Reducing Alcohol After Christmas: What It Means for Snoring & Sleep Apnea Severity

For many people, Christmas and New Year brings late nights, social gatherings, and a few more drinks than usual. Once the festive season ends, it’s common to notice changes in sleep — louder snoring, restless nights, or waking up feeling far less refreshed. Reducing alcohol after Christmas can make a meaningful difference, particularly for snoring and sleep apnea severity.

Alcohol is widely consumed, with more than half of adults reporting having a drink in the past month.¹ While it’s often associated with relaxation and winding down, alcohol can quietly disrupt breathing and sleep quality once you’re asleep — especially when consumed close to bedtime.¹

Why Alcohol Affects Breathing During Sleep

Alcohol slows down the central nervous system and dulls the brain’s response to breathing problems during sleep.¹ At the same time, it relaxes the muscles of the mouth, tongue, and throat that normally help keep the airway open.² When these muscles lose tone, the airway becomes narrower and more likely to collapse.²

This is particularly relevant for people with sleep apnea, a condition marked by repeated breathing disruptions overnight.³ Alcohol can worsen both obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), where tissues in the throat block airflow, and central sleep apnea (CSA), where breathing problems occur due to disrupted signalling between the brain and respiratory muscles.³ OSA is far more common, but alcohol can negatively affect both forms.³

Snoring and Sleep Quality After Festive Drinking

Snoring is often the first sign that alcohol is interfering with sleep.² Relaxed throat tissues vibrate more easily, making snoring louder and more frequent. Even people who don’t usually snore may notice it after drinking, particularly if alcohol is consumed in the evening.

Although alcohol can make falling asleep feel easier, it usually leads to fragmented, lower-quality sleep.¹ Research shows that drinking increases breathing interruptions, lowers blood oxygen levels, and raises the apnea–hypopnea index (AHI) in people with OSA.¹ This means breathing pauses happen more often and last longer throughout the night.

Over time, this can contribute to excessive daytime sleepiness, poor concentration, and reduced overall wellbeing.

Can Cutting Back Really Help?

The good news is that reducing alcohol intake — especially after Christmas — can bring noticeable improvements. Studies suggest that heavier drinkers are more likely to have OSA, with the condition around 25% more common in heavier drinkers compared to non-drinkers or light drinkers.¹ While this doesn’t prove alcohol causes sleep apnea, it highlights a strong association.

Simple changes can help, such as limiting alcohol to one standard drink, avoiding drinking within three to four hours of bedtime, or building in alcohol-free days each week. Many people notice quieter nights, better sleep quality, and improved daytime energy as a result.

For those using CPAP therapy, research suggests CPAP can help prevent alcohol-related breathing disruptions, although alcohol may still affect sleep architecture and overall restfulness.

Untreated sleep apnea is linked to serious health risks, including cardiovascular disease and drowsy driving, and alcohol can heighten these risks further.¹

If you or your partner notice persistent loud snoring, breathing pauses, choking or gasping during sleep, or ongoing daytime fatigue — particularly after drinking — speak with your doctor. A conversation or sleep assessment could be the first step toward better sleep, safer breathing, and long-term health.

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 80 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&Cs apply.

References

1. Suni, Eric. “The Link between Alcohol and Sleep Apnea.” Sleep Foundation, 16 Nov. 2022.

2. “Can Alcohol Cause Sleep Apnea?” SleepApnea.org, 19 Sept. 2023.

3. Scanlan, M. F., et al. “Effect of Moderate Alcohol upon Obstructive Sleep Apnoea.” European Respiratory Journal, vol. 16, no. 5, 2000, pp. 909–913.