Many employees use the sleep-inducing effect of alcohol without realizing how alcohol interferes with sleep — and alertness on the job the next day.

Alcohol often aides sleep onset, but after a few hours the alcohol can interfere with sleep and lead to middle-of-the-night insomnia.

Researchers have found that just one drink before bed disrupted the activity in certain parts of the brain and led to wakefulness, reports The New York Times. It's also proven that alcohol worsens certain sleep disorders and leads to snoring.

Alcohol interrupts the regular pattern of sleep. It reduces the amount of deep sleep (important for physical recovery) and REM sleep (important for mental recovery). And alcohol is a diuretic, waking you up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night.