Links Between Alcohol And Insomnia Problems

Alcohol and Insomnia Problems

Causes of Insomnia

Common causes of chronic insomnia include:

Stress

Travel or work schedule

Caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol

• Coffee, tea, cola, and other caffeinated drinks are stimulants. Drinking them late afternoon or evening can keep you from falling asleep at night. Nicotine in tobacco products is another stimulant that can interfere with sleep. Alcohol may help you fall asleep, but it prevents deeper stages of sleep and often causes awakening in the middle of the night.

Poor sleep habits

Overeating late in the evening

Chronic insomnia may also be associated with medical conditions or the use of certain drugs. Treating the medical condition may help improve sleep, but insomnia may persist after the medical condition improves.

Mental health disorders

Medical conditions

How Alcohol Affects People With Insomnia

When people notice they’ve developed a sleep disorder, their first reaction is usually to have a drink. As a result, 20% of adults in the United States will use some form of alcohol to help them fall asleep. Alcohol may help many fall asleep occasionally. However, the consumption of alcohol, even a single serving, will make it more difficult for an individual to reach deep sleep. Also known as REM sleep. Without deep sleep, our body and mind cannot do what’s necessary to prepare for the next day.

Alcohol and insomnia can feed off each other. Awareness and a smart approach to sleeping well can be the key to better sleep habits. The major issue is that people may not feel the negative effects of the use of alcohol and the insomnia that follows at first. They can try it a few times and think their sleeping problems are cured. Eventually, however, they notice they are tired when they wake up. The solution seems simple; they have another beer, another glass of wine, and another shot. But, the more they take, the more they feel they need it, and soon, they’ve built a dependency on alcohol to feel relaxed.

Alcohol and Sleep Deprivation

Drinking alcohol can worsen certain sleep disorders, notably insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea.

Alcohol and Insomnia

Insomnia may include the following symptoms: difficulty falling asleep, frequently waking during the night, difficulty falling asleep again after waking, waking too early, and daytime sleepiness. People with insomnia sometimes use alcohol to self-medicate. Studies have found that approximately 30% of people with ongoing insomnia have used alcohol within the past year as a sleep aid. Alcohol and insomnia problems are strongly linked; estimates of insomnia in people with alcohol dependency range from 36% to 67%.

Because alcohol consumption can result in frequent waking, changes to the sleep stages and a reduction in the amount of REM sleep, alcohol likely exacerbates insomnia, and its use as a sleep aid is not recommended.

Alcohol Is Not a Sleep Aid 

Anyone who has drunk alcohol can tell you that it puts you in a relaxed mood, promoting sleepiness. While this works for initiating sleep, several studies have found that alcohol does not improve sleep quality.

There are several stages of sleep, the most important of which is the rapid eye movement (REM) stage. As the name suggests, your eyes are seen to rapidly dart back and forth under your eyelids during this stage, and sleep studies have concluded that the REM stage is where the body restores itself and recovers from the stressors of the prior day. This is also the stage of sleep where dreaming occurs.

The stages of sleep

Several stages of sleep occur once we close our eyes. We progress from stage 1 to REM, and then the sleep cycle begins again. The stages are as follows:

• Stage 1: Light sleep where we are awakened easily. Our eyes move slowly and muscle activity slows. Alpha waves are seen when observing brain activity.
• Stage 2: Our eye movements stop and our brain waves become slower with occasional rapid bursts. Heart rate slows down and body temperature begins to drop. This stage is meant to prepare us for deep sleep. Rhythmic brain-wave activities known as theta waves and sleep spindles are seen.
• Stages 3 and 4: Known as slow-wave sleep. Blood pressure falls, breathing slows, and the body becomes immobile. It is most difficult to be awakened during this part of the sleep cycle; most people feel groggy and disoriented when they wake up during these stages. Delta waves are seen when observing brain activity.
• REM stage: This stage dominates the later portions of sleep and increases in duration as the night progresses. The brain is seen to be most active during this time, behaving very similarly to when we are awake. Low amplitude mixed-frequency brain waves of theta, alpha, and beta are seen.

Consuming alcohol robs us of REM sleep. While it may help induce sleep at first, later during the night it is disruptive. Decreased time spent in REM can impact concentration, motor skills, and memory. Alcohol also results in more frequent awakenings throughout the night and increases alpha wave sleep, which makes us feel less refreshed in the morning and causes poor daytime functioning.

Alcohol and Insomnia as a Co-occurring Disorder

Most common mental illnesses, including depression, anxiety, and PTSD, are related to insomnia, and alcohol and drug abuse disorders are not left out. However, the correlation may be complicated and bidirectional: alcohol and drug use can lead to insomnia, but sleep problems can also increase the risk of substance abuse and addiction. This relationship between alcohol and insomnia is sometimes diagnosed as a co-occurring disorder or a dual diagnosis.

Addiction experts are paying more attention to subjects surrounding sleep and considering ways to deal with sleep disruption in opioid use in turn insomnia disorder prevention and treatment as they understand the significance of this once-overlooked aspect. Most types of substance abuse severely disrupt the brain’s sleep-regulating systems, affecting latency, sleep duration, and quality of sleep.

During withdrawal, drug users often experience insomnia, whereby drug cravings are fueled, and relapse is possible. Furthermore, the importance of sleep in consolidating new memories cannot be overstated, poor sleep quality may make it more difficult to learn new coping and self-control skills needed for recovery.

Treatment for Alcohol and Insomnia Problems

Alcohol is the most abused addictive substance in America, as more than 17 million people in the United States are considered to suffer from addiction to alcohol. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA), publishes that over 1.5 million American adults were considered to be currently abusing a prescription drug.

Mixing prescription insomnia medication such as Ambien and alcohol magnifies the side effects of both and may promote more use of both. A wide variety of options are available to help the person stop taking Ambien and alcohol and avoid serious side effects from polysubstance abuse. Many Ambien users respond well to residential rehab programs. 

If you are struggling with alcohol and insomnia, it’s crucial to first get an accurate assessment of all the symptoms. When the symptoms have been evaluated by a mental health professional, it may be determined that another form of mental condition is present and needs a particular type of treatment. Very often, some combination of psychotherapy, medication, and/or lifestyle changes are effective for coping with functional. 

Medically-Assisted Detox

Detox is often considered the first stage of treatment. It will help you navigate the complicated process of alcohol withdrawal, but it doesn’t address patterns of thought and behavior that contribute to drug use. Various treatment approaches and settings can help provide the ongoing support necessary to maintain long-term sobriety after you complete detox.

Cravings are very common during detox and can be challenging to overcome. This often leads to relapse. Constant medical care provided during inpatient treatment helps prevent relapse. Clinicians can provide necessary medication and medical expertise to lessen cravings and the effects of withdrawals.

Psychotherapy 

Several different modalities of psychotherapy have been used in the treatment of mental health disorders along with addiction, including:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) – is an effective treatment that involves making changes in both the patterns of negative thoughts and the behavioral routines which are affecting the daily life of the depressed person for various forms of depression.
• Dialectical Behavioral Therapy – is a comprehensive mental health and substance abuse treatment program whose ultimate goal is to aid patients in their efforts to build a life worth living. The main goal of DBT is to help a person develop what is referred to as a “clear mind.” 
• Person-Centered Therapy – is a strategy that allows and encourages clients to understand and resolve their concerns in a safe, supportive environment.
• Solution–focused therapy is an approach interested in solutions that can be quickly implemented with a simple first step leading to further positive consequences.

Dual Diagnosis Treatment

Drug abuse and mental health disorders often co-occur. In many cases, traumatic experiences can result in a mental health disorder and substance abuse. Dual diagnosis rehabilitation treats both of these issues together. The best approach for the treatment of dual diagnosis is an integrated system. This strategy treats both the substance abuse problem and the mental disorder simultaneously. Regardless of which diagnosis (mental health or substance abuse problem) came first, long-term recovery will depend largely on the treatment for both disorders done by the same team or provider.

Medication-Assisted Treatments