At first, alcohol can help you fall asleep, but this effect fades off after a few days if you keep drinking close to bedtime.[1] And right from the start, it will impair the quality of your sleep.[2][3] Ironically, alcohol-use disorders have even been linked to insomnia, though their being cause or consequence is uncertain.[1]
In short, don’t use alcohol as a sleep aid — it might help you relax, but it will impair the quality of your sleep. You may find it beneficial to avoid alcohol after dinner.
References
- ^Stein MD, Friedmann PDDisturbed sleep and its relationship to alcohol useSubst Abus.(2005 Mar)
- ^Park SY, Oh MK, Lee BS, Kim HG, Lee WJ, Lee JH, Lim JT, Kim JYThe Effects of Alcohol on Quality of SleepKorean J Fam Med.(2015 Nov)
- ^Stone BMSleep and low doses of alcoholElectroencephalogr Clin Neurophysiol.(1980 Jun)