The WebMD site’s “'Sleep Hygiene' Solutions for Better Sleep” article by Michael Breus, PhD, D, ABSM has information about the effect of social or recreational drugs like caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol on sleep.
Caffeine stays in your system as long as 14 hours, increases the number of times you awaken at night and decreases the total amount of sleep time. This subsequently affects daytime anxiety and performance.
The effects of nicotine are similar to those of caffeine, with a difference being that at low doses, nicotine tends to act as a sedative, while at high doses it causes arousals during sleep.
Alcohol may initially sedate you, making it easier to fall asleep; however, as it is metabolized and cleared from your system during sleep, it causes arousals that can last as long as two to three hours after it has been eliminated. These arousals disturb sleep, often causing intense dreaming, sweating, and headache. Smoking while drinking caffeine and alcohol can interact to affect your sleep dramatically.
These sleep disturbances are usually the most apparent upon awakening, feeling unrefreshed, groggy, or hungover.
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