Sure, drinking a glass of wine before bed may help you doze off faster, but according to nervous system specialist and holistic nurse practitioner Victoria Albina, N.P., MPH, it negatively affects overall sleep quality. “Alcohol can make you feel like you’re sleeping deeper, but it can cause problems with sleep architecture, namely affecting the second half of sleep, meaning you spend less time in REM,” Albina previously told mbg. Since alcohol has diuretic properties, it can also send you to the bathroom in the middle of the night.