{"id":299,"date":"2022-09-04T22:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-09-04T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fresnofamilydental.com\/blog\/?p=299"},"modified":"2022-10-13T22:02:40","modified_gmt":"2022-10-13T22:02:40","slug":"can-drinking-alcohol-impact-my-sleep-apnea","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fresnofamilydental.com\/blog\/can-drinking-alcohol-impact-my-sleep-apnea\/","title":{"rendered":"Can Drinking Alcohol Impact My Sleep Apnea?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\"Man<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

If you wake up most mornings feeling exhausted, sluggish, and desperate to fall back asleep, there\u2019s a reasonable chance that you\u2019re suffering from sleep apnea; after all, millions of US adults lose out on sleep every night because of the condition. But did you know that drinking alcohol right before bedtime can actually make your sleep apnea worse? Here\u2019s more from your dentist in Fresno<\/a> about this link and some tips for falling asleep without relying on a nightcap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

What Causes Sleep Apnea?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Even though roughly 20% of all Americans suffer from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), only about half of these patients have actually received a diagnosis and followed it up with treatment. But sleep apnea is not something that should be ignored! During an episode, your air passage significantly tightens and interrupts your body\u2019s natural breathing pattern. This causes you to wake up in order to stabilize your breathing, which can make it difficult for you to quickly fall back asleep afterwards. Since this can happen frequently, that lost time quickly begins to add up. And adding alcohol into the equation only makes things more difficult for your body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Does Alcohol Impact Sleep Apnea?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Studies show that moderate or heavy drinking can cause obstructive sleep apnea in people who previously weren\u2019t affected by the condition. This is because alcohol naturally decreases your body\u2019s drive to breathe, which is already a major issue if you have sleep apnea. When you drink, your breathing becomes shallower and slower, and your throat muscles become more relaxed. This can trigger the collapse of your airway and also contributes to snoring, which is the most commonly associated symptom with sleep apnea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tips for Getting a Better Night\u2019s Rest<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If sleep apnea is preventing you from getting quality rest every night, here are tips you can implement to help\u2014and none of them involve alcohol! Consider the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n