Can Alcohol Affect Your Sleep Apnea?

At the end of a long day, plenty of people like to kick back with a refreshing alcoholic beverage. However, this may not be the best choice if you currently have sleep apnea. Many people don’t realize it, but alcohol can easily make sleep-disordered breathing worse. Read on to learn more about the relationship between alcohol and sleep apnea so that you can make the right choices to enjoy a better night’s rest.  

What Happens When You Have Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea causes your breathing to repeatedly stop and restart while you’re asleep. Each pause can lower your blood oxygen levels and force your body to briefly wake up for air. The root cause of sleep apnea is usually an obstruction of the airway; if the tissues in your throat become relaxed, they can collapse and block the flow of air.

What is the Relationship Between Alcohol and Sleep Apnea?

Alcohol is a known muscle relaxant. As such, drinking at night can lead to more relaxed muscles in the throat, which increases the chances of an airway obstruction occurring. In other words, alcohol consumption can make your sleep apnea even more severe.

On top of that, alcohol can make it more difficult for you to awaken. This means that whenever a sleep apnea episode occurs, it will take longer for your brain to wake you up so that you can get some air. The ultimate result is longer pauses in your breathing, which can have detrimental effects on your overall health in the long run.

What Should You Do to Manage Your Sleep Apnea?

If you’ve been diagnosed with sleep apnea, you don’t want to make the problem worse. You should therefore make an effort to give up drinking at night. In general, it’s recommended that you stay away from alcohol for at least three to four hours prior to your normal bedtime.

Of course, it’s not enough to simply avoid making sleep apnea worse; you should also make sure that it’s properly treated. This is traditionally done with a CPAP machine. However, patients who want a quieter, more comfortable option may want to consider a personalized oral appliance that adjusts the position of the lower jaw to keep the airway clear. Additionally, NightLase laser treatment can be performed to tighten the tissues in your upper airway so that they’re less likely to cause obstructions.

It’s important to take whatever steps you can to keep your sleep apnea under control. In addition to cutting down on your alcohol use, it may also be a good idea to make other lifestyle adjustments. Talk to a sleep apnea expert to see what they recommend.

About the Author

Dr. Deborah A. Romack is proud to be providing her patients with customized sleep apnea solutions here at Weatherford Dental Sleep Medicine. She holds membership with the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine and various other organizations. If you suspect that you have sleep apnea, you can schedule a consultation with Dr. Romack by visiting her website or calling (817) 594-3806.