Drink Too Much? Try These Sleep Tips

Think StockYou already know that while falling asleep after an evening of celebratory margaritas is a piece of cake, you can kiss those sweet dreams goodbye. And science proves it. According to new research published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, drinking anywhere from low, moderate, or high amounts helps people sleep soundly for the first half of the night but during the second half, slumber is fitful and time spent in R.E.M. (that restorative phase of sleep when people dream) is decreased.

Good to know for the next time you hit the town, but what if you've already consumed alcohol and are desperate for some shut eye? Here are some tips for sleeping through the night:

Plan ahead: While at the bar, limit your number of drinks as the evening winds down. "What makes people wake up during the night is the alcohol leaving their bloodstream," says Lisa Shivers, M.D., a spokesperson for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. "But if you lengthen the time between your last drink and bedtime, you're likely to wake up much earlier in the night when you're more exhausted and can easily fall back asleep."

Drink water: "One of the major effects of alcohol is dehydration which can disrupt sleep," says Shivers. So when you get home, chug a few glasses of H2O, but not too much that you'll wake up frequently to urinate.

Nix the sleep aids: It may be tempting to pop Tylenol PM, but don't. "Both alcohol and sleep aids suppress your central nervous system," says Shivers. "If you mix more than one substance with a sedating effect, it could depress your drive to breathe and lead to suffocation."

Curl up in the fetal position: People who sleep on their backs tend to develop sleep apnea, a dangerous disorder that involves pauses in breathing. "But even if you don't have sleep apnea and you drink heavily, you could develop it," says Shivers. "So after drinking, sleep on your side." Plus, if you suddenly become ill during the night, you're less likely to choke if you're positioned on your side.

Go to bed dirty: It's an old wives tale that people sober up when they take a cold shower. "You'll only wake yourself up, not diminish the effects of alcohol," says Shivers.