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For cancer prevention, it¡¯s best not to drink alcohol. If you choose to drink, be aware of the cancer risks, aim to drink less often and have fewer drinks.

In addition to impacting your cancer risk, alcohol also affects sleep quality. Ahead, we¡¯ll cover why having a drink may make you feel ready for bed only to leave you counting sheep later in the night, the sleep-related health conditions that can be triggered by alcohol and if there is anything you can do to prevent these things.

Alcohol may help you fall asleep

If you¡¯ve ever had a drink or two and then felt drowsy, there¡¯s a reason for that: alcohol is a sedative. It impacts the same receptors in the brain as insomnia medications. This means it can initially help promote slow wave sleep, a type of deep sleep when brain activity slows.

While that may make it sound like alcohol is a good sleep aid, that is only half of the story. That¡¯s because alcohol has different impacts on falling asleep and staying asleep, bringing us to our next point.

But alcohol doesn¡¯t help you stay asleep

If you¡¯ve ever had a drink or two and fallen asleep only to wake up at 2 or 3 a.m., there¡¯s also a reason for that. As alcohol wears off, it can cause a withdrawal effect that can wake you up. This is called rebound insomnia.

Alcohol can change your overall sleep architecture. While you may get slightly more slow wave sleep earlier in the night, rebound insomnia can cause you to lose out on it later in the night, along with another type of sleep called Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep.

We typically get more REM sleep in the second half of the night. This is when dreams usually occur. REM sleep leaves us feeling rested and helps with memory, learning and concentration. But when you drink alcohol, REM sleep is suppressed.

So, while alcohol can help you fall asleep, it often impairs your sleep overall. It can lead to both worse sleep quality and sleep efficiency, which is the amount of time you're in bed actually sleeping. That¡¯s why alcohol isn¡¯t recommended as a way to help you fall asleep.

You¡¯ve heard the warnings about tobacco. You know too much sugar isn¡¯t great. But what if one of the most common cancer risks is something we sip without a second thought?

We¡¯re talking about alcohol?¡ª wine, beer, cocktails ¡ª and the growing evidence linking it to several types of cancer. What¡¯s surprising isn¡¯t just the science. It¡¯s how few people know about it.

Alcohol's cancer connection

According to the World Health Organization, alcohol is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen, the same category as tobacco, asbestos and radiation.

Drinking alcohol has been linked to at least seven types of cancer, including:

• Oral cancer
• Pharynx and larynx cancers
• Colorectal cancer
• Esophageal cancer
• Liver cancer
• Breast cancer
• Stomach cancer

And here¡¯s the kicker: Even drinking a small amount, like one glass of wine a day, can increase your risk of cancer.

What Is a Surgeon General Advisory, and why should you care?

A Surgeon General Advisory is a powerful public health tool. It is a formal statement from the U.S. Surgeon General that draws attention to a significant public health issue and provides recommendations for addressing it.

In early January 2025, the U.S. Surgeon General joined a growing number of health officials urging Americans to take the alcohol-cancer link seriously. But despite these advisories, most people don¡¯t know that alcohol causes cancer.

In fact, a new MD Anderson study found that almost 60% of U.S. adults are unaware or uncertain about the link between alcohol and cancer.?And of almost 6,000 respondents, just over 30% do not believe cancer prevention is possible.

¡°Even though the link between alcohol and cancer is well-documented, alcohol use in the U.S. continues to climb,¡± says?corresponding author , professor of biostatistics and epidemiology at MD Anderson. ¡°Reducing or eliminating alcohol intake can lower cancer risk. The bottom line is: the more you drink, the higher your chances of developing cancer.¡±

For cancer prevention, it's best not to drink alcohol. If you choose to drink, be aware of the risks, aim to drink less often and have fewer drinks.

Why the message isn¡¯t reaching the public

Most people lack awareness about the cancer risks of alcohol consumption for several key reasons.

Weak public health messaging

Unlike tobacco, public health campaigns about alcohol rarely emphasize its link to cancer. Warnings typically focus on addiction, liver disease, drunk driving, the dangers of drinking while pregnant or general moderation, rather than highlighting cancer specifically. This gap in messaging is partially due to extensive lobbying by the alcohol industry, which has actively worked to downplay or obscure the connection between alcohol consumption and cancer. As a result, labels on alcoholic beverages often omit any mention of cancer risk. The Surgeon General's Advisory includes a recommendation to update labels with more information.?

Cultural normalization of alcohol

Alcohol is deeply embedded in many cultures, often associated with socializing, relaxation and celebration. This widespread normalization makes it more difficult to confront the fact that a familiar, legal substance can also cause cancer.

Misconceptions about ¡°safe¡± drinking

Low levels of drinking are often viewed as harmless or even healthy, partly because of outdated or flawed studies, such as the popular idea that red wine is good for you. This has led many people to associate cancer risk only with heavy or binge drinking, while overlooking the potential harm of low levels or occasional consumption.

¡°We consistently see that fewer than half of Americans are aware of this unhealthy?connection, and that needs to change,¡± says , vice president and head of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences. ¡°Cancer centers like ours are working to promote greater public awareness and actions that may reduce alcohol use by the public, our faculty and staff, and our patients.¡±

Health care providers can help influence decisions about alcohol

As research continues to show that even low levels of alcohol consumption can increase cancer risk, it¡¯s becoming clear that our current approach to alcohol education needs a serious update. That means revisiting national drinking guidelines and adding clear health warning labels on alcoholic beverages and whenever it is served, similar to what we did decades earlier regarding tobacco.

One of the most effective ways to raise awareness is through conversations with health care providers. Studies show that clinicians are among the most trusted sources of health information. Yet less than half of U.S. adults say their doctors have ever talked to them about the risks of alcohol, including its link to cancer.

That¡¯s a missed opportunity.

¡°We need to encourage more open, routine discussions between patients and health care professionals about the potential harms of alcohol,¡± says Hawk. ¡°These conversations could play a key role in helping people make informed decisions about their drinking, and ultimately, in reducing preventable cancer cases.¡±

The bottom line

Alcohol may be a familiar part of daily life, but its connection to cancer is a serious personal and public health issue that¡¯s too often overlooked.

Understanding the risks, even with low levels of drinking, can help individuals make more informed choices about their health. As awareness grows, it¡¯s important to ask questions, talk to your health care provider and advocate for clear information.

Reducing your risk for cancer is possible; it starts with knowledge.

or call 1-877-632-6789.

It¡¯s natural to wonder how the substances we consume affect our bodies. Many Americans choose to drink, so it¡¯s no surprise that ²¹±ô³¦´Ç³ó´Ç±ô¡¯²õ impact on the body is of particular interest.

We spoke to physician , researcher , and senior clinical dietitian Victoria Lee to learn how alcohol impacts the body and the best way to proceed.

Alcohol increases cancer risk

Consuming alcohol in any quantity has been shown to increase the risk of cancers including:?

• Oral cancer
• Throat cancer
• Colorectal cancer
• Esophageal cancer
• Liver cancer
• Breast cancer

In fact, the ?writes that an estimated 5.5% of new cancer diagnoses and 5.8% of cancer deaths worldwide are linked to drinking alcohol.?

Karam-Hage says the longer someone has been drinking, the more likely they are to develop cancer.?

Here are a few of the reasons why alcohol increases cancer risk.?

Alcohol is a toxin

No matter what type of alcohol you drink ¡ª be it wine, beer, or liquor ¡ª it contains ethanol, Lee says. She notes that when your body breaks down ethanol, it produces a carcinogen called acetaldehyde that damages DNA.?

¡°DNA is a molecule needed by nearly every cell in our body for information on how to properly function, repair and regrow,¡± Lee says. ¡°If cells cannot properly repair themselves, cancer can grow.¡±?

Karam-Hage adds that alcohol impacts all of our organs, but particularly the brain, liver, esophagus and stomach. ¡°Alcohol has a toxic effect on many organs,¡± he says.

Alcohol isn¡¯t nutritious

Alcohol has what Daniel-MacDougall describes as empty calories. ¡°It provides calories, but no other nutrients,¡± she says.

Consuming more calories than your body needs can lead to weight gain. Excess body weight increases a person¡¯s risk for cancer and other diseases.?

Alcohol changes how the body uses nutrients

When you drink alcohol, your body is less able to absorb and use a variety of nutrients that can protect it from cancer, Lee says. These nutrients ¨C which include Vitamins A, B1, B6, C, D, E and K, folate, iron and selenium ¨C help to keep the body healthy, protect cells, create and repair DNA, and reduce inflammation.

Alcohol can change hormone levels

Alcohol can also affect your hormones.?

¡°It can increase estrogen levels which might increase risk of breast cancer in some women,¡± Lee says.

Alcohol alters the gut microbiome

Alcohol can also alter the body¡¯s oral and gut microbiome, which Daniel-MacDougall describes as the balance of bacteria, viruses and fungi that help to keep the body healthy.?

One of the microbiome¡¯s roles is to separate alcohol toxins so the body can remove them. ¡°The gut microbiome is a critical link between the digestive system, the liver and the immune system, playing a big part in how our body metabolizes alcohol and manages that amount of ethanol or toxins that come from alcohol,¡± she says.?

While Daniel-MacDougall notes a healthy body may be able to break down and remove a limited amount of alcohol, many factors can impact how your body reacts when you drink. On top of that, drinking too much rapidly alters the gut microbiome with short- and long-term consequences.

One of those short-term consequences? That ¡®sick to your stomach¡¯ feeling you might experience after overindulging.

¡°There¡¯s a reason why drinking too much alcohol makes us sick to our stomachs from vomiting to diarrhea," she says. ¡°You¡¯re sort of overwhelming the system.¡±

Over time, she explains that an unhealthy gut microbiome can wear down the gut¡¯s protective lining. From there, toxins can move into the bloodstream and on to the organs. This can increase the risk of cancers both within the gastrointestinal tract and beyond.?

¡°Those toxins get into the bloodstream, and then they start to cause things to go awry beyond the gut microbiome,¡± she says.

Alcohol?increases other long-term health risks

Beyond its link to cancer, alcohol is also linked to a variety of other health concerns, especially when consumed in excess, Karam-Hage says.

According to the , the long-term health risks of drinking excessive amounts of alcohol include:?

• High blood pressure
• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Liver disease
• Digestive problems
• Weakened immune system

Alcohol affects sleep

If a drink or two leaves you ready for bed, you might be surprised to learn that drinking alcohol is linked to insomnia, or trouble falling ¡ª and staying ¡ª asleep.?

¡°The interesting thing about alcohol is that it¡¯s sort of deceiving. When people drink, they feel sleepy or tired. They go to sleep, and then they have what we call rebound insomnia: in the second part of the night, they wake up and they cannot fall back asleep,¡± Karam-Hage explains.

Alcohol-related sleep issues aren¡¯t just limited to nighttime, however. Karam-Hage says they can have a real impact during the daytime hours. ¡°Insomnia can affect your day-to-day functioning,¡± he says.

Alcohol can have negative effects on fertility and pregnancy

Drinking alcohol can impact many stages of the journey to parenthood.

¡°There is the risk of infertility for both men and women,¡± Karam-Hage says. ¡°But for women who get pregnant, a major problem is fetal alcohol syndrome.¡±

The CDC that fetal alcohol syndrome disorders may result in ¡°lifelong physical, behavioral and intellectual disabilities,¡± which can occur when a fetus is exposed to the alcohol in a mother¡¯s blood.

Drinking any amount of alcohol while pregnant can increase the risk of fetal alcohol syndrome disorders, Karam-Hage says.?

¡°It used to be thought that it¡¯s only heavy alcohol use, but now the understanding is that any alcohol during pregnancy can expose the unborn fetus to fetal alcohol syndrome,¡± he says.?

In addition to the risk of fetal alcohol syndrome disorders, the CDC writes that drinking alcohol while pregnant can lead to miscarriage or stillbirth.

Alcohol impacts mental health and brain function

Alcohol can impact the brain in many ways. For example, Lee notes that heavy alcohol use can lead to:

• Alcohol dependence?
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Learning problems
• Memory problems?

In addition to being a depressant, Karam-Hage says alcohol can cause brain atrophy by speeding up the death of neurons in the brain. The resulting damage to brain cells and cell death can reduce cognitive function and cause problems with memory, concentration and executive functioning.?

To date, research has mainly focused on excessive drinking; Karam-Hage says studies have even linked heavy drinking to increased dementia risk. More research is needed to determine how light alcohol use impacts the brain.

¡°Some people think that any alcohol causes some loss of neurons, which, of course it would because alcohol is toxic,¡± Karam-Hage says. ¡°But the question is whether it's significant or not. That's the part that we don't know.¡±

How to proceed?

For cancer prevention, it¡¯s best not to drink?alcohol. If you choose to drink, be aware of the risks, aim to?drink less often and?have fewer drinks.

If you¡¯d like to drink less, Lee notes there are many options you can try.?

¡°Try nonalcoholic beer or wine, replace a cocktail with a mixed drink that contains only a splash of alcohol or none at all or make several days out of the week alcohol free,¡± she says.

or call 1-877-632-6789.

Many factors can raise your risk of?breast cancer. Some, like?family history, are outside of our control, while others are more closely linked to lifestyle choices. One such preventable breast cancer risk factor is drinking alcohol.

That¡¯s why, for?cancer prevention, it¡¯s best not to drink alcohol. If you choose to drink, be aware of the risks, aim to drink less often and have fewer drinks.

Below, I¡¯ll explain why alcohol is linked to breast cancer and what you can do to protect yourself.