Alcohol sleep misconception still rife - study
25-08-2009
New research released this week has found that many people do not know that excessive drinking can adversely affect the quality of sleep. In a survey for the polling organisation YouGov, some 58% of 2000 respondents didn’t feel that drinking more than the recommended daily limit had any effect on their sleep. As well as this, 45% admitting to feeling the after effects of heavy drinking the day after, but not attributing the feelings of exhaustion to lost sleep.
It is a common misconception that drinking can help with sleep - while a heavy drinking session may result in nodding off to sleep, the quality of sleep will rarely reach REM level needed to get a beneficial rest because of the stimulant effect of alcohol. The other effects that excessive drinking has on the body – dehydration, needing to regularly go to the toilet - means that you’re more likely to unexpectedly wake up throughout the night, further disrupting an already poor quality sleep. Any day following a night of bad sleep will invariably be a difficult experience as the body fights to use non-existent energy reserves, a feeling that is exacerbated by a hangover.
"Some people are wrongly under the illusion that a heavy night’s drinking will mean a good night’s sleep," said Chris Sorek, Chief Executive of Drinkaware. "People should be aware that alcohol affects quality of sleep – which can make the ‘morning after’ feeling even more unbearable because of tiredness."
Each and every Ergo Flex visco elastic memory foam mattress offers pressure-relieving performance and is designed to give you the night’s sleep you’ve always dreamed of. Providing optimum support for your whole body, Ergo Flex mattresses ensure a restful and comfortable sleep, leaving you feeling rejuvenated and energised in the morning. See our memory foam mattresses page for details of our single, double, king size, European king size and super king size mattress versions, or call 0845 450 2338 to find out more.
It is a common misconception that drinking can help with sleep - while a heavy drinking session may result in nodding off to sleep, the quality of sleep will rarely reach REM level needed to get a beneficial rest because of the stimulant effect of alcohol. The other effects that excessive drinking has on the body – dehydration, needing to regularly go to the toilet - means that you’re more likely to unexpectedly wake up throughout the night, further disrupting an already poor quality sleep. Any day following a night of bad sleep will invariably be a difficult experience as the body fights to use non-existent energy reserves, a feeling that is exacerbated by a hangover.
"Some people are wrongly under the illusion that a heavy night’s drinking will mean a good night’s sleep," said Chris Sorek, Chief Executive of Drinkaware. "People should be aware that alcohol affects quality of sleep – which can make the ‘morning after’ feeling even more unbearable because of tiredness."
Each and every Ergo Flex visco elastic memory foam mattress offers pressure-relieving performance and is designed to give you the night’s sleep you’ve always dreamed of. Providing optimum support for your whole body, Ergo Flex mattresses ensure a restful and comfortable sleep, leaving you feeling rejuvenated and energised in the morning. See our memory foam mattresses page for details of our single, double, king size, European king size and super king size mattress versions, or call 0845 450 2338 to find out more.
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