0998 Sleeping It Off: Alcohol, Cannabis, and Alterations in Bedtime and Waketime in Women with Sleep and Pain Complaints

Abstract Introduction Alcohol and cannabis are among the most used psychoactive substances. Many people use alcohol and cannabis with the belief that they will promote sleep, but both substances are linked to sleep problems. However, the relationships between alcohol and cannabis consumption and fluctuations in circadian rhythm are less clear. Hence, we examined the intraindividual associations between alcohol and cannabis consumption on a given day and subsequent deviations from typical bedtime and waketime. Methods Two hundred and fifty-one adults with sleep and pain complaints (Mage = 42.14 yrs, SD = 13.75 yrs, range = 18-81 yrs, 100% female) completed two weeks of daily sleep diaries. Mean bedtimes and waketimes were calculated in minutes, and daily calculations were performed to determine one’s daily deviation from mean bedtime and waketime. Multi-level models examined associations between the number of alcoholic drinks per day, the number of times consuming cannabis per day, and daily deviation from mean bedtime and waketime. Analyses controlled for daily usage of sleep medications (yes/no) and weekends (yes/no). Results Greater numbers of alcoholic drinks on a given day were associated with later waketimes on the following day (B = -8.15, SE = 1.77, p <.001), and greater numbers of alcoholic drinks were trending significance (p = .07) with daily deviation in bedtime. In context, every additional drink for an individual on a given day was associated with a nearly 8-minute delay in that individual’s waketime on the following morning. Number of times using cannabis was not associated with deviations from typical bedtime (p = .80) nor waketime (p = .90). Conclusion Our daily level analyses conducted in a large sample of women suggest that more alcoholic drinks on a given night are linked to later waketimes. Results are dose dependent such that heavier drinking is linked to a larger shift in waketimes (5 drinks = 40 minutes) relative to lighter drinking (1 drink = 8 minutes). Future research could include experimental techniques like alcohol administration and polysomnography to better understand the relationship between alcohol and circadian rhythm. Support (if any) National Institute of Nursing Research (NR01768; Clinical trial: NCT03744156; PI: McCrae).