Don’t wait too late to pour yourself a glass of wine: it could disrupt your sleep!
Most people think it’s a good idea to have a nightcap before bed, believing the alcohol will help them fall asleep faster. While it may help to knock you out faster, it probably won’t help you stay asleep. Unfortunately, studies show that alcohol can actually disrupt the quality of your sleep.
A study reported in the May 2011 issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research found that alcohol decreased sleep duration and efficiency (ratio of time sleeping in bed to total time spent in bed) and increased how often women woke up during the night.
Give your body time to metabolize the alcohol by avoiding wine and other nightcaps at least two hours before bed. In fact, keep it between 2pm and 10pm when your liver breaks down alcohol more rapidly, and you’ll sleep through the night!
