Extended Effects of Alcohol on the Sleep Cycle
             We all are aware of the negative effects that are synonymous with drinking alcohol. We know how it makes us feel and most of us understand the physiological effects as well. But how many of us are aware of the effects drinking alcohol has on our sleep, and how it disrupts our normal sleep cycle? Alcohol disturbs our sleep cycles and changes our normal patterns of sleep. Depending on how dependant a person is to alcohol, these changes could be harmful, and permanent.
             To fully understand this, you must know how the sleep cycles work. Sleeping is not a steady state, but a series of cycles that occurs throughout the night. To complete an entire cycle, it usually takes about 90 to 100 minutes, occurring about 4 to 5 times every night. The brain waves taken through an electroencephalograph (EEG) determine what stage of sleep a person is currently in. There are four stages of NREM sleep and one stage of REM sleep. Each stage is characterized by a particular set of brain waves. Bursts of rapid eye movements and occasional muscle twitches, along with increased heart rate, shallow and rapid breathing, and our most vivid dreams mark the characteristics of REM sleep.
             Sleep is used as a restoration process. Sleep helps your body recover from the day to day activities we endure throughout our life. Obtaining a certain amount of NREM and REM sleep is crucial for well-being and is vital for rebuilding the mind and body. Sleep also has an incredible impact on our health. Lack of sleep can result in mood disorders, heart disease, impaired breathing, memory deficits, impaired social and occupational functions, and a total deprivation of sleep can cause death. Combining alcohol along with the process of sleep greatly raises the possibility of suffering from one or more of these health problems, and can cause irreparable effects on a person's health and life. It can cause a person to make careles...