Alcohol in Altitude: How In-Flight Drinks Impact Your Body and Sleep

New studies show that drinking alcohol at high elevations might be worse for you than good, hurting both your health and the quality of your sleep.

The Effects of Alcohol and Altitude on the Body Together

Remember that there is less oxygen and air pressure at high altitudes; therefore, flying puts a lot of stress on the body. Even though planes are pressurized, the cabin pressure encountered during a typical flight at 30,000 to 40,000 feet is around 8000 feet above sea level.

A condition where the levels of oxygen in the blood are low, something that is referred to as Hypoxemia, could occur. As the oxygen levels drop in the body, mostly because of this, Peter Hackett, an emergency and high-altitude doctor, says that the heart and lungs compensate for this.

On the other hand, the adaptation reaction can be messed up by getting drunk. When you drink, you either breathe slowly and thus are likely to intake less air into your system.

For this reason, alcohol inhibits how the body would otherwise respond to low oxygen concentration. This could lead to less oxygen in the blood and faster heart rates, which make the circulation system work harder.

Research showed that those who took alcohol before going to sleep at high altitudes had 15% more heart rates and 3% less oxygen levels as compared to those who never took alcohol. Apart from the worst circumstances one could think of on an airplane, these things can put a lot of stress on the body.

Should You Drink on the Plane?

Sleep quality and length are worse at high elevations, even when drinking is not involved. Andrew Luks, a professor of respiratory, critical care, and sleep medicine at the University of Washington, says that lower oxygen levels at high elevations cause people to wake up often and have apnea episodes, which mess up their sleep cycles. Noise, turbulence, crowded seats, and many flight delays make sleeping harder.

These problems get worse when you drink. Although alcohol first makes you feel drowsy, it hinders you from sleeping by raising your heart rate and altering REM sleep. On flights, the dry, chilly air dehydrates you; alcohol aggravates this effect by suppressing antidiuretic hormones, which increases toilet visits.

When mixed, alcohol and high altitude can have mild effects on healthy people, but they can be very dangerous for people who already have health problems. Mariann Piano is a professor of nursing at Vanderbilt University and an expert on drug abuse. She says that the combination could have severe effects on people who already have heart or lung diseases.

Luks advises minimizing the negative effects; experts recommend having only one drink on a flight and consuming additional water and food. He suggests enjoying a beer or a glass of wine but cautions against overindulging.

While deciding to drink is personal, knowledge of the hazards is vital. The author of the study, Eva-Maria Elmenhorst, wants people to understand how dangerous it is to drink alcohol on a plane. By making intelligent choices, you can help ensure your flight is healthier and more enjoyable.