How Does Alcohol Affect Sleep Apnea?

At times, it can feel good to unwind after a long day with a glass of wine or a tasty beer. You may find that after you finish your drink, you feel very relaxed and ready for sleep! Some people even make it a habit to use alcohol to help them doze off every night. However, that is not a good idea, especially if you have sleep apnea. This blog post explores why you should not rely on adult beverages to help you get more rest.

Alcohol and Your Sleep

Alcohol has a sedative effect, so there is no doubt that for many people, it can help them fall asleep faster than they would otherwise. However, the bad effects of alcohol on sleep far outweigh any benefits that you might gain from falling asleep a bit sooner than usual.

• Alcohol causes your body to relax. This includes the tissues in your throat that are responsible for airway blockages. In other words, alcohol can make you more prone to snoring and cessations in breathing.
• Alcohol can extend periods of not breathing. When you stop breathing during sleep, your body goes into panic mode and causes micro-arousals to get you breathing again. Alcohol slows down that reaction, so it may be longer before you start taking in oxygen.
• Alcohol disrupts the sleep cycle. It can affect how long you spend in each phase of sleep, which reduces overall sleep quality.
• Alcohol may shorten total sleep duration. You may wake up as the alcohol gets metabolized and is no longer present in your body.

Tips for Higher-Quality Sleep

You should not consume alcohol during the last few hours before bed. If you choose to drink, you should finish your last beverage early enough in the day that the alcohol will be mostly out of your system by the time you drift off to sleep.

If you need help to relax and fall asleep at night, there are methods besides alcohol that might help. For example, you could:

• Sip on chamomile tea.
• Try meditation or breathing exercises.
• Take a hot shower or bath.
• Do some light stretches.
• Avoid the use of devices that emit blue light, such as your smartphone.

Alcohol is not an effective sleep aid, especially for people with sleep apnea! Try other methods to wind down at the end of the day so you can get the rest your body needs.

Meet the Practice

At Go to Sleep Center for CPAP Alternatives, our team takes great pride in helping members of our community to find relief from restless nights. That is why we offer top-quality oral appliance therapy. We are also happy to provide personalized advice on how you can build a routine that promotes high-quality sleep. To learn more about how we may be able to serve you, contact our Scottsdale office at 623-254-7433.