Alcohol is complicated. It’s ingrained in many of our social lives, and for many of us who are not suffering from addiction, enjoying some alcohol in a healthy way feels possible. ⁠ ⁠ That said, in my practice I see more people having a problem with alcohol than they realize. Even if they pass the CAGE questions (a substance abuse screening tool) that could indicate addiction, it doesn’t mean alcohol isn’t a problem for their health, thanks to its impact on cancer risk, dementia risk, and in the very here-and-now: sleep. 💤⁠ ⁠ Many drink a glass of wine before bed thinking it will help them fall asleep but in reality, it’s probably causing more harm than good. Research shows that while alcohol does increase the quality and quantity of non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep—or the dreamless sleep during which your brain waves, heart rate, and breathing begin to slow, leading you into REM sleep—in the first half of the night, it disrupts sleep quality in the second half, making you more tired the next day. ⁠ ⁠ In other words, you may be passing out, but your sleep quality is lower when you’ve had a couple drinks. ⁠ ⁠ I recommend drinking earlier in the night. 6pm is better than 10pm to have that glass of wine, so that you have time to metabolize it. I also recommend at least four nights of no drinking per week, so that your body has time to recover and you’re sleeping well more days than not. ⁠ ⁠ At @parsleyhealth we recommend clear alcohols such as mezcal and vodka, because they don’t have some of the toxins in them and they tend to be lower in sugar. As well as fully natural and fermented wines.⁠ When I’m going out, my go-to drink is a mezcal margarita, without agave, on the rocks and with salt.⁠ ⁠ Alcohol and sleep are only two of the five core actions I highlight in State Change. To hear about how food, exercise, technology, sleep and alcohol affect our mental health and wellbeing, head to my Podcast Story Highlight to listen to my conversation with @jasonwachob on the @mindbodygreen podcast!⁠ And check out the link in my bio to order State Change💕⁠ Source: https://americanaddictioncenters.org/alcoholism-treatment/insomnia