According to the BBC video, having a nightcap (a drink before bedtime) is _______________ for your overall sleep at night.

• A. good
• B. bad
• C. neutral
• D. unrelated

Answer: (B)

Alcohol before bed changes how sleep naturally unfolds. It can make you feel sleepy at first, but as the body processes it, sleep becomes more fragmented and less restorative. You end up spending less time in deep sleep and REM sleep, which are important for physical recovery and memory processing, and you’re more likely to wake up during the night. The relaxing effect can also worsen snoring or sleep apnea, and its diuretic effect often leads to nighttime trips to the bathroom. As the alcohol wears off, you can experience rebound wakefulness, making it harder to stay asleep. Because these factors collectively reduce sleep quality and continuity, the BBC video presents a nightcap as bad for your overall sleep at night.