The alarming sleep statistic that may make you rethink alcohol consumption

Struggling to sleep? You're not alone. Recent research has found 45% of Aussies are not getting enough sleep and there are a myriad of reasons as to why — but one fact in particular may shock you.

The benefits and importance of sleep have been widely researched and while we all know the usual expert tips: cut out caffeine at least six hours before bedtime, limit screen time and exposure, and get into a good routine, for those who like a glass of wine or two before hitting the hay we have bad news for you...

In a chat with sleep expert, Rachel Beard, who is the sleep wellness manager of A.H. Beard's Sleep Wellness Centre, Rachel revealed that alcohol should be avoided before bed if you want to get into a good sleep routine, and unfortunately, women may have to pay more attention to this rule (just because our lives weren't hard enough).

While it might make us feel drowsy, alcohol should be avoided before bed," Rachel told Yahoo Lifestyle. "For women, just one drink has been shown to decrease sleep quality by 24%— while we may fall asleep faster the alcohol causes all sorts of spikes in our body’s chemistry and stops us from achieving quality, restorative sleep."

RIP to all of us winter red wine-guzzling girlies.

So how can you get good sleep hygiene?

According to Rachel practising stress management, building an effective sleep environment and implementing routine are all part of the ways to introduce healthier sleep patterns. So yes, consistency is key here!

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Rachel suggests keeping your bed time and wakeup routine within the same hour — so while you don't have to technically go to bed at 9pm every night, it's good to keep it within a similar timeframe rather than trying 9pm one night, and 11:30pm the next.

Obviously diet plays a factor too, with Rachel recommending the usuals: cutting out caffeine six hours before heading to bed, avoiding carb-heavy meals at dinner as they can cause a spike in blood sugar, and of course, the whole wine thing.

Upgrade your evening routine and sleep like a pro and eliminate your sleep debt

"There are some other things we can add to our evening routine to support premium sleep like having a warm shower and dimming the lights as bedtime approaches," Rachel suggested. "Find comfortable pyjamas and trade the screens for some light reading or meditation. Customise your bedtime routine to something that suits you personally, some people really love adding in pillow sprays and breathing exercises as part of their ritual— try and test a few options and see what works for you!"

As Rachel explains, every bad sleep you have adds to your sleep debt. "It might not feel like much at the time but as our bodies become more and more sleep-deprived our health takes a hit," she explained.

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"Sleep deprivation can negatively impact our ability to concentrate, impair judgement, make us irritable, and even increase how hungry we feel— and that’s just the short-term impact."

Long-term impacts can, as Rachel stipulates, "increase the risk of obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, and even [impact] our mental health. Researchers have found a strong link between insomnia and mental health disorders like depression and PTSD which can cause issues for both individuals and our national health system."

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