January 29, 2013

Nightcap Drink Disrupts Important Sleep

Two or more drinks cut REM sleep, which is important for memory and health. Katherine Harmon reports

SUBSCRIBE TO 60-Second Health

Join Our Community of Science Lovers!

A little booze before bedtime might help you fall asleep faster. But various studies show that alcohol is anathema for restorative sleep. A new review paper describes just how detrimental a few drinks can be.

The researchers pored over 20 studies conducted in controlled lab settings. They found a clear trend that just about any amount of alcohol alters sleep. And the effects are usually bigger with more drinks.

Just two drinks or more cut REM sleep, which is important for memory and health. And those deep, slow-wave sleep periods are also reduced for people who have tied on more than one.

On supporting science journalism

If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.

Perhaps the most potent finding is that just a single dose of alcohol in the late evening can zap the efficacy of your z's. The paper is in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. [Irshaad Ebrahim, et al., Alcohol and Sleep I: Effects on Normal Sleep]

Disrupted and insufficient sleep has been linked to everything from weight gain to heart problems. Not to mention harming memory and well-being. It may be time to say goodnight to the nightcap.

—Katherine Harmon

[The above text is a transcript of this podcast.]

It’s Time to Stand Up for Science

If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in that two-century history.

I’ve been a Scientific American subscriber since I was 12 years old, and it helped shape the way I look at the world. SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe. I hope it does that for you, too.

If you subscribe to Scientific American, you help ensure that our coverage is centered on meaningful research and discovery; that we have the resources to report on the decisions that threaten labs across the U.S.; and that we support both budding and working scientists at a time when the value of science itself too often goes unrecognized.

In return, you get essential news, captivating podcasts, brilliant infographics, can't-miss newsletters, must-watch videos, challenging games, and the science world's best writing and reporting. You can even gift someone a subscription.

There has never been a more important time for us to stand up and show why science matters. I hope you’ll support us in that mission.

Thank you,

David M. Ewalt, Editor in Chief, Scientific American