Science says: This is why you sleep so poorly when you've been drinking

Sleeping has never been my greatest talent, especially falling asleep (and sleeping in is actually not something I can do either). Often, people suggest having a glass of red wine or whisky before going to bed. Then I always face a big problem: I have no backbone and no stop button. Sticking to just one glass of wine is quite a challenge. Fortunately, I'm not a solo drinker; otherwise, it would have long since gotten out of hand.

But when I do drink heavily one evening, I usually manage to fall asleep a lot faster. But pff... When you wake up, the misery starts right away. Dry skin, dry mouth, headache; all the hangover symptoms in one. But these are also intensified because you've had a very poor night's sleep, as alcohol is really detrimental to your sleep quality.

In 2013, a study was dedicated to this by neurologist Irshaad Ebrahim. And what turned out? You indeed fall asleep faster with a drink; whether that's eighteen glasses of beer or just a glass of red. But the longer you are in dreamland, the worse it gets. Your REM sleep does not go well with alcohol: it starts to decrease significantly after about four glasses.

That is the first phase of your sleep each night. And the shorter it is, the less you dream and the worse you sleep. Additionally, drunk people spend more time in the third phase of sleep: deep sleep. Sounds good, but it isn't. Because by spending the first half of your night longer in that phase, the second half is all the worse. You wake up more often and lie restlessly.

According to another neurologist, Mahesh M. Thakkar, that first half is so comatose because alcohol disrupts your sleep homeostasis, particularly affecting the neurotransmitter adenosine. It all sounds very complicated and difficult, but this is the substance that inhibits the nerve cells that keep you awake. And that is why you fall asleep so quickly. But it also explains why you lie wide awake in the second half with a very groggy feeling.

And unfortunately, alas: there is no solution for this. Yes, to not drink. But hey, it's Saturday and I want my glass of wine. But maybe in moderation.