As mentioned, consuming alcohol before bed leads to frequent disruptions during the night due to adrenaline. These interruptions then cause an imbalance in the amount of time we spend in our different sleep phases. Alcohol specifically tends to interfere with our REM sleep, so we end up devoting disproportionate time to non-REM sleep. We no longer spend nearly enough time in the REM stage of our sleep cycle.
Though it may seem harmless, losing out on REM sleep significantly impacts our overall sleep quality. As mentioned earlier, the REM sleep stage is a critical period for restoration, emotional processing, and memory consolidation. If we feel like we can’t recall everything that happened prior to a night of drinking, it’s because alcohol interfered with this important sleep stage.
