My client told me frustrated at the beginning recently: ‘I had a few glasses of wine, went to bed at 1 AM and still woke up at 5 AM, wide awake, before my alarm. I don’t get it!’.
She assumed the wine would knock her out to get as much sleep in before her alarm rings. That wasn’t the case, she felt so exhausted.
Alcohol might make you drowsy, but it’s not the sleep aid you believe it is. Here’s why that nighty drinks backfires every time:
- Sedation vs. Sleep
Alcohol sedates your brain, so you fall asleep faster—but sedation isn’t the same as natural, restorative sleep. - REM Disruption
It suppresses REM sleep, the stage when your brain consolidates memories and processes emotions. - Early Awakening
As alcohol wears off, you cycle out of the deeper sleep stages and may wake up hours before your alarm. - Diuretic Effect
Drinking alcohol forces your body to make more urine and middle‐of‐the‐night bathroom runs.
Even if you “sleep” eight hours, you’ll wake up groggy, foggy, and wondering why you aren’t refreshed.
That nightcap isn’t helping you sleep, it’s sabotaging your brain’s deepest, most restorative stages.
Ready learn real tools that actually work to fall asleep easier?
Let’s talk science-backed strategies, no alcohol required.
Book a free call with me
– Michi