An alcohol break makes you sleep better

Have a nightcap before you crawl under the wool. Have a nightcap before closing the shutters. One last fuck before you go to dreamland. Call it what you like, but don't be fooled. Alcohol and sleep is a bad combination. It disrupts your sleep and you wake up less rested. Here you can read how and what.

That drink just before going to bed is relaxing, cozy and even helps you fall asleep faster. All benefits. But now it comes: that drink helps at the start of your night but breaks you up during the night. Alcohol really messes up your sleep cycle.

The Sleep Cycle

The sleep cycle works like this: sleep consists of dream sleep (REM sleep) and regular, deep sleep (NREM sleep). During the night, our body goes through the cycle several times a night. Your body starts with NREM sleep, then moves on to REM sleep and back to NREM sleep. A sleep cycle lasts about 90 minutes. Drinking alcohol before going to sleep increases deep sleep and decreases the amount of dream sleep.

Wrong order

Drinking alcohol also has an effect on the order of your sleep cycle. Alcohol causes the first deep sleep (REM sleep) to be brought to the fore. This means that you dream earlier and the brain has to process all the information and impressions of that day faster. The second part of the night, REM sleep takes place much later, overloading the brain. Because the deep sleep does not take place proportionally, sleeping problems occur. Such as sleepwalking, talking in your sleep and sleep apnea. In addition, there is an increased risk of intense dreams or nightmares.

A nightcap, but different

No one wants sleepwalking adventures or intense dreams. But of course it's a shame about that nightcap. We therefore went looking for alternatives so that you can start your quality night's sleep comfortably.

- Chamomile tea: has a relaxing effect. Do you find the taste of this tea a bit too bitter? Then add a spoonful of honey.

Coconut water: is full of potassium. A substance that plays an important role in your sleep-wake rhythm.

-Almond milk: bursting with magnesium. And that is good for getting a good night's sleep. Is almond milk not one of your favorites? Then try a shake with magnesium powder.

-Lavender tea: has a calming and stress-reducing effect on the human mind. So you can fall asleep zen.

-Soy milk: with amino acid tryptophan as raw material for serotonin and melatonin which promote sleep. In other words: a good alternative sleeping aid!

-Walnut smoothie: would you rather exchange your soy milk for something nutty? Then the walnut smoothie might be for you. It also has the necessary tryptophan. Try the combination: walnuts, almond milk and banana.

-Tea with lemon balm: just like lavender, it has a relaxing effect. Getting rosy on the couch, with a blanket, a good movie and a cup of tea with lemon balm is a successful sleep recipe.

Good night!