Patients received tapering schedules of carbamazepine and lorazepam over the period of the trial. Sleep measures, adjusted for time since last drink, revealed no differences on Days 1 and 5, but the carbamazepine group was significantly better on Days 7 and 12 when compared with lorazepam. A randomized, double-blind trial compared gabapentin (1200 mg), valproate (1500 mg) and placebo for the acute treatment of alcohol withdrawal over 5 days and for 4 weeks later (Trevisan et al., 2008). A total of 57 patients were randomized to gabapentin, valproate or placebo in addition to benzodiazepines in the first 5 days of detoxification. Following this initial phase, the gabapentin, valproate and placebo were continued for 4 weeks.

Up to 40% of the general population experiences insomnia, while as many as 72% of people with an alcohol use disorder may have the condition. Sleep disorders like insomnia can co-occur with alcohol abuse, and treating insomnia can improve a person’s sleep quality while in recovery. Insomnia is defined as ‘a complaint of difficulty initiating sleep, difficulty maintaining sleep or waking up too early or sleep that is poorly restorative in nature’ and is poorly correlated to PSG findings (ICSD, 2005). Questionnaires used to measure insomnia are varied and not all of them are standardized.

Insomnia As A Co-Occurring Disorder

Consuming two servings of alcohol per day for men and one serving for women can reduce sleep quality by 9.3%. However, even small amounts of alcohol can have noticeable effects alcoholic insomnia in some people. During the final hours of sleep when alcohol is metabolized by the body, it can have a disruptive effect on sleep, causing frequent waking and fragmented sleep.

Alcohol withdrawal insomnia is extremely common in people recovering from an alcohol use disorder. Roughly half of all people going through withdrawal will experience this symptom, though some people are at greater risk than others. Furthermore, studies indicate that alcohol can interfere with rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and non-REM sleep. So, although the exact relationship between alcohol and sleep is vague and even though study results have been mixed, alcohol appears to reduce REM sleep (overall). Thus, researchers have concluded that repeatedly consuming alcohol (over a long period) can cause a decline in sleep quality. Well, to understand alcohol’s effects on sleep, you must first understand how the human brain works.

Alcohol Dependence (AD)

First, it is important to understand that alcohol is a depressant that affects your central nervous system (CNS). Alcohol can ease your anxiety, uplift your mood, lower your inhibitions, lessen your self-awareness, impair your judgment, distort your perception, disrupt your muscle coordination, and reduce or eliminate your guilt and shame. Ultimately, alcohol temporarily relaxes you so you feel bolder and more social. When abused or consumed in high quantities, alcohol can lead to alcoholism, alcohol poisoning, unconsciousness, coma, and/or death. Ark Behavioral Health offers 100% confidential substance abuse assessment and treatment placement tailored to your individual needs. Medically assisted detoxification (detox) is an inpatient program that offers around-the-clock monitoring during alcohol withdrawal.

This sleep cycle disruption is what causes the person to feel tired and “fuzzy” the next day and can lead to further sleep issues, such as insomnia or alcohol addiction over time. Another randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of https://ecosoberhouse.com/ carbamazepine in patients with alcohol dependence over 7 days revealed that subjective measures of sleep were significantly better in the carbamazepine group. No relapse measures were used in this trial either (Bjorkqvist et al., 1976).