The Effects of Wine on Sleep
Dear Marise, thanks for a fabulous question. You painted the picture perfectly: one or two glasses of wine with friends, followed by one night with broken sleep and a bleak gym the next morning. It is one of the most common secrets I hear: Why does wine strike first and then wake it up at 3 a.m.?
How Wine Affects Sleep
Alcohol is a sedative. It increases a brain chemical called Gaba, which slows down your system so that you fall asleep quickly. But when your liver processes alcohol, this sedative effect can be lost. Your nervous system then swings back in the other direction and becomes more vigilant and restless. That is why so many people drive in the middle of the night with a racing mind and without a chance to drift back.
Disruption of REM Sleep
Alcohol also disturbs the sleep of the fast eye movement (REM), the stage which is most associated with memory, learning, and mood regulation. Overall, less REM means lighter, more fragmented sleep. A big review in Sleep Medicine Reviews found that even moderate drinking before going to bed worsened sleep quality in several studies. So while you can fall asleep quickly, the second half of the night is often disrupted.
The Role of Sugar in Wine
Your fitness friends are sometimes right if you blame sugar because some wines contain residual sugar. But the true villain is alcohol itself. When it has broken, your body produces acetaldehyde, a toxic by-product that contributes to a bad sleep structure and is responsible for the "hit by a bus feeling" the next morning.
Other Foods and Drinks to Avoid Before Sleep
You are also right to keep coffee on the black list before going to bed. Caffeine has a half-life of around five to seven hours, which means that a coffee can still be active in your system at 3 p.m. However, alcohol is often overlooked as just as disturbing for quality sleep. Other foods and drinks that are worth avoiding near lights are:
- Dark chocolate. Sorry, I know that sounds cruel. But chocolate contains both sugar and caffeine. Even a modest block can be enough to trigger vigilance.
- Spicy foods. These can cause digestive disorders and even increase their core body temperature, which are both enemies of sleep.
- Fat or fried meals. Heavy foods make your digestive system overtime, which often leads to reflux, which wakes you up at night.
- Energy drinks or green tea. People often forget that green tea and many herbal teas still contain caffeine.
The Consequences of Chronic Bad Sleep
People sometimes say alcohol helps them to sleep like a baby. That’s right, but remember that babies cry every few hours and cry for attention. Not ideal. If you want restorative sleep, save the Pinot for a weekend instead of a nightcap. Choose a soothing caffeine-free tea, keep your dinner lightly, and dim the lights to give your body the best chance of the right break. Chronic bad sleep is not only impractical, research combines it with higher risks of obesity, depression, and cardiovascular diseases. A glass of wine may feel harmless, but night after night it can quietly remove your health.
Conclusion
Wine before going to bed is not red for adults. It is a sleeping pill that turns into an alarm clock from 3 a.m. Sweet dreams.
