Some people drink alcohol to help them sleep better at night. Some drink a glass of wine, others drink a mixed drink or perhaps even a shot or two of bourbon. While this may put you into an unconscious state rather easily, this may be causing you trouble staying asleep. Why is that the case?
First, that lack of alcohols is not what causes insomnia. The cure for insomnia involves finding out what causes your insomnia and treat it from there. Drinking alcohol before bedtime to help you sleep simply takes away the symptoms of the Insomnia but doesn’t treat the underlying problem. It actually makes the problem worse because you’re putting yourself into a never-ending cycle of needing this alcohol before you go to bed. Unfortunately, it is not doing the job that you are hoping for.
While alcohol may help you to fall asleep quickly, it only affects the first half of your sleep. We have sleep cycle stages. Although you may fall asleep because of the alcohol, you are disrupting the other sleep cycles stages. In fact, studies have found that alcohol which has been consumed within six hours of going to sleep can affect the amount of good sleep that you are getting negatively. You may be unconscious when you fall asleep, you are not getting the deep sleep that you need in order to wake rejuvenated.
Continue reading »
When operating properly your body’s internal clock tells you when to sleep and when to wake up. It also controls your sleep cycle stages. The scientific name for this function is known as the circadian clock. This internal mechanism controls your sleep cycle by monitoring your body temperature, hormone levels and your general level of alertness.
Behind your eyeballs are a cluster of neurons called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) that sends rhythmic signals to your pituitary gland. Your pituitary gland then sends chemicals including melatonin into your blood. Studies have found that it is the build up of melatonin that causes drowsiness.
There is another neurotransmitter, a chemical called adenosine that is produced while you are awake. Your cells produce power to get you through the tasks you need to do each day and adenosine is a bi-product of the use of that power. Adenosine builds up throughout the day to a level that tells your brain its time to sleep. The longer you resists the more adenosine and melatonin build up and you feel sleepier and sleepier until finally you have no choice but to fall asleep. While you sleep these hormones are broken down by other bodily functions and your circadian clock is reset. Then the cycle starts all over again.
Continue reading »
