Alcohol’s Effects on Your Sleep Pattern

Many people hold the notion that alcohol can act as a sedative. Therefore, leading them to the belief that drinking before bed will lead to a better night’s sleep. However, modern science has proven for this to be anything but true.

For one, alcohol is actually a stimulant – to some regards – even though it’s classified as a depressant. If it didn’t wake us up and feel good, millions wouldn’t be going out every Friday night and having their drinks as a means of socializing. Alcohol makes us feel good and it does so in the essence of filling the brain with endorphins. These are the chemicals responsible for us becoming talkative, confident, and less socially ashamed.

These chemicals do eventually wear off and leave us feeling rather sluggish. Ending our drunkenness with a drowsiness. Sometimes, instances appear where an individual has drunk too much to the point of sending themselves into a loss of consciousness. But it should be noted that this is simply the body’s reaction the lack of consumption in terms of blood alcohol levels.

Interestingly, scientific research has led to the conclusion that alcohol, in fact, reduces the amount of time it takes to fall asleep. Yet, it increases the amount of time the brain spends within deep sleep.

To top this off, the second half of the sleep cycle is very much disturbed. Causing abusers to not get as good of a night’s sleep and more susceptible to waking up from minor annoyances. With this data, it’s highly suggested that people with insomnia do not use alcohol as a sedative. Though it may help an insomniac fall asleep quicker, there is a very likely chance one will be awakened before they’ve received a full night’s rest.

Some may be asking the question as to whether alcohol is always bad for sleep. There are instances where – in an example – a glass of wine has sedative qualities that will help an individual fall asleep and stay in sleep for a longer period of time. However, it’s highly noted that the body builds a tolerance to alcohol very quickly. And soon enough, the individual would have to increase the amount of alcohol consumption in order to recreate the same effects. With this, they will not only be doing harm to their body but also great damage to their sleep schedule.

Understanding the Sleep Structure with Alcohol

There’s usually a time in everyone’s school career where they learn about the sleep cycle. To those unaware, the average adult begins their night in a stage called NREM (defined non-rapid eye movement). To put it simply, this is when the brain slowly goes from consciousness to unconsciousness.

Following NREM is REM (defined rapid eye movement). During this period is when a sleeper will experience dreams as they are very deep into unconsciousness. Throughout the night, we experience the sleep cycle around four to five times.

When an individual brings the toxification of alcohol into this they are disturbing much of what the brain is used to. In essence, throwing it off the steady course of the cycle and almost creating an entirely new one.

As mentioned, alcohol will make you fall asleep faster as well as cause you to stay within deeper sleep for a longer period of time. With this knowledge, we can understand that the third and fourth stages of the sleep cycle are heightened to some degree. This also causes the SWS (defined slow wave sleep) to increase during the first half of a night’s sleep. For those unaware, SWS is responsible for refurbishing the body and immune system for the following day.

At this point, it does seem as though alcohol may help an individual find sleep. However, it’s during the second half of one’s sleep cycle that a person will experience the disturbance caused by inebriation. REM is greatly reduced during this time, therefore, leaving the user in a very fragile state of mind before a full refreshment of the body is complete.

How Alcohol Affects Everyone’s Sleep Differently

People are likely to have a versatile amount of experiences while attempting to sleep with alcohol in their system. For alcoholics, these experiences may happen more frequently than to that of a non-alcoholic having their fun with a night of drinking. And vice versa.

Being that alcohol also affects us all differently, the number of possibilities in which an individual sleeps – or wakes up – to remain inconsistent.

  1. Waking Up Too EarlyAs mentioned, the second half of the sleep cycle is very much disturbed by alcohol flowing through the blood. Being this, people will often find themselves waking up in the early morning – before their intended wake up time – and unable to fall back asleep. This is commonly known as the rebound effect.
  2. Combining Pills with AlcoholPreferably, we’re going to quickly discuss sleeping pills as many believe it’s a way to counteract any disturbance brought on by alcohol. Though some may find themselves getting full night’s rest – or even more – there is much danger in sleeping pills combined with alcohol. For one, the body is not receiving proper refurbishing as it would in a healthy body. But also, there are chances of accidents that could lead to fatal situations.
  3. Night SweatsAlcohol has the ability to open up blood vessels which, in essence, heat up the body to temperatures all too warm. With this, individuals will have the tendency to sweat throughout the night.
  4. Increased SnoringPeople who are affected by snoring are likely to worsen their symptoms. Being that alcohol relaxes the muscles in the throat and airway. If you’re not affected by snoring, there’s still the chance of gaining these symptoms through alcohol.
  5. Increased UrinationThis one may be obvious, but the more alcohol an individual is going to consume, the more they’re going have to use the bathroom. With this, it can be assumed that a night’s sleep will often be disturbed by the constant necessity of urination.
  6. Increased Chance of SleepwalkingBeing that alcohol increases our SWS, there are likely chances of people suffering from somnambulism increasing their suffering through drinking. The occurrence of sleepwalking happens more frequently in the SWS. Therefore, with alcohol only heightening the condition, people may find themselves in the position of sleepwalking more frequently.

 

If you or anyone you love is looking for alcohol abuse treatment or desire more information on how alcohol affects a person’s sleep patterns, please, give us a call at 602-535-6468 or email us at info@stonewallinstitute.com.

DUI Evaluation Scottsdale

 If it is your dui first offense then you would need to attend required dui classes which will offer you alcohol treatment and accident prevention programs. If intoxicated, the chance of the having a DUI accident for any drivers will rise with their blood alcohol level. After you are convicted of driving under influence, then dui on your record will stay longer than you thought unless you file the petition for expungement. DUI expungment allows all records to be removed from your record.

To schedule a DUI-Related Substance Abuse Evaluation, contact Stonewall Institute at 602-535-6468

DUI Evaluation Arizona

Alcohol is created when grains, fruits, or vegetables are fermented, a process that uses yeast or bacteria to change the sugars in the food into alcohol. Alcohol has different forms and can be used as a cleaner or antiseptic; however the kind of alcohol that people drink is ethanol, which is a sedative. When alcohol is consumed, it’s absorbed into a person’s bloodstream. From there, it affects the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord), which controls virtually all body functions. Alcohol actually blocks some of the messages trying to get to the brain. This alters a person’s perceptions, emotions, movement, vision, and hearing.

To schedule a DUI-Related Substance Abuse Evaluation, contact Stonewall Institute at 602-535-6468

DUI Evaluation Scottsdale

In assessing need for substance abuse treatment, patients frequently underestimate their consumption. This underestimation may be attributed to denial, one of the hallmarks of the disease process of substance abuse. Patients may be asked about their drug or drugs of choice and the frequency, amount, and method of use.  CAGE is one type of evaluation:

  • C – Has anyone ever felt you should C ut down on your drinking?
  • A – Have people A nnoyed you by criticizing your drinking?
  • G – Have you ever felt G uilty about your drinking?
  • E – Have you ever had a drink first thing in the morning (E ye-opener) to steady your nerves or to get rid of a hangover

To obtain a drug evaluation  / alcohol evaluation in Scottsdale contact Stonewall Institute in Phoenix, Arizona at 602-535-6468.

DUI Evaluation Scottsdale

According to alcohol abuse and alcoholism statistics and facts, alcohol abuse is a pattern of drinking that results in situations that can result in the failure to attend to important responsibilities at school, work, or at home; ongoing alcohol-related relationship problems; the experience of recurring alcohol-related legal problems; and/or physical injury.

Stonewall Institute offers DUI evaluation services in order for individuals to be considered for the reinstatement of driving privileges in the state of Arizona.

To schedule an appointment to meet with a counselor regarding DUI substance abuse evaluation Scottsdale, contact the Stonewall Institute at 602-535-6468.

DUI Substance Abuse Revocation Evaluation Scottsdale

Regrettably, the full extent of the destructive and pervasive manifestations of alcohol abuse and alcoholism are not typically realized until various alcoholism statistics and alcohol abuse statistics are explicitly stated. As a consequence, the following alcohol abuse statistics and alcoholism statistics and facts, established via an assortment of online surveys and research studies, will be listed below:

* The World Health Organization estimates that about 76 million people throughout the world suffer from alcohol-related disorders.

* According to recent studies, it has been discovered that approximately 53% of adults in the United States have reported that one or more of their close relatives has a drinking problem.

* Alcohol dependence and alcohol abuse cost the United States an estimated $220 billion in 2005. This dollar amount was more than the cost associated with obesity ($133 billion) or with cancer ($196 billion).

* The overwhelming majority of youth (74% of 8-17 year-olds; 74% of 8-12 year-olds; 74% of 13-17 year-olds) cite their parents as the primary influence in their decisions about whether they drink alcohol or not..

* The 25.9% of underage drinkers in the United States who are alcohol abusers and alcohol dependent drink 47.3% of the alcohol that is consumed by all underage drinkers.

* Problem drinkers are mostly found in young adults between the ages of 18 and 29. Conversely, the age group with the fewest alcohol problems is adults who are 65 years old or older.

* The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that there were 17,000 alcohol-related traffic fatalities in each of the last three years.

Stonewall Institute offers DUI evaluation services in order for individuals to be considered for the reinstatement of driving privileges in the state of Arizona. State law requires all persons who seek the reinstatement of Arizona driving privileges following an alcohol or drug-related revocation to provide the Arizona Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) with a current substance abuse evaluation.

To schedule a DUI substance abuse revocation evaluation Scottsdale, contact Stonewall Institute at 602-535-6468.

DUI Substance Abuse Revocation Evaluation Scottsdale

Many people think that alcohol abuse and alcoholism are the same.  This is misinformation that is not a reflection of accurate alcoholism and alcohol abuse information, alcohol abuse statistics, or information about alcohol facts.

Although both concepts are similar, they are not the same.  Alcohol abuse, unlike alcoholism, does not include physical dependence, loss of control due to drinking, or an extremely strong desire for alcohol.

A Definition of Alcohol Abuse.  Alcohol abuse is defined as a pattern of drinking that results in one or more of the following circumstances in a twelve-month period of time:

  • Drinking in situations that can result in physical injury.  Examples include driving a vehicle or operating machinery.
  • Failure to attend to important responsibilities at work, home, or school.
  • Experiencing recurring alcohol-related legal problems.  Examples include getting arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol, for damaging someone’s property, or for physically hurting someone while drunk.
  • Continued drinking in spite of ongoing relationship problems that are the result of drinking.

Stonewall Institute offers DUI evaluation services in order for individuals to be considered for the reinstatement of driving privileges in the state of Arizona. State law requires all persons who seek the reinstatement of Arizona driving privileges following an alcohol or drug-related revocation to provide the Arizona Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) with a current substance abuse evaluation. The evaluation is required as part of the Revocation Investigation packet administered by the Arizona MVD.

To schedule a DUI Substance Abuse Revocation Evaluation Scottsdale, contact Stonewall Institute at 602-535-6468.

dui substance abuse evaluation scottsdale

According to alcohol info and substance abuse research, alcoholism, also known as “alcohol addiction” or alcohol dependency, is a disease that includes the following symptoms:

* Craving: A strong and continuing compulsion or need to drink.
* Physical dependence: Withdrawal symptoms when a problem drinker stops drinking after a period of excessive drinking. Such symptoms include: anxiety, sweating, nausea, and “the shakes.”
* Loss of control: The inability to limit one’s drinking over time or on any given occasion.

* Tolerance: The need to drink increasing amounts of alcohol in order to “feel the buzz” or to “get high.”As stated above, alcoholism and alcohol abuse are similar, but not identically the same concepts. Perhaps the best way to explain this is to make the following statement: whereas all instances of alcoholism involve the abuse of alcohol, not all instances of alcohol abuse can be called alcoholism.

In other words, all forms of alcoholism involve the abuse of alcohol, but not all those who engage in the abuse of alcohol exhibit alcoholic behavior. The key difference in the two concepts is this: those who abuse alcohol, unlike alcoholics, are not necessarily physically dependent on alcohol, they do not necessarily crave alcohol, they are not necessarily out of control regarding their drinking, and they do not necessarily develop tolerance.

Perhaps an example will help. A person who only drinks once per year and gets drunk on his or her birthday is clearly not an alcoholic because he or she does not exhibit a strong and continuing need to drink, is not physically dependent on alcohol, and does not develop tolerance for alcohol. He or she has definitely exhibited an inability to limit his or her drinking this one time (i.e., a loss of control), but the other three aspects of alcoholism necessary to call him or her an “alcoholic” are missing.

In this example, the person who gets drunk only once per year has exhibited alcohol abuse or binge drinking but not alcoholic behavior. In the truest sense of the word, however, this person still could be labeled as having a drinking problem due to the fact that he or she engaged in abusive drinking.

Stonewall Institute offers DUI evaluation services in order for individuals to be considered for the reinstatement of driving privileges in the state of Arizona. State law requires all persons who seek the reinstatement of Arizona driving privileges following an alcohol or drug-related revocation to provide the Arizona Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) with a current substance abuse evaluation. The evaluation is required as part of the Revocation Investigation packet administered by the Arizona MVD.

To schedule a DUI Substance Abuse Evaluation Scottsdale, contact Stonewall Institute at 602-535-6468

dui substance abuse evaluation scottsdale

A question that has been raised by numerous individuals is the following: why can some people drink alcohol without experiencing any major difficulties, negative alcohol-related outcomes, or drinking problems while others cannot? One answer to this question involves genetic make-up. More specifically, substance abuse researchers have found that having an alcoholic family member increases the risk of developing alcoholism.

In fact, alcohol info and research show that there may be a genetic predisposition for certain individuals to become dependent on alcohol. In addition, alcoholism scientists have discovered that different environmental factors can interact with one’s genetics, the result of which is a complex system of dynamic variables that can lead to alcoholism or to the abuse of alcohol.

Examples of these environment factors include an individual’s family and friends, an individual’s culture, the relative ease of getting alcohol, where and how an individual lives, and peer influence.
Drunk driving and alcoholism statistics and relevant alcohol info report that alcohol-involved crashes accounted for 10 percent of property-damage-only crash costs, 21 percent of nonfatal injury crashes and 46 percent of fatal injury crash costs.

Stonewall Institute offers DUI evaluation services in order for individuals to be considered for the reinstatement of driving privileges in the state of Arizona. State law requires all persons who seek the reinstatement of Arizona driving privileges following an alcohol or drug-related revocation to provide the Arizona Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) with a current substance abuse evaluation. The evaluation is required as part of the Revocation Investigation packet administered by the Arizona MVD.

To schedule a DUI Substance Abuse Evaluation Scottsdale, contact Stonewall Institute at 602-535-6468

DUI Substance Abuse Evaluation Scottsdale

Stonewall Institute offers DUI substance abuse evaluation Scottsdale services in order for individuals to be considered for the reinstatement of driving privileges by the Scottsdale MVD in the state of Arizona.  If you have received a DUI Scottsdale, and in need of a DUI Scottsdale counselor, you have come to the right place.

Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, refers to a maladaptive pattern of use of a substance that is not considered dependent. The term “drug abuse” does not exclude dependency, but is otherwise used in a similar manner in nonmedical contexts. The terms have a huge range of definitions related to taking a psychoactive drug or performance enhancing drug for a non-therapeutic or non-medical effect. All of these definitions imply a negative judgment of the drug use in question (compare with the term responsible drug use for alternative views). Some of the drugs most often associated with this term include alcohol, amphetamines, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, cocaine, methaqualone, and opioids. Use of these drugs may lead to criminal penalty in addition to possible physical, social, and psychological harm, both strongly depending on local jurisdiction.

To schedule an appointment today to meet with counselor regarding DUI substance abuse evaluation Scottsdale, contact the Stonewall Institute at 602-535-6468.