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Sedative effects of ethanol at night
J K Walsh1, T Humm, M J Muehlbach
1Sleep Disorders and Research Center, Deaconess Hospital, St. Louis, Missouri 63139.
Journal of Studies on Alcohol
|November 1, 1991
Summary
Ethanol (alcohol) significantly increases sleepiness, especially in the early morning. Combining alcohol with natural sleepiness dangerously worsens alertness and performance.
Area of Science:
- Sleep Science
- Pharmacology
- Human Physiology
Background:
- Circadian rhythms influence daily alertness and sleepiness.
- Ethanol is known to have sedative properties.
- The interaction between ethanol's effects and natural circadian sleepiness is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the combined effects of ethanol and circadian sleepiness on physiological and subjective alertness.
- To determine if ethanol exacerbates natural reductions in alertness during early morning hours.
Main Methods:
- A placebo-controlled, double-blind crossover study involving 14 healthy young adults.
- Objective measures included multiple sleep latency testing and the repeated test of sustained wakefulness.
- Subjective sleepiness was assessed using the Stanford Sleepiness Scale.
Main Results:
- A moderate dose of ethanol (0.7 g/kg) significantly increased physiological sleepiness.
- This effect was observed even during early morning hours when participants were otherwise relatively alert.
- Ethanol worsened the natural reduction in alertness and performance deficits.
Conclusions:
- Ethanol ingestion amplifies physiological sleepiness, particularly during the early morning.
- The combination of ethanol and naturally occurring sleepiness poses significant risks.
- This highlights the dangerous interaction between alcohol consumption and impaired alertness.