The Hidden Cost of Happy Hour: Alcohol’s Role in Sleep Apnea May 2, 2025 Have you ever wondered why you wake up feeling exhausted after a few drinks the night before? While alcohol might help you drift off faster, it can seriously harm the quality of your sleep—especially if you suffer from snoring or sleep apnea. In fact, one in ten Australians have undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea, and alcohol can make it much worse.1 What Is Obstructive Sleep Apnea? Obstructive sleep apnea is a sleep disorder where the muscles in the throat become weak and collapse during sleep, blocking the airway. This leads to repeated pauses in breathing through the night, often causing loud snoring, gasping, and restless sleep. In Australia, around 20% of adults are estimated to have moderate to severe sleep apnea, but thousands more remain undiagnosed.2 Left untreated, sleep apnea can increase the risk of serious conditions such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and high blood pressure.3 How Alcohol Makes Sleep Apnea and Snoring Worse Alcohol is a depressant, meaning it slows down the signals from your brain to your muscles—including the ones that keep your airway open. When you drink before bed, it relaxes your throat muscles even more, making it much easier for your airway to collapse.4 This can cause more frequent and longer breathing interruptions during sleep, making sleep apnea symptoms worse. It also explains why alcohol often leads to heavier, noisier snoring. As the muscles in your throat relax, the airway narrows, and the tissues vibrate more with each breath, causing even louder snoring.4 So even if you’re normally quiet at night, a few drinks might have you waking up to someone telling you that you snored all night. In fact, according to the 2023 Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report, 1 in 4 adults drink alcohol at risky levels.5 This not only disrupts sleep but also increases the likelihood of developing or worsening sleep-related conditions like sleep apnea. The Bigger Picture: Alcohol, Sleep, and Health Alcohol doesn’t just worsen breathing problems—it also disrupts your sleep structure. While you might fall asleep faster, you’re less likely to reach the deep, restorative stages of sleep like REM (rapid eye movement) sleep.4 These stages are crucial for memory consolidation, emotional wellbeing and physical recovery. So, while you might sleep through the night, your body isn’t getting the rest that it needs, and you may wake up feeling groggy and fatigued. Over time, this disrupts your long-term health and sleep quality, leaving you always wanting another nap. Alcohol can also contribute to weight gain, which is a major risk factor for developing sleep apnea. Extra weight, especially around the neck and upper body, can obstruct the airway during sleep, making breathing harder and further reducing sleep quality.6 What You Can Do If you snore heavily, struggle with tiredness, or have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, it’s worth cutting back on alcohol—especially in the hours before bedtime. You’ll likely notice better breathing, deeper sleep, and improved energy levels. If you’re concerned about your sleep or snoring, speak with a doctor. Good sleep is vital for your health—and it might start with rethinking that evening drink. How Sove CPAP Clinic Can Help Founded in 2008, Sove CPAP Clinic has grown to become a leading provider of respiratory and sleep services and products in Australia, with over 60 clinics nationwide. Our comprehensive clinical team includes Respiratory & Sleep Specialists, Sleep Technologists, and CPAP Consultants, ensuring that you receive comprehensive and personalised care. All medical procedures, including sleep studies and lung function testing, are bulk billed to all Australians, with minimal wait time. If you would like to speak to a Respiratory & Sleep Physician, book a bulk-billed sleep study, or seek advice for your sleep apnea, you can reach us at 1300 76 29 39 or info@thecpapclinic.com.au. ALWAYS FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS FOR USE. CPAP is used for Obstructive Sleep Apnea treatment. When considering whether a sleep study or CPAP is right for you, speak to your doctor. Medicare criteria and T&C’s apply. Citations 1. Senaratna, Chamara Visanka, et al. “Sleep Apnoea in Australian Men: Disease Burden, Co-Morbidities, and Correlates from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Male Health.” BMC Public Health, vol. 16, no. S3, Oct. 2016, https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-016-3703-8. 2. Soenen, Stijn, et al. “Sleep Health Primary Care Clinical Resource.” *Australian Journal of General Practice*, vol. 53, no. 6, 1 June 2024, pp. 349–355, https://doi.org/10.31128/ajgp-03-23-6779. 3. Pristas, Adrian. “Reasons Why Sleep Apnea Can Be Serious If Left Untreated.” Hackensack Meridian Health, 5 Apr. 2023, www.hackensackmeridianhealth.org. 4. Pribyl, Dr Larry. “Center for TMJ & Sleep Apnea.” Center for TMJ and Sleep Apnea, 20 Oct. 2020, www.tmjsleepapnea.com. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025. 5. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. “National Drug Strategy Household Survey 2022–2023, Alcohol Consumption.” AIHW, 29 Feb. 2024, www.aihw.gov.au. 6. Cielo, Christopher M, et al. “Neck Fat and Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Obese Adolescents.” *Sleep*, vol. 44, no. 11, 24 June 2021, https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsab158. Accessed 27 Apr. 2022.
