IIPAs Keeping Me Awake

[johnmac22]

For whatever reason, anything more than an IPA keeps me up at night. Doubles, Triples, Imperials...everything. I can drink one or three and the effect is the same. It's almost as if I've had a pot of coffee an hour before bed. I don't think its the higher alcohol content as I drink stouts of higher ABV and they don't seem to bother me. Does anyone else have this issue with IIPAs and the likes?

 

[arnobg]

I have been having this issue lately although I haven't figured out which types are causing it yet...maybe it is something else. It is very aggravating though that's for sure.

 

[johnmac22]

It's extremely frustrating! I narrowed it down to style but that's as far as I can get. Luckily I'm not a huge, huge fan of the style but I literally can't even have one and I'm up all night.

 

[Roland_deschain]

I get like that as well. I sleep hard for a few hours and then I'm wide awake.......pisses me off!

 

[treacheroustexan]

Lucky. I can drink one and pass right out haha. I think your signature should really read:

"IIPAs are gods way of saying you don't need sleep because you should continue drinking delicious IIPAs"

 

[johnmac22]

At least you can sleep! I can't even get to sleep at all...I'm seriously so lost as to how it happens.

 

[treacheroustexan]

At least you can sleep! I can't even get to sleep at all...I'm seriously so lost as to how it happens.

Eh well it's not a good sleep but thats with any beer for me. I drink 2-3, maybe 4 beers a night after work (second shifter) and I get so tired, yet I can only sleep a few hours.

 

[Brew_Dude41]

Everytime i have a triple within a few hours of going to sleep I find that i have some crazy dreams. Not the same as your issue, but i thought i might share.

 

[johnmac22]

I get crazy dreams if I drink way too much haha! There's gotta be something in the stronger IPAs that causes this.

 

[Calichusetts]

If your drinking a few beers, falling asleep, then waking up a few hours later and can't sleep...beer is the problem. Your not really sleeping as the beer induces a non-deep sleep cycle. As the alcohol wears off, you wake up and your body never received the "go to sleep" chemicals it would have without the alcohol.

Google it. My wording sucks but its a common problem for people how have 3-5 drinks and go to bed. Its also why recovering alcoholics have a lot of sleep issues

 

[JonM]

This. ^^

 

[drainbamage]

I swear there was another thread not long ago (or maybe a string of posts within a thread) arguing the exact opposite: that hops are a natural sedative and drinking IPAs will help you sleep.

If your drinking a few beers, falling asleep, then waking up a few hours later and can't sleep...beer is the problem. Your not really sleeping as the beer induces a non-deep sleep cycle. As the alcohol wears off, you wake up and your body never received the "go to sleep" chemicals it would have without the alcohol.

This. If I drink too much of any type of alcohol and go straight to bed, I know I'm going to have a bad night's sleep. Even when taking NyQuil, it might knock me out through the night, but I rarely wake up feeling rested.

 

[johnmac22]

Right, I understand what Calichusettes is saying and I fully agree but I can literally have 1 double and it bothers me. Not saying anyone is suggesting this at all but I'm no where near an alcoholic..most I generally have in one sitting is 4 beers and I usually only do this once a month at the most. To put it into perspective, it generally takes me about 1-2 months to finish a 5 gallon batch of beer...I'm basically saying I don't drink much haha. Oh well...guess I'll just stick to pales and single IPAs

 

[johnmac22]

If your drinking a few beers, falling asleep, then waking up a few hours later and can't sleep...beer is the problem. Your not really sleeping as the beer induces a non-deep sleep cycle. As the alcohol wears off, you wake up and your body never received the "go to sleep" chemicals it would have without the alcohol.

Google it. My wording sucks but its a common problem for people how have 3-5 drinks and go to bed. Its also why recovering alcoholics have a lot of sleep issues

Haha...I call this the 'booze snooze' but what I'm talking about is completely different. It's hard to describe but if you've ever taken a pre-workout and then blown the gym off and gone to bed instead you'll know what I mean. I don't get the jitters or anything like that but the restlessness is the same.

I do have to say, I love HBT because I can get responses for something as random as this!

 

[Buc_Nasty]

I have the opposite, I drink one or two and I'm out! Sorry I can't help, but I thought I share that I have the opposite.

 

[jmcquesten]

Haha...I call this the 'booze snooze' but what I'm talking about is completely different. It's hard to describe but if you've ever taken a pre-workout and then blown the gym off and gone to bed instead you'll know what I mean. I don't get the jitters or anything like that but the restlessness is the same.

I do have to say, I love HBT because I can get responses for something as random as this!

I wonder if it would be worth it to do an experiment with some strong "hop tea" to see the affects of hops without alcohol? I would think that if you boil enough hops to get you dipa level ibu's in a small pot on the stove, in just water and maybe a little sugar to offset the bitterness, you might be able to test it. I've never tried making hop tea, and don't know if it would be great to drink, but it's an idea for an experiment. I wouldn't drink alcohol that night, just the hop tea. Maybe there are some side effects of hops that only occur when you get to the high levels found in dipas?

 

[johnmac22]

I wonder if it would be worth it to do an experiment with some strong "hop tea" to see the affects of hops without alcohol? I would think that if you boil enough hops to get you dipa level ibu's in a small pot on the stove, in just water and maybe a little sugar to offset the bitterness, you might be able to test it. I've never tried making hop tea, and don't know if it would be great to drink, but it's an idea for an experiment. I wouldn't drink alcohol that night, just the hop tea. Maybe there are some side effects of hops that only occur when you get to the high levels found in dipas?

That's a good idea. I'd have to use some of the less desirable hops which would make the tea even worse haha! Worth a shot though!