CrossFit Health Tip - Alcohol + Sleep with Mike Stone, MD PH256

<p>It probably comes as no surprise that alcohol has a negative impact on sleep quality, but why does something that seems to help you drift off actually turn out to be problematic?</p> <p>Mike Stone, MD, shares two main reasons why alcohol and sleep don’t mix:</p> <ul><li style="font-weight:400;">Alcohol disrupts normal sleep architecture, leading to nighttime waking and reduced sleep quality.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Alcohol suppresses REM sleep, which is critical for learning and memory.</li> </ul> <p>For an eye-opening experiment, try using a wearable sleep tracker and observe the results.  You’re most likely to notice decreased HRV, increased resting heart rate, and decreased REM sleep.</p> <p>Still want to enjoy a cocktail or glass of wine?  Dr. Stone suggests these strategies to help mitigate the negative effects of alcohol consumption:</p> <ul><li style="font-weight:400;">Minimize the total amount of alcohol you consume.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Keep your alcohol consumption earlier in the evening, further away from sleep.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Use a sleep tracker to run experiments and determine which types of alcohol and what circumstances result in the smallest impact possible for you personally.</li> </ul> <p>To learn more about CrossFit Precision Care and how to get involved as a healthcare provider or patient visit care.crossfit.com.</p> <p>If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health every week.</p> <p>Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice.  I recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns.</p>