Bohemia, NY (PRWEB) January 25, 2013
On January 25, Online Bed Quilt responds to an article on CBS News with details of a new study, which suggests alcohol could pose negative sleep consequences.
According to the CBS News article, while alcohol has been shown to shorten the time people fall asleep and increases deep sleep, it can also disrupt healthy sleep habits. In a study conducted by researchers at the Edinburgh Sleep Centre, people who drank more alcohol often displayed signs that sleep was disrupted in the second half of the night.
The article said that after reading 27 different studies, researchers discovered that alcohol has a positive effect on slow-wave sleep. Slow wave sleep is what comes first in the sleep cycle and it is when your body is able to regenerate tissue, build bone and other necessary restorative functions.
However, the article also highlighted disturbances detected in REM sleep during the second half of the night due to alcohol intake. REM sleep, the sleep in which the brain collects data from the day, only makes up a small portion of the sleep cycle, but researchers said disruptions in this part could result in serious problems, like depression.
One of the researchers, Irshaad Ebrahim, a medical director at The London Sleep Centre in the U.K., said REM disturbances could be dangerous. "Dreams generally occur in the REM stage of sleep,” he said. “During REM sleep, the brain is more active and may be regarded as 'defragmenting the drive.' REM sleep is also important because it can influence memory and serve restorative functions. Conversely, lack of REM sleep can have a detrimental effect on concentration, motor skills, and memory."
The increase of slow-wave sleep could also cause sleep problems. People who have increased slow-wave sleep are more likely to sleep walk or develop sleep apnea.
“Sleep apnea is a serious illness,” said Justin Maas, a representative from mattress review company, Online Bed Quilt. “Sleep is essential to your health and not getting enough could cause serious health problems. It’s interesting to know that alcohol actually doesn’t help you sleep better.”
Maas also said that if you are noticing a problem in your sleep patterns, you should not look to alcohol or sleep aids that use alcohol. “A lot of sleeping medicines have alcohol in them, but the results of that study show it’s not as helpful as people think,” Maas said. “Instead you should look into getting a new mattress. Most people tend to overlook their mattresses, but if their bodies aren’t comfortable when they go to bed, it’s not going to be comfortable all night and that can also be the reason for their sleeping troubles.”
The article concluded that results from the study would be published in the April 2013 edition of “Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research,” but you can also view them online.
Online Bed Quilt is here to make sure you get a great night’s sleep. We are a family-owned bedding and furniture review company dedicated to helping you find the best mattress and sleep accessories. We collect and share product information, reviews, and the best and latest available sleep solutions. Learn about top brand mattresses, specialty products, and sleep accessories straight from Online Bed Quilt!