Govt warns against boozy sleep
By politics.co.uk staff
The government is urging Britain’s drinkers to realise the link between boozy evenings and a lack of sleep today, in a bid to tackle commonly held misbeliefs around the subject.
Over half the 2,000 drinkers surveyed by YouGov were unaware of any link between excessive drinking and sleep problems.
“Lots of people don’t realise that drinking too much can disrupt your sleep, leave you dehydrated and unable to remember parts of your evening,” public health minister Gillian Merron said.
Alcohol affects sleep in numerous ways. Firstly, it stops the brain releasing an important chemical, called vasopressin, which normally regulates the amount of water in your body. This dehydrates the body and forces the sleeper to keep going to the toilet all night.
Booze also encourages too much water to be flushed out of the body which dehydrates the drinker, causing headaches and sleepless nights.
Jessica Alexander, spokesperson for 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.”
Today’s announcement is the latest attempt by the government to find a narrative on excessive drinking which will resonate with young Britons.
