Alcohol may help you get to sleep – but it won’t give you a restful night, officials warned today.
Most people do not realise that heavy drinking causes sleep problems, according to the British department of health.
A survey of some 2,000 drinkers, conducted by pollsters YouGov, showed that 63 per cent of men did not think alcohol could damage their sleep – and 53 per cent of women were also unaware of the link.
But 45 per cent of those interviewed admitted being tired the day after a night of heavy drinking.
Experts backed the campaign, launch ahead of the end of the British summer holidays.
Jessica Alexander, of the Sleep Council said: "Although many people may feel alcohol helps them get off to sleep, it is also a major culprit for disrupting your night as it can interfere with the body’s chemical processes needed for sound sleep.
"Waking up deprived of the vital sleep your body needs will leave you feeling drained and, if experienced night after night, can seriously affect your health and wellbeing."
She added: "If you find yourself drinking above the recommended daily limits most days of the week, your body may be constantly trying to catch up and then it’s likely you’ll never feel fully alert or equipped to deal with the stresses and strains of daily life."
Dr Barry Gibb, neuroscientist author of the Rough Guide to the Brain, said: "Anyone who enjoys alcohol knows that, after a few drinks, they start to need more frequent trips to the loo. But many don’t realise this is actually a sign that they are starting to dehydrate. This can seem strange when you’re taking on more liquid than normal, but what is actually happening is that alcohol stops the brain from releasing an important chemical, called vasopressin, which normally regulates the amount of water in your body."
He added: "Dehydration doesn’t just cause headaches but can put stress on all of the brain’s normal processes, not helpful at a time when the body is working extra hard to get rid of toxic chemicals."
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