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Even in times of social distancing, you can find ways to regularly connect with family and friends to ease your stress and anxiety and boost your mood. Just as the reasons for seeking comfort in drugs or alcohol vary according to the individual, so too can the methods of self-medicating. Give yourself a 3-hour window between your last drink and bedtime.

However, alcohol is detrimental to getting a good night’s rest. Because of drinking’s negative impact on sleep cycles, a person does not sleep as well if they drink before bed.

Clinical and laboratory correlates of subjective and objective sleep outcomes

Patients without pre-existing chronic sleep disturbances demonstrated lower ratings of sleep (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index ) and daytime sleepiness (Epworth Sleepiness Scale ) compared to healthy sleepers. Oyefeso et al. reported inadequate sleep quality and quantity as well as difficulty initiating and maintaining sleep in persons with opioid use disorders in early stages of methadone detoxification. Similar studies have shown some increased daytime drowsiness and below normal sleep measures in this patient population . After longer periods of MMT, however, there is some degree of tolerance to these effects , and sleep difficulty is shown to be present only in the first 6–12 months of MMT . What is now clearly shown to be a mismatch in subjective and objective experience during acute and subacute abstinence was once perceived as an inconsistency . Additionally, or alternatively, the rebound in delta power after acute withdrawal , despite poor sleep and decreased slow-wave sleep time, may improve the subjective experience of sleep quality . The poor subjective experience in acute withdrawal may also be related to the decreased REM latency and increased REM sleep time, leading to increased dreaming and correlated with symptoms of withdrawal .

Or your condition could be undiagnosed and you simply use alcohol or drugs to cope with a specific symptom or situation. During the pandemic and resultant economic difficulties, for example, many of us started self-medicating stress, worry, and depression as our lives changed so much. Again, REM is our slow-wave, deeply restorative, and emotionally supportive stage . Walker refers to REM as “overnight therapy” and “emotional first-aid” because of its powerful influence on emotional reactivity, anxiety, fear, and mood.

Can Alcohol Cause Sleep Apnea?

The journey to healing and stability starts with one call, so get started today. Among can’t sleep without alcohol the problems with sleep in chronic cannabis users is the presence of strange dreams .

Researchers say cannabis misuse among teens is now higher than misuse of alcohol. Experts say edible cannabis products are a particular problem. Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy. Drinking too much is likely to have the opposite effect and leave you feeling groggy and possibly hungover the next day.

Physical Activity and Sleep

You shouldn’t let alcohol or an undiagnosed sleep disorder ruin your sleep. Sleep apnea is a common but serious sleep disorder where your airway is partially or completely blocked while you sleep.