February 17, 2022

Alcohol & Sleep

Bulletin Health Topic - 112


Alcohol is a sedative that many people take to enable them to fall asleep quicker. The problem is it has a major impact on the quality of our sleep. Alcohol will make you lose consciousness quicker, but we shouldn’t confuse consciousness with sleep. Losing consciousness from alcohol is like being knocked out. You don't get the restorative nature of sleeping.


There are many physiological affects of consuming alcohol before sleep.

  • resting heart rate goes up
  • compressed heart rate variability
  • respiratory breathing rate increases
  • body temperature increases


For restorative sleep, we need our heart rate and body temperature to decrease.


Alcohol blocks our R.E.M sleep cycle, so you end up with a night of light sleep. This is due to a by-product made from an alcohol called aldehydes.


Aldehydes will block the brains ability to generate R.E.M sleep. We end up waking many times throughout the night, often so brief we don't remember.


Sleep is critical to the function of the brain's waste removal system (Glymphatic system), the deeper the sleep the better. 


It’s when we have disrupted sleep that beta analyoid plaque builds in the brain. This can lead to Alzheimers and premature aging.


A single drink 4- 5hrs before bedtime seems to have minimal effect.


It’s when we have 2-3 drinks close to bedtime things start to decline.

Sardine Scrambled Eggs

By Zina Stone • January 15, 2026
Ingredients For the scramble • 3 large eggs • 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil • 1 tin sardines (90–100 g drained, in olive oil) • ½ cup mushrooms, sliced • ½ small onion, finely diced • 1 small tomato, chopped • 1 clove garlic, minced • Salt & cracked pepper, to taste To serve • ¼–½ avocado, sliced • 1 tbsp hemp seeds • 2–3 tbsp kimchi Instructions Step 1 - Heat the pan Heat olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Step 2 - Sauté the veg Add onion and mushrooms. Cook for 3–4 minutes until softened. Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant. Step 3 - Add tomato & sardines Add chopped tomato and sardines. Gently break the sardines apart and warm through for 1–2 minutes. Step 4 - Scramble the eggs Whisk eggs lightly with salt and pepper. Pour into the pan and gently stir, keeping the scramble soft and creamy. Step 5 - Finish & serve Remove from heat once just set. Serve topped with avocado slices, hemp seeds and kimchi. Nutrition and Cooking Times Prep time: 5 minutes | Cook time: 8 - 10 minutes Serves: 1 generous serving Nutrient Value: Calories: 520cal | Protein: 40g | Fat: 36g | Carbohydrates: 18g

Training Technique - Lower Body Nautilus Push & Pull Workout

By Zina Stone • January 15, 2026
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Freedom Bulletin 313

By Zina Stone • January 15, 2026
In this bulletin we discuss the 12 rules for a healthy Christmas. . .