Lowest price guarantee
Free shipping Australia wide on orders over $100
Bulk Billed Sleep Studies Available - Find Out More
Call Us
1300 76 29 39
Find a Clinic
75 Locations

Snoring After Drinking? It Might Be Sleep Apnea

July 8, 2025

It’s Alcohol Awareness Week—a perfect time to reflect not just on how alcohol affects your liver or mood, but also your sleep. If you find yourself snoring more after a few drinks, you’re not alone. But it might be more than just a noisy night. Snoring after drinking could be a red flag for a common but underdiagnosed condition: obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

Here's what many people don’t realise: snoring is the most common symptom of OSA, reported in up to 94% of people with the condition.1 And while not everyone who snores has sleep apnea, persistent or loud snoring—especially after drinking—shouldn’t be ignored.

Alcohol is a muscle relaxant. It doesn’t just loosen your inhibitions—it relaxes the muscles in your throat too.2 That makes the soft tissues more likely to collapse or vibrate as you breathe during sleep, which leads to snoring.2 For people already at risk of sleep apnea, this added relaxation can tip the scale into full-blown breathing interruptions.

In fact, drinking close to bedtime has been shown to worsen both the frequency and severity of OSA episodes.3 A 2020 study found that those who drank before bed experienced almost four extra breathing disruptions (AHI events) per hour, along with a significant drop in blood oxygen levels.3 Another large-scale analysis showed that heavier drinkers were 25% more likely to have OSA than non-drinkers or light drinkers.2

It’s not just how much you drink—it’s also when. Experts recommend avoiding alcohol for at least four hours before bedtime to minimise its effects on your airway and sleep quality.3 Timing matters just as much as quantity. Even one or two drinks can reduce your sleep quality by up to 24%, and higher amounts can cut it by nearly 40% by interfering with deep REM sleep.3

If your partner’s mentioned your snoring, or you’re waking up tired despite a full night’s rest, alcohol could be highlighting an underlying issue. OSA affects roughly 1 in 5 adults, but more than 85% of people with clinically significant OSA remain undiagnosed.4,5

The good news? It’s treatable. One of the most effective treatments is CPAP therapy—a small bedside machine that gently blows air through a mask to keep your airway open while you sleep.6 This eliminates the pauses in breathing, reduces snoring, and helps you wake up feeling refreshed.

So, this Alcohol Awareness Week, don’t just think about how much you drink—consider when you drink and how it’s affecting your sleep. Snoring after alcohol isn’t always harmless. If you notice snoring, choking during sleep, or daytime fatigue, speak to your doctor or call Sove CPAP Clinic to see if you may benefit from a bulk-billed, at home sleep study. A quieter, more restful night could be closer than you think.

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&Cs apply.

References

  1. Alshaer, Hisham, et al. “Objective Relationship between Sleep Apnea and Frequency of Snoring Assessed by Machine Learning.” Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, vol. 15, no. 03, 15 Mar. 2019, pp. 463–470, https://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.7676.
  2. Burgos-Sanchez, Christian, et al. “Impact of Alcohol Consumption on Snoring and Sleep Apnea: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, vol. 163, no. 6, 9 June 2020, pp. 1078–1086, https://doi.org/10.1177/0194599820931087.
  3. Smith-Garcia, Dorian. “Does Alcohol Cause Snoring?” Healthline, Healthline Media, 22 Nov. 2022, www.healthline.com/health/sleep/alcohol-and-snoring#causation. Accessed 8 July 2025.
  4. “OSA - Prevalence.” www.sleepprimarycareresources.org.au, www.sleepprimarycareresources.org.au/osa/epidemiology.
  5. Motamedi, Kevin K, et al. “Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Growing Problem.” The Ochsner Journal, vol. 9, no. 3, 2024, p. 149, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3096276/.
  6. McCrimmon, Katie Kerwin, and UCHealth. “Overnight Cure for Poor Sleep: The Benefits of CPAP.” UCHealth Today, 2 June 2020, www.uchealth.org/today/benefits-of-cpap-for-sleep-apnea/.