaling isn’t always realistic for everyone. So if you’re heading to a holiday party or just want to sip on a holiday cocktail at home by the fire, know there are a few simple strategies to help minimize alcohol’s impact on your much-needed rest.

How alcohol affects your sleep 

Alcohol can affect people differently, but as a general rule, drinking messes with your sleep quantity and quality. You may notice you feel sleepy and ready to doze off after having a drink or two. “But then you pay for it later in the night,” says Jessee Dietch, Ph.D., a behavioral sleep psychologist, researcher at Oregon State University, and Hatch medical advisor. 

Research suggests consuming alcohol can interfere with a normal sleep cycle. In the first half of the night, alcohol increases the quality and quantity of non-REM sleep. “You’d have less REM sleep than you would if you didn’t drink,” says Dr. Dietch. But later on in the night, you’ll experience a REM rebound, which means you have more REM sleep than usual. 

So while you may end up with the same amount of REM sleep overall, Dr. Dietch says this change-up often impairs the restfulness of people’s sleep. You may notice you’re awake for longer periods in the middle of the night after you drink, and you feel more tired than usual when you wake up in the morning. All this tossing and turning could also contribute to the not-so-fun hangover feeling. 

Over time, sleep deprivation can start to affect your mental and physical health — so if you do drink, be strategic about how and when you do it, so it doesn’t interfere so much with your well-being.

How to get a good night’s sleep when you drink 

There are a few simple ways to minimize the effects of alcohol on your sleep cycle. Most obviously: Try not to overdo it. “If you plan to drink, don’t drink in large quantities or binge,” says Dr. Dietch. Along with drinking moderately, as a general rule, eat plenty of food with your alcohol and make sure you stay hydrated. You may notice the alcohol impacts you less, which could in turn help you get a better night’s rest. 

Another way to protect your sleep is to be strategic about when you consume alcohol. As a rule, the closer to bedtime you drink, the more likely it’ll affect your sleep. Dr. Dietch suggests drinking earlier when possible — for example, around Happy Hour or with dinner — and stopping about an hour or two before bedtime. 

And to protect your liver from overworking, which could also impact your sleep quality, pay attention to how frequently you drink. “If you’re going to drink at a holiday party, it may be a good idea not to drink for a night or two before,” says Dr. Dietch.

If you do feel crummy or unrested when you wake up? Take a few steps to protect your sleep that night. You may not feel like getting out of bed, but try your best not to wallow the day after you drink. Sunlight is a powerful tool to regulate your circadian rhythm, the internal clock that helps determine your wakefulness and sleepiness. 

A little gentle movement can go a long way, too. Dr. Dietch says being active helps create “sleep pressure,” which basically means you’ll be tired and ready for bed when the time comes. So even if you just go on a quick jaunt around the block the morning after a night of drinking, your future self — and your circadian rhythm — will thank you.