The Acute Effects of Alcohol on Sleep Electroencephalogram Power Spectra in Late Adolescence

Background Alcohol's effect on sleep electroencephalogram (EEG) power spectra during late adolescence is of interest given that this age group shows both dramatic increases in alcohol consumption and major sleep‐related developmental changes in quantitative EEG measures. This study examined the effect of alcohol on sleep EEG power spectra in 18‐ to 21‐year‐old college students. Methods Participants were 24 (12 female) healthy 18‐ to 21‐year‐old social drinkers. Participants underwent 2 conditions: presleep alcohol and placebo, followed by standard polysomnography with comprehensive EEG recordings. Results After alcohol, mean breath alcohol concentration at lights‐out was 0.084%. Interaction effects indicated simultaneous increases in frontal non‐rapid eye movement sleep (NREM) delta (p = 0.031) and alpha (p = 0.005) power in the first sleep cycles following alcohol consumption which was most prominent at frontal scalp sites (p