Study: Alcohol is a poor nightcap

ALCOHOL is a poor nightcap and robs sleep of its restorative powers, research has shown.

A study of 10 male university students found late drinking had effects on the nervous system that promoted sleepless nights and exhaustion. Participants were given a series of alcoholic drinks of different strengths at three-week intervals.

Each was asked to drink one of the beverages 100 minutes before going to bed. The alcohol content of the drinks ranged from zero to one gram of pure ethanol per kilogram of body weight.