How Do Different Substances Affect Sleep?
We humans use so many different legal substance during the day that can have consequences on our sleep, so how do these different substances affect our sleep?
Coffee: One of the major stimulants many of us use every day is coffee, which works by slowing the actions of the hormones in the brain that make us tired, especially adenosine. Luckily, it does wear off in a couple of hours.
Tobacco: Despite what many people think, tobacco is a stimulant, though it can also actually make you drowsier during the day as well. Smokers take longer to go to sleep at night and have been shown to have less delta sleep during the night, which is the most recuperative stage of sleep.
Energy Drinks: Most energy drinks contain caffeine and a whole raft of other stimulants including taurine, guarana and ginseng, as well as sugar, which can affect sleep patterns quite considerably.
Alcohol: Alcohol is often used by people to help them get to sleep, but although it can help get to sleep it also makes it harder to get back to sleep later in the night, it reduces the recuperative nature of sleep and it increase the percentage of REM sleep.