For many, a bold and hoppy IPA (India pale ale) is a must, whether it’s a winter version with rich, spicy hops or a summer sipper with bright, citrusy flavors. IPAs carry a trademark hoppy sharpness and double down on flavor as compared to their more balanced cousin. That hop-heavy character is one of the primary differences between a pale ale and an India pale ale. While almost all beers have hops, an abundance of hop flowers is the magic ingredient that truly makes a beer an IPA. They give the beer a heady, bitter flavor that can have undertones of pepper, fruit, or even pine, depending on the variety used in brewing. The more hops you add, the stronger-flavored the IPA.
And while some types of IPAs pack quite a punch with 10% alcohol by volume or more, alcohol content isn’t the only reason you feel sleepy after you’ve had a pint or two. The hop plant has sedative qualities, so you’re bound to relax as you make your way through your beer, meaning it’s entirely possible hops are the reason your IPA has you feeling drowsy.
The hops in IPAs make you sleepy, but it probably won’t help you sleep
Hop flowers contain compounds that preserve and flavor beer, turning an IPA into the iconic drink we know. These same compounds also trigger the human body’s relaxation system, particularly by interacting with the same brain receptors targeted by other sedatives and hypnotic compounds. Hops have been known as sedatives since IPA beer’s 18th-century origins. With all that sedative power, it seems to make sense that you should indulge in an IPA if you want to get a good night’s sleep. But that’s not necessarily the case thanks to the alcohol.
Rather than the sedative nature of hops being amplified by the depressant nature of alcohol to leave you sleeping like a baby until morning, the alcohol actually interrupts sleep cycles. That’s why it’s on so many lists of worst foods to eat before bed. So while the hops in IPA will have you feeling sleepy, the alcohol content will ultimately keep you from sleeping soundly through the night.
