Booze at night prevents restful sleep

[Jasbird]

<http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3151197.stm>
Last Updated: Friday, 15 August, 2003, 00:41 GMT 01:41 UK

Nightcap does not help you sleep

Many people swear by a late night tipple to help them fall asleep.
However, a study by scientists in Canada suggests they may, in fact,
be fooling themselves.

They have found that although a nightcap can help people escape to the
land of nod more quickly, their sleep is unlikely to be a restful one.

They are more likely to wake up during the night and early the
following morning, and are less likely to have the deep sleep they
need.

Recovering alcoholics

Dr Shawn Currie and colleagues at the University of Calgary based
their findings on a study of 63 recovering alcoholics.

People who have problems with alcohol often have difficulty sleeping,
both when they are actively drinking and when they have stopped.

In particular, many find it difficult to fall asleep at all and to
remain asleep when they finally drift off.

"Sleep has a reputation among the recovering community of being one of
the last things that fall back into place for an individual," said
Professor David Hodgins, from the University of Calgary.

"It's also recognised as a potential precipitant of relapse."

This latest study has found these problems can last for months after
they stop drinking.

However, the researchers also found that over half of those involved
in the study had sleep problems long before they became hooked on
alcohol.

This compares to rates of about 10% to 15% in the general population.

The researchers were obviously unable to make a direct link between
problems falling asleep and an increased risk of alcohol dependence.

"Although we cannot infer any causal connection between insomnia and
alcoholism from this data, it is hard to ignore such a high rate of
pre-existing sleep problems in this sample," said Dr Currie.

Poor night's sleep

He warned that a late-night tipple is often a false economy for people
trying to get a good night's sleep.

"Three or more drinks will cause the average person to fall asleep
sooner than usual," he said.

"However, falling asleep faster is the only real benefit of alcohol
for sleep.

"The more prevalent, disruptive effects include more frequent
awakenings, worse sleep quality, reduction of deep sleep, and earlier
than usual waking times leading people to feel they did not get enough
sleep."

He added: "These findings warn against developing the habit of having,
for example, a glass of wine to help go to sleep."

The researchers believe their study could also help recovering
alcoholics.

They said the findings highlighted the need to provide greater help to
these people to help them to get a good night's sleep.

"These findings lead to the idea of targeted interventions with
alcoholics.

"Despite the very comprehensive and broad-based nature of most
treatment programmes, very, very few of them tackle sleep as an issue.

"But sleep is obviously a problem for some people and a relevant area
of intervention," he said.

"It may be that sleep can be improved in recovering alcoholics through
using an approach that emphasises good sleep habits, relaxation and
stress management."

The study is published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical &
Experimental Research.

[Eric Johnson]

On 15-08-2003 11:13, in article
Xns93D8D7D4BE829BilZ0rhotmailcom@202.20.93.13, "BilZ0r"
<BilZ0r@TAKETHISOUThotmail.com> wrote:

> "debs" <debs172@hotmail.com> wrote in
> news:bhi4id$1ds$1@hercules.btinternet.com:
>
>> My Gran always used to have a couple of teaspoons of whiskey in her
>> last cup of tea at night (ugg waste of good whiskey if you ask me)
>> She always slept well after that. Of course my version of a nightcap
>> would have been the whole bottle.
>
>
> Just becasue she slept dosn't mean it was good. The point is, is that
> alcohol stops deep sleep.

I don't think the amount were speaking of would make much of a difference.
Probably 3/4 metabolized before she even gets to bed.

EJ

[BilZ0r]

Eric Johnson <erj66@xs4all.nl> wrote in
news:BB629430.23265%erj66@xs4all.nl:

> On 15-08-2003 11:13, in article
> Xns93D8D7D4BE829BilZ0rhotmailcom@202.20.93.13, "BilZ0r"
> <BilZ0r@TAKETHISOUThotmail.com> wrote:
>
>> "debs" <debs172@hotmail.com> wrote in
>> news:bhi4id$1ds$1@hercules.btinternet.com:
>>
>>> My Gran always used to have a couple of teaspoons of whiskey in her
>>> last cup of tea at night (ugg waste of good whiskey if you ask me)
>>> She always slept well after that. Of course my version of a
>>> nightcap would have been the whole bottle.
>>
>>
>> Just becasue she slept dosn't mean it was good. The point is, is that
>> alcohol stops deep sleep.
>
> I don't think the amount were speaking of would make much of a
> difference. Probably 3/4 metabolized before she even gets to bed.
>
> EJ
>
>

Well who really knows. We're really getting into the realms of conjecture
now.

[Eric Johnson]

On 15-08-2003 13:51, in article
Xns93D8F2AEEA516BilZ0rhotmailcom@202.20.93.13, "BilZ0r"
<BilZ0r@TAKETHISOUThotmail.com> wrote:

> Eric Johnson <erj66@xs4all.nl> wrote in
> news:BB629430.23265%erj66@xs4all.nl:
>
>> On 15-08-2003 11:13, in article
>> Xns93D8D7D4BE829BilZ0rhotmailcom@202.20.93.13, "BilZ0r"
>> <BilZ0r@TAKETHISOUThotmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> "debs" <debs172@hotmail.com> wrote in
>>> news:bhi4id$1ds$1@hercules.btinternet.com:
>>>
>>>> My Gran always used to have a couple of teaspoons of whiskey in her
>>>> last cup of tea at night (ugg waste of good whiskey if you ask me)
>>>> She always slept well after that. Of course my version of a
>>>> nightcap would have been the whole bottle.
>>>
>>>
>>> Just becasue she slept dosn't mean it was good. The point is, is that
>>> alcohol stops deep sleep.
>>
>> I don't think the amount were speaking of would make much of a
>> difference. Probably 3/4 metabolized before she even gets to bed.
>>
>> EJ
>>
>>
>
> Well who really knows. We're really getting into the realms of conjecture
> now.

Agreed.

[rosie readandpost]

i my last drinking days and nights, i was awakened each night at approx. 3-4am......................with my blood sugar
dropping, after a night of booze!

--
read and post daily, it works!
rosie

"Each morning sees some task begin. Each evening
sees it done. Something attempted, something
done."
......................Longfellow






"Jasbird" <Jasbird#dead-mail-box#@myrealbox.com> wrote in message news:2ftojvg78of80p1g1htc2692skfe56s09b@4ax.com...
> <http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3151197.stm>
> Last Updated: Friday, 15 August, 2003, 00:41 GMT 01:41 UK
>
> Nightcap does not help you sleep
>
> Many people swear by a late night tipple to help them fall asleep.
> However, a study by scientists in Canada suggests they may, in fact,
> be fooling themselves.
>
> They have found that although a nightcap can help people escape to the
> land of nod more quickly, their sleep is unlikely to be a restful one.
>
> They are more likely to wake up during the night and early the
> following morning, and are less likely to have the deep sleep they
> need.
>
> Recovering alcoholics
>
> Dr Shawn Currie and colleagues at the University of Calgary based
> their findings on a study of 63 recovering alcoholics.
>
> People who have problems with alcohol often have difficulty sleeping,
> both when they are actively drinking and when they have stopped.
>
> In particular, many find it difficult to fall asleep at all and to
> remain asleep when they finally drift off.
>
> "Sleep has a reputation among the recovering community of being one of
> the last things that fall back into place for an individual," said
> Professor David Hodgins, from the University of Calgary.
>
> "It's also recognised as a potential precipitant of relapse."
>
> This latest study has found these problems can last for months after
> they stop drinking.
>
> However, the researchers also found that over half of those involved
> in the study had sleep problems long before they became hooked on
> alcohol.
>
> This compares to rates of about 10% to 15% in the general population.
>
> The researchers were obviously unable to make a direct link between
> problems falling asleep and an increased risk of alcohol dependence.
>
> "Although we cannot infer any causal connection between insomnia and
> alcoholism from this data, it is hard to ignore such a high rate of
> pre-existing sleep problems in this sample," said Dr Currie.
>
> Poor night's sleep
>
> He warned that a late-night tipple is often a false economy for people
> trying to get a good night's sleep.
>
> "Three or more drinks will cause the average person to fall asleep
> sooner than usual," he said.
>
> "However, falling asleep faster is the only real benefit of alcohol
> for sleep.
>
> "The more prevalent, disruptive effects include more frequent
> awakenings, worse sleep quality, reduction of deep sleep, and earlier
> than usual waking times leading people to feel they did not get enough
> sleep."
>
> He added: "These findings warn against developing the habit of having,
> for example, a glass of wine to help go to sleep."
>
> The researchers believe their study could also help recovering
> alcoholics.
>
> They said the findings highlighted the need to provide greater help to
> these people to help them to get a good night's sleep.
>
> "These findings lead to the idea of targeted interventions with
> alcoholics.
>
> "Despite the very comprehensive and broad-based nature of most
> treatment programmes, very, very few of them tackle sleep as an issue.
>
> "But sleep is obviously a problem for some people and a relevant area
> of intervention," he said.
>
> "It may be that sleep can be improved in recovering alcoholics through
> using an approach that emphasises good sleep habits, relaxation and
> stress management."
>
> The study is published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical &
> Experimental Research.
>

[Weyoun the Dancing Borg]

> However, the researchers also found that over half of those involved
> in the study had sleep problems long before they became hooked on
> alcohol.
>
> This compares to rates of about 10% to 15% in the general population.
>
> The researchers were obviously unable to make a direct link between
> problems falling asleep and an increased risk of alcohol dependence.
>
> "Although we cannot infer any causal connection between insomnia and
> alcoholism from this data, it is hard to ignore such a high rate of
> pre-existing sleep problems in this sample," said Dr Currie.


there is no direct link but use logic:

People that do not sleep well all their lives will have some sort of
problem. Not necessarily a seriosu one and perhaps not at all in some cases,
but lack of sleep has been proven to link to some types of depression or
increased levels of stress.

Generally people with greater stress or depression will seek something that
helps elieviate that - alchohol for example. Of course the majority wont
progress to alchholism but I'm willing to bet that there's a link there
somewhere, with lack of sleep leading to an observable increase in drug
usage: cannabis, alchohol or smoking. Even if it's only a few percent above
normal people i bet it's there.

[Clough]

On Sat, 16 Aug 2003 14:21:18 +0100, "Weyoun the Dancing Borg"
<weyoun@removethis@@dancingborg.co.uk> wrote:

>People that do not sleep well all their lives will have some sort of
>problem. Not necessarily a seriosu one and perhaps not at all in some cases,
>but lack of sleep has been proven to link to some types of depression or
>increased levels of stress.

Alcohol most definitly causes sleep deprevation, anxiety and
depression.

In my younger years I could knock it back with no trouble at all,
apart from a dry mouth next morning which quickly dissipated with an
orange juice and cup of coffee.

In later years if I as much as drink a bottle of wine in an evening I
wake up at 5 or 6 am with pounding heart, a feeling of being very
unwell and strong free floating anxiety and depression. All day I am
tired and depressed and not capable of doing anything useful. This
evaporates after a good nights sleep and I am my usual optimistic and
happy self.

Not surprisingly I just about never touch alcohol nowadays, the bad
effects are just so predictable and not worth it. Which is a pity
really, as the effects of a few glasses of wine are pretty good while
they last.

Clough

[Steady Eddy]

BilZ0r <BilZ0r@TAKETHISOUThotmail.com> wrote in message news:<Xns93D8D7D4BE829BilZ0rhotmailcom@202.20.93.13>...
> "debs" <debs172@hotmail.com> wrote in
> news:bhi4id$1ds$1@hercules.btinternet.com:
>
> > My Gran always used to have a couple of teaspoons of whiskey in her
> > last cup of tea at night (ugg waste of good whiskey if you ask me)
> > She always slept well after that. Of course my version of a nightcap
> > would have been the whole bottle.
>
>
> Just becasue she slept dosn't mean it was good. The point is, is that
> alcohol stops deep sleep.

Typical junkie nonsense. I suppose your next logical progression is to
try to advance the argument that if grandma took a shot of heroin she
would nod off into dreamland. Therefore we should legalize heroin to
help grandma.

[Sla#s]

"Steady Eddy" <nonsmoking1@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:68ce28c1.0308162058.7580403b@posting.google.c om...
<snip>> Typical junkie nonsense. I suppose your next logical progression is
to
> try to advance the argument that if grandma took a shot of heroin she
> would nod off into dreamland. Therefore we should legalize heroin to
> help grandma.

Did you see the news report a while back about the old lady who use to pop
down to the local flower shop every week and buy dried poppies?
They thought it was for flower arrangements but the local police found she
was making a bed time "poppy tea" from them, she didn't know it was illegal.
She was arrested! She could not understand why they wanted to stop her
making the tea as it was wonderful for relieving the aches and pains of old
age.
That's prohibition for you. We have gone from Coca-Cola to Crack and from
Poppy Tea to Smack.
I wonder what new horror increased prohibition will reveal?

Slatts

[Dave J]

In MsgID<68ce28c1.0308162058.7580403b@posting.google.com> inside of
uk.politics.drugs, 'Steady Eddy' wrote:

>I suppose your next logical progression is to
>try to advance the argument that if grandma took a shot of heroin she
>would nod off into dreamland.

Even if she did then she'd do less harm to herself than by having a
fag with her bedtime cuppa.



--
Dave Johnson - Requiem@freeuk.com

[Steady Eddy]

"Sla#s" <Phil@KNOTslatts.fsworld.KNOT.co.uk> wrote in message news:<bhnmok$srs$1@news8.svr.pol.co.uk>...
> "Steady Eddy" <nonsmoking1@comcast.net> wrote in message
> news:68ce28c1.0308162058.7580403b@posting.google.c om...
> <snip>> Typical junkie nonsense. I suppose your next logical progression is
> to
> > try to advance the argument that if grandma took a shot of heroin she
> > would nod off into dreamland. Therefore we should legalize heroin to
> > help grandma.
>
> Did you see the news report a while back about the old lady who use to pop
> down to the local flower shop every week and buy dried poppies?
> They thought it was for flower arrangements but the local police found she
> was making a bed time "poppy tea" from them, she didn't know it was illegal.
> She was arrested! She could not understand why they wanted to stop her
> making the tea as it was wonderful for relieving the aches and pains of old
> age.
> That's prohibition for you. We have gone from Coca-Cola to Crack and from
> Poppy Tea to Smack.
> I wonder what new horror increased prohibition will reveal?
>
> Slatts

I knew that some junkie would bring up this argument. Doesn't wash. Case closed.

[Walter Bushell]

Clough <inuit@canoemail.com> wrote:

> On Sat, 16 Aug 2003 14:21:18 +0100, "Weyoun the Dancing Borg"
> <weyoun@removethis@@dancingborg.co.uk> wrote:
>
> >People that do not sleep well all their lives will have some sort of
> >problem. Not necessarily a seriosu one and perhaps not at all in some cases,
> >but lack of sleep has been proven to link to some types of depression or
> >increased levels of stress.
>
> Alcohol most definitly causes sleep deprevation, anxiety and
> depression.
>
> In my younger years I could knock it back with no trouble at all,
> apart from a dry mouth next morning which quickly dissipated with an
> orange juice and cup of coffee.
>
> In later years if I as much as drink a bottle of wine in an evening I
> wake up at 5 or 6 am with pounding heart, a feeling of being very
> unwell and strong free floating anxiety and depression. All day I am
> tired and depressed and not capable of doing anything useful. This
> evaporates after a good nights sleep and I am my usual optimistic and
> happy self.
>
> Not surprisingly I just about never touch alcohol nowadays, the bad
> effects are just so predictable and not worth it. Which is a pity
> really, as the effects of a few glasses of wine are pretty good while
> they last.
>
> Clough

Alcohol is good for getting off coffee however, or cutting the effects
of an overdose.

--
The last temptation is the highest treason:
To do the right thing for the wrong reason. --T..S. Eliot

Walter

[Eric Johnson]

On 17-08-2003 21:28, in article
68ce28c1.0308171128.28263b49@posting.google.com, "Steady Eddy"
<nonsmoking1@comcast.net> wrote:

> "Sla#s" <Phil@KNOTslatts.fsworld.KNOT.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:<bhnmok$srs$1@news8.svr.pol.co.uk>...
>> "Steady Eddy" <nonsmoking1@comcast.net> wrote in message
>> news:68ce28c1.0308162058.7580403b@posting.google.c om...
>> <snip>> Typical junkie nonsense. I suppose your next logical progression is
>> to
>>> try to advance the argument that if grandma took a shot of heroin she
>>> would nod off into dreamland. Therefore we should legalize heroin to
>>> help grandma.
>>
>> Did you see the news report a while back about the old lady who use to pop
>> down to the local flower shop every week and buy dried poppies?
>> They thought it was for flower arrangements but the local police found she
>> was making a bed time "poppy tea" from them, she didn't know it was illegal.
>> She was arrested! She could not understand why they wanted to stop her
>> making the tea as it was wonderful for relieving the aches and pains of old
>> age.
>> That's prohibition for you. We have gone from Coca-Cola to Crack and from
>> Poppy Tea to Smack.
>> I wonder what new horror increased prohibition will reveal?
>>
>> Slatts
>
> I knew that some junkie would bring up this argument. Doesn't wash. Case
> closed.


Why does it not wash?

And stop closing cases. You are not a judge.

EJ

[Ric]

In article <BB663B81.239DE%erj66@xs4all.nl>, Eric Johnson <erj66@xs4all.nl> wrote:
>Why does it not wash?

Because Eddy is Lord of the World and he doesn't like to wash.

Cheers
Ric

[Sla#s]

"Steady Eddy" <nonsmoking1@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:68ce28c1.0308171128.28263b49@posting.google.c om...
<SNIP>
> I knew that some junkie would bring up this argument. Doesn't wash. Case
closed.

1. Why do you say I am a junkie when the evidence is that I am not?
2. Disprove my conjecture.
3. The case is not closed.

Your rude, ill-informed and boorish behaviour mitigate more against you than
us.

Slatts

[Pete nospam Zakel]

In article <BB652A31.23446%erj66@xs4all.nl> Eric Johnson <erj66@xs4all.nl> writes:

>Now, the point is that heavy drinkers often experience insomnia. Dr. Dean
>Edell pointed this out for years.

And there's a recent study that seems to indicate that heavy drinkers often
experienced insomnia or sleep problems prior to their first use of alcohol.

Although alcohol is NOT a good sleep aid when consumed in large quantities,
some alcoholics may actually be trying to use it (in part) to treat insomnia
and the fact that it does get them to pass out may be positive reinforcement.

-Pete Zakel
(phz@seeheader.nospam)

"Now is the time for all good men to come to."

-Walt Kelly

[Eric Johnson]

On 19-08-2003 05:43, in article
68ce28c1.0308181943.648a03b3@posting.google.com, "Steady Eddy"
<nonsmoking1@comcast.net> wrote:

> Listen Slutts nobody pulled your chain so keep your pie hole shut. I
> have already closed this case. Consider yourself "out of order".
>
> Signed
> The Judge


Go fuck yourself, eddy. You are not the moderator here.

EJ

[Pete nospam Zakel]

In article <68ce28c1.0308181943.648a03b3@posting.google.com> nonsmoking1@comcast.net (Steady Eddy) writes:

>Listen Slutts nobody pulled your chain so keep your pie hole shut. I
>have already closed this case. Consider yourself "out of order".

Bailiff, whack Eddy's pee-pee!

-Pete Zakel
(phz@seeheader.nospam)

"Better to understand a little than to misunderstand a lot."

[Phil Stovell]

On Sat, 16 Aug 2003 09:59:32 -0700 in talk.politics.drugs, zzz <zzz@zzz.zzz>
wrote:

>Personally, I'm enjoying my 3 favorite drugs right now - coffee,
>cigarettes, and ganja. (since this is usenet, I fully expect someone to
>butt in and inform me that coffee is not a drug (caffeine is), but they
>can guess what I think of them).

Cigarettes are very bad for you.
--
Phil Stovell
South Hampshire, UK

[Phil Stovell]

On Mon, 18 Aug 2003 13:40:55 GMT in talk.politics.drugs,
ric@digital-animations.com (Ric) wrote:

>In article <BB663B81.239DE%erj66@xs4all.nl>, Eric Johnson <erj66@xs4all.nl> wrote:
>>Why does it not wash?
>
>Because Eddy is Lord of the World and he doesn't like to wash.

I expect his "Mom" (yuck) does it for him.

Which reminds me of this article I posted earlier:

Tell Mom that it is a highly dangerous form of marihuana called "Stunk". It's a
hybrid cross-breed from a very potent (and deadly) marihuana and another
dangerous plant called "Salvia Divinorum Triffidus".

>Cheers
>Ric

--
Phil Stovell
South Hampshire, UK

[Sla#s]

"Phil Stovell" <phil@stovell.org.uk> wrote in message
news:g8f7kv0p8jbjsjfasaqajadeor9rsonhkt@4ax.com...
> On Sun, 17 Aug 2003 11:51:55 +0100 in talk.politics.drugs, "Sla#s"
> <Phil@KNOTslatts.fsworld.KNOT.co.uk> wrote:
>
> >I wonder what new horror increased prohibition will reveal?
>
> You just replied to it.

:-)

Eddy, the best advert for the repeal of prohibition I have ever seen!

Slatts

[Sla#s]

"Steady Eddy" <nonsmoking1@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:68ce28c1.0308181943.648a03b3@posting.google.c om...
<SNIP>>
> Listen Slutts nobody pulled your chain so keep your pie hole shut. I
> have already closed this case. Consider yourself "out of order".
>


Thank you for that.

"Condemned by every word (he)... utters".

As I said, "Eddy, the best advert for the repeal of prohibition I have ever
seen."

Slatts