title: Sleep following alcohol intoxication in healthy, young adults: effects of sex and family history of alcoholism.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study evaluated sex and family history of alcoholism as moderators of subjective ratings of sleepiness/sleep quality and polysomnography (PSG) following alcohol intoxication in healthy, young adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-three healthy adults [mean age 24.4 ± 2.7 years, 59 women, 29 subjects with a positive family history of alcoholism (FH+)] were recruited. After screening PSG, participants consumed alcohol (sex/weight adjusted dosing) to intoxication [peak breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) of 0.11 ± 0.01 g% for men and women] or matching placebo between 20:30 and 22:00 hours. Sleep was monitored using PSG between 23:00 and 07:00 hours. Participants completed the Stanford Sleepiness Scale and Karolinska Sleepiness Scale at bedtime and on awakening and a validated post-sleep questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Following alcohol, total sleep time, sleep efficiency, nighttime awakenings, and wake after sleep onset were more disrupted in women than men, with no differences by family history status. Alcohol reduced sleep onset latency, sleep efficiency, and rapid eye movement sleep while increasing wakefulness and slow wave sleep across the entire night compared with placebo. Alcohol also generally increased sleep consolidation in the first half of the night, but decreased it during the second half. Sleepiness ratings were higher following alcohol, particularly in women at bedtime. Morning sleep quality ratings were lower following alcohol than placebo.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Alcohol intoxication increases subjective sleepiness and disrupts sleep objectively more in healthy women than in men, with no differences evident by family history of alcoholism status. Evaluating moderators of alcohol effects on sleep may provide insight into the role of sleep in problem drinking.
authors.affiliation: Sleep and Chronophysiology Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 48109-2700, USA. tarnedt@med.umich.edu
authors.forename: J Todd
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Arnedt
authors.forename: Damaris J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Rohsenow
authors.forename: Alissa B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: Sarah K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Hunt
authors.forename: Manjusha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gokhale
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Gottlieb
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Howland
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000434:Alcoholic Beverages / Q000009:adverse effects; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017286:Polysomnography / Q000379:methods; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012894:Sleep Stages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult