Alcohol and Inflight Hypoxia Significantly Worsen Sleep and Oxygen Levels, reveals study
Researchers have demonstrated that alcohol consumed during the preparation for sleep in an environment of low pressure such as in an airplane cabin significantly lowers the quality of sleep, promotes elevated heart rate, and prolongs hypoxia time. A recent study was published in the journal Thorax conducted by Trammer and colleagues.
Long-haul flights subject passengers to inadequate oxygen due to a lower pressure in the cabin which can impact sleep. Moreover, alcohol consumption from the list of additives may enhance these effects and lengthen periods characterized by low SpO2 and high heart rates with decreased deep sleep. Low air pressure can decrease the amount of oxygen in blood. It is one of the predominant causes of hypoxia in cabins of flights. This study was conducted to research the combined effect of alcohol consumption and hypobaric hypoxia on sleep patterns, oxygen saturation, and heart rate.
The subjects were two groups of healthy participants followed up during sleep in a normal sleep laboratory or in a hypobaric chamber simulating the reduced air pressure found at an altitude of 2,438 meters (about 8,000 feet). They had a 4-hour sleep opportunity from 00:00 to 04:00 hours and were given alcohol before one of the nights, with a mean blood alcohol concentration of 0.043%. Both nights with and without alcohol were counterbalanced in the order for the groups. The sleep stages were recorded using polysomnography, and oxygen saturation and heart rate were measured all through the night. To ensure a full recovery of participants, two full recovery nights of sleep separated the study conditions.
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