A little booze before bedtime might give you…

A little booze before bedtime might give you fall asleep faster. But various studies show that alcohol is anathema for restorative sleep. A new review paper says just how detrimental a few drinks can be. The researchers proved over 20 studies conducted in controlled lab settings. They found a clear trend that just about any number of alcohol alters sleep. And the effects are usually bigger with more drinks. Just two drinks or more cut REM sleep, which is good for memory and health. And those deep, slow-wave sleep time are also reduced for people who have tied on more than one. Perhaps the most potent finding is that just a simple dose of alcohol in the late evening can zap the efficacy of your z's.The paper is in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. Disrupted and insufficient sleep has been connected to everything from weight gain to heart problems. Not to mention harming memory and well-being. It may be time to say goodnight to the nightcap.