A tipple before bedtime may get you off to sleep faster but it can disrupt your night's slumber, say researchers who have reviewed the evidence.

研究人员称，睡前喝一小杯酒有利于快速睡眠但是会影响睡眠质量。

The London Sleep Centre team says studies show alcohol upsets our normal sleep cycles.

While it cuts the time it takes to first nod off and sends us into a deep sleep, it also robs us of one of our most satisfying types of sleep, where dreams occur.

Used too often, it can cause insomnia.

Many advocate a nightcap - nursing homes and hospital wards have even been known to serve alcohol - but Dr Irshaad Ebrahim and his team advise against it.

Fragmented sleep

Dr Ebrahim, medical director at the London Sleep Centre and co-author of the latest review, published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, said: "We should be very cautious about drinking on a regular basis.

"One or two glasses might be nice in the short term, but if you continue to use a tipple before bedtime it can cause significant problems.

"If you do have a drink, it's best to leave an hour and a half to two hours before going to bed so the alcohol is already wearing off（磨损，逐渐消逝）."

He said people could become dependent on alcohol for sleep.

And it could make sleep less restful and turn people into snorers（打鼾者）.

"With increasing doses, alcohol suppresses our breathing. It can turn non-snorers into snorers and snorers into people with sleep apnoea（呼吸睡眠暂停） - where the breathing's interrupted."

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