Does Alcohol Help You Sleep? What a Nightcap Really Does
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A drink before bed makes you drowsy, so it seems like it should help you sleep. Plenty of Australians think so: a Sleep Health Foundation survey found that four in ten adults had an alcoholic drink in the hour before sleep. But falling asleep faster isn't the same as sleeping well. This guide covers what alcohol does to your sleep, and how to drink without wrecking your night.
The short answer: alcohol helps you fall asleep, then disrupts the second half of your night with more awakenings, lighter sleep, snoring and trips to the toilet. If you drink, stop at least three to four hours before bed, drink water alongside, and don't use alcohol as a sleep aid.
What alcohol does to your sleep
First half of the night: sedation. Alcohol makes you sleepy and can help you fall asleep faster.
Second half of the night: disruption. As your body processes the alcohol, the effect reverses. The Sleep Health Foundation says that in the second half of the night, sleep after drinking alcohol is associated with more frequent awakenings, night sweats and nightmares (source).
| Effect | What you notice |
|---|---|
| More awakenings | Waking at 3 or 4am and struggling to get back to sleep |
| Less REM sleep | At moderate and high doses, dreaming sleep is reduced |
| Snoring | Even modest amounts can make snoring and sleep apnoea worse |
| Toilet trips | Alcohol makes you produce more urine |
| Night sweats | Waking hot and restless |
| A rough morning | Tired and foggy, even after enough hours in bed |
As the Alcohol and Drug Foundation puts it, just because you fall asleep quickly doesn't mean that you will have a good quality sleep.
If you often wake in the early hours after a drink, see why do I keep waking up at 3am?
Why a nightcap stops working
If you use alcohol to get to sleep, your body adapts quickly. Research reviews have found that tolerance to alcohol's sedative effect can develop within a few nights. So the drowsiness fades, and you need more to get the same effect. It's a poor trade.
How long before bed should you stop drinking?
The Sleep Health Foundation says it's best to avoid alcohol for at least three to four hours before bedtime. healthdirect says at least four hours. For a 10:30pm bedtime, that means last drinks at about 6:30pm.
That isn't always realistic at a dinner or a wedding. On those nights:
- Drink earlier in the evening, and slow down as the night goes on.
- Alternate with water.
- Eat.
- Keep it moderate. The effects on sleep get worse with larger amounts.
- Still get up at your normal time the next morning. A long sleep-in shifts your body clock. See can you catch up on sleep?
How much is too much?
Australia's alcohol guidelines say that to reduce the risk of harm, healthy adults should drink no more than 10 standard drinks a week and no more than 4 standard drinks on any one day (source). A standard drink contains 10 grams of pure alcohol, which is less than many people pour.
Alcohol, snoring and your partner
Alcohol relaxes the muscles in your throat, which is why snoring gets louder after a few drinks. That's two people sleeping badly, not one. If snoring is a regular issue, see how to sleep next to someone who snores. Loud snoring with gasping or pauses in breathing is worth a visit to your GP.
What to do instead of a nightcap
- A wind-down routine: a warm shower, a book or quiet music.
- A non-alcoholic drink you enjoy, such as herbal tea.
- A regular bedtime and wake-up time.
- A cool, dark bedroom.
See the full list in our sleep hygiene checklist.
When to get help
If you're relying on alcohol to sleep, or drinking more than you'd like, support is free and confidential. You can call the National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline on 1800 250 015, or talk to your GP. If you can't sleep without a drink, tell your GP that as well. There are better treatments for insomnia.
This guide is general information, not medical advice.
Where the Sovune Nudge fits
We make the Sovune Nudge, a silent vibrating wristband alarm, so we're not neutral. It won't fix a bad night's sleep, but it helps the morning after:
- It builds through three intensity levels over a full minute, for mornings when you're sleeping more heavily than usual.
- Silent, so your early alarm doesn't wake a partner who's also short on sleep.
- Three separate alarms, so you can set a backup.
It comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Quick answers
Does alcohol help you sleep? It helps you fall asleep, but it disrupts the second half of the night, so you sleep worse overall.
Why do I wake up at 3am after drinking? As the alcohol wears off, sleep gets lighter and more broken, and you may also need the toilet.
How long before bed should I stop drinking alcohol? At least three to four hours.
Is one drink before bed OK? A small amount has less effect than a large one, but it can still worsen snoring and sleep quality for some people.
For every type of silent alarm compared, see our complete guide to vibrating alarms in Australia.