In my previous post, I shared how, after a decade-long nightly drinking routine, I discovered that even one drink can ruin a good night’s sleep.

Today, as a sober therapist and sobriety guide, I work with many clients who hesitate to give up alcohol because they'll miss its “sleeping aid” effect. Knowing how vital sleep is to our physical and emotional well-being, I completely understand that fear.

However, like many alcohol-related beliefs, “alcohol helps us sleep better” is a wildly misinformed myth. A Finnish study in 2018 showed that even one glass of wine can disrupt sleep quality (I dive into the numbers in the previous post).

That leads us to another puzzle: If alcohol has such a negative impact on sleep, why do so many of us believe the opposite? And how exactly does alcohol ruin our sleep? In this follow-up, I’ll show you exactly how alcohol disrupts sleep, in two specific ways backed by science.

Many of us come to believe alcohol helps us sleep better based on personal experience. I remember the well-meaning advice from a friend when I teared up about the endless sleepless nights after my first breakup: “Have a beer before bed, and it will help.” The remedy worked like a charm—a half beer later, I fell into a dreamless slumber within minutes of my head hitting the pillow.

Alcohol’s depressant nature and sedative effects help the brain shut down and lose consciousness. We get the illusion of falling asleep faster and more deeply. However, getting knocked out with an anesthetic is not the same as getting true rest. To understand the difference, we first have to look at what sleep really is.

From the outside, sleep might seem like hours of dormancy. But behind the scenes, it’s far from a period of inactivity. In fact,........

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