The study, led by Mary A. Carskadon, PhD along with the Bradley Hospital Sleep, Chronobiology Laboratory and Brown Medical School, looked at a group of women who were between 22 and 25. They were given 0.49g/kg of alcohol, which is equivalent to three drinks (as in vodka tonics) an hour before bedtime over a period of three consecutive nights.
Scientists recorded the women's sleep and sleep electroencephalograms (EEGs), which can analyze the "microarchitecture" of sleep activity.
It was found that the intake alcohol prior to sleep increased the intensity of sleep in first few hours of sleep.
Carskadon told Asian News International, "We found that a moderate dose of alcohol consumed by a young woman an hour before bed is associated with increased sleep intensity in the first couple hours of the sleep episode."
Nevertheless, Eliza Van Reen, a psychology graduate student at Brown University said that what was not known yet is whether a nightcap is beneficial for a woman or harmful. She expressed her concern: "Whether this sleep pattern is beneficial or harmful is unknown at this point. Although it may signal an initial consolidation of sleep, it might also be associated with difficulty waking in the event of an emergent problem, such as a fire or medical emergency." The research is published in the June 2006 issue of the journal, Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.
