Did you know that you actually get smarter while you sleep? One of the most valuable, and overlooked aspects of sleep, is an operation called memory processing. This is where short-term memories and experiences get converted into long-term memories.

Memory processing is predominantly affected by different stages of REM sleep. Studies have proven the good news about drinking alcohol late in the evening is that you do, indeed, fall asleep faster. But, the bad news is that REM sleep is significantly disrupted by alcohol being in your system. You won’t be able to fall into deeper levels of sleep, and your brain and body won’t be able to fully rejuvenate. This is why people generally don’t feel that great after waking up from an alcohol-laced sleep.

You already know this to be true… that’s why the word “hangover” has become so popular in our vocabulary today. And, of course, you’ve seen the movie The Hangover, right? That’s just an extreme case of waking up, not knowing what happened the night before (because you screwed up your memory processing), and possibly having a new tattoo on your face.

Additionally, researchers at Washington University in St. Louis found that participants who had disrupted sleep cycles were more likely to show Alzheimer’s disease-related signs than sound sleepers. This is another blatant cry to not mistake sleep quantity for sleep quality, and to avoid things that hurt your sleep and hurt your brain.

Ladies’ Night

There’s strong evidence that drinking late in the evening is even more problematic for women. A study published in 2011 had people drink alcohol in the name of science. Drinks were passed around to men and women, based on their weight, and everyone was equally drunk (measured by breath alcohol content). The findings showed that female participants woke up more often during the night, stayed awake longer, and slept for less time overall, than the men. This could be significant news if you’re planning on doing shots for the next ladies’ night out.

It’s possible that alcohol affects women’s sleep more because women metabolize alcohol faster than men. Essentially, women can speed through alcohol’s sedative effects quicker. If the alcohol is consumed close to bedtime, women can fall asleep faster, but the proceeding stages of sleep will have a much greater chance of being interrupted. In some cases, this can cause sweating, anxiety, or even nightmares (if they do happen to get some REM sleep).

Now, this isn’t a get-out-of-jail-free pass for the fellas, nor is this an anti-fun stamp for the ladies. Drinking late at night affects everyone in some way, it’s just about being able to navigate this to get the sleep we really need.

I Gotta Go

One of the more obvious sleep interruptions from drinking alcohol before bed is the uncanny need to urinate. Getting up to relieve your bladder interrupts your sleep pattern because, well, you’re peeing.

Every time you wake up from an alcohol-influenced sleep, it can be more difficult to fall back into the deep sleep stages you need to recover. Bottom line—if you do drink closer to bedtime, be sure to give yourself ample time to go to the bathroom before turning in.

Drinking close to bedtime can also exacerbate current health problems that someone is dealing with. Obviously, prostate and bladder problems come to mind, but what about diagnosed sleeping problems?

People with sleep apnea need to be careful here. Sleep-disorder specialist, Dr. Reena Mehra, says that alcohol decreases muscle tone in the upper airway, meaning that breathing-related sleep issues are exacerbated after you’ve had a couple of drinks. People dealing with sleep apnea will tend to stop breathing more frequently and for longer periods of time after drinking. You have to consider if it’s worth it because your chances of potential life-threatening side effects radically increase if you mix a cocktail of booze and sleep apnea.

As we talked about in Chapter 13, the real solution is to get the excess weight off of your frame to reverse the sleep apnea and improve your sleep quality. Drinking alcohol is synonymous with belly fat, so obviously this will not help in your weight-loss campaign. Am I saying not to go out and have fun with your friends? Of course not! But, you’ve got to get your priorities in order, and take care of the things that are most important, so that you can enjoy your time with your friends and family even more.

Drinking Smart Power Tip #1

Wrap it up at least four hours before hitting the sack. If you want to play at a high level and still hang out with your friends for drinks, then hook up with them for happy hour instead of an all-night bender.

If you want to be a champ at this rejuvenating sleep thing, consider having a booze curfew so that your body can have a couple hours to get it out of your system. The amount you drink, your weight, and your body fat will play a role in exactly how long that is. There’s a great alcohol metabolism rate chart and blood alcohol level calculator at www.drinkfox.com.

Drinking Smart Power Tip #2

Drink more... water, that is.

Alcohol is assimilated into your blood very quickly, in part, because it’s in liquid form. To help nullify the effects of the alcohol faster, you need to drink more water to help flush out the metabolic waste products left behind.

Alcohol is also a diuretic, meaning it will cause your body to expel more fluids and increase your likelihood of dehydration. For every alcoholic drink you have, your body can eliminate up to four times as much liquid. Dehydration is one of the primary causes of nausea and other non-appealing symptoms of a hangover.

To recover faster and keep your body hydrated, wine expert Anthony Giglio recommends having one eight-ounce glass of water with every alcoholic drink that you have. Keeping a pitcher of water at your table doesn’t take Jeopardy-level intelligence, but I bet you’ll feel like a genius when you wake up the next day without a hangover.