Why That Nightcap is Stealing From Tomorrow

Most people think alcohol helps them sleep. It doesn’t. It sedates the brain, fragments the night, suppresses REM sleep, and quietly disrupts emotional regulation for days afterward. Drawing on sleep science from Matthew Walker, this episode breaks down what alcohol actually does to your nervous system, why 2–3 a.m. wake-ups happen, how long recovery really takes, and why timing matters more than most people realize. If you’ve ever wondered why you wake up tired after “sleeping,” this episode connects the dots.