Alcohol enhances GABA — a calming neurotransmitter, does that mean its good for sleep?

Alcohol does increase deep non-REM sleep in the first few hours of the night. Studies show deep sleep running higher in that early window — you fall asleep faster, sleep looks more continuous.

“I had one glass of wine with dinner and now I’m lying here at 3am, heart racing, wired — how is that possible?”

It’s a reasonable question. You did fall asleep faster. The calming effect was there. The question is what happens in the hours that follow, while the body processes what you drank.

Here are 4 ways alcohol affects the second half of your sleep, why the wake-up often feels wired rather than tired, and adjustments you can make — without necessarily giving up the evening ritual:

—Kat

P.S. I cover what the pattern of your 3am wake-up can tell you about what’s driving it — and four adjustments you can make now that reduce the impact without requiring you to give up the drink altogether.