New research published Monday suggests mixing it with alcohol on a long plane trip could create a dangerous cocktail for your heart. The small trial found that healthy volunteers experienced a greater drop in blood oxygen levels and a corresponding increase in heart rate after drinking alcohol while sleeping at high altitudes compared with not drinking. The study authors said this combination may be at greater risk for people who are already susceptible to cardiovascular disease or who are older.
Long-distance flights (generally any flight longer than six hours) are known to take a minor toll on the body. High altitude environments expose us to lower atmospheric pressure, which can reduce oxygen saturation levels in our blood, especially when we sleep. To compensate for this loss, the heart must work harder, causing the heart rate to increase.
The study was led by scientists at the Institute of Aerospace Medicine at the German Aerospace Center. they know past study Research shows that drinking alcohol before bed can also lower blood oxygen saturation and increase heart rate during sleep. So they wondered whether the combination of alcohol and long-haul flights could make the problem worse.
The team recruited healthy volunteers between the ages of 18 and 40 for the experiment. Half were asked to sleep under normal atmospheric conditions (sea level) and half in an altitude chamber that simulated the pressure conditions in an aircraft cabin at cruising altitude (8,000 feet, or 2,438 meters above sea level).
In each group, half were first assigned to drink a moderate amount of alcohol (about two drinks) before bed, while the other half slept normally. After two recovery nights, the halves switched conditions (this was done to ensure that an important variable, such as bedtime drinking, was not affected by the time of the experiment). In total, the team collected data from 23 volunteers in the control sleep laboratory group and 17 volunteers in the simulated high-altitude group.
Blood oxygen saturation is measured by reading arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2), and a healthy level is above 95%. Levels below 90% are considered low and may warrant medical attention.
People who rested in the sleep lab had normal blood oxygen levels throughout, although their heart rates did increase the night they drank for the first time. Those who slept in altitude chambers fared worse, especially after drinking alcohol. When drinking, their median blood oxygen levels dropped to 85%, compared with 88% when not drinking, and their heart rates also increased more. The volunteers also experienced shorter periods of deep sleep and rapid eye movement sleep when drinking alcohol compared to other conditions, both of which are important for our overall sleep quality.
The team’s research results, publish in diary Chest, based on a small sample size. The volunteers also sleep in the typical supine position (lying face up), which is usually only possible for first-class passengers. So it’s unclear whether the same happens for people who drink and sleep while sitting. At the very least, more research is needed to confirm the potential additive effects of alcohol and long-haul flights on the heart. But given that these changes have been seen in perfectly healthy people, the authors worry that this combination could be particularly dangerous in people with poorer cardiovascular health.
“These results suggest that, even in young and healthy individuals, the combination of alcohol consumption and sleeping under low-pressure conditions can place considerable stress on the cardiac system and may lead to worsening of symptoms in patients with heart or lung disease,” the authors said. wrote.
Medical emergencies on airplanes are quite rare (according to one survey, they occur approximately once in 604 flights) 2018 review), but 7% of this was attributed to cardiovascular problems. Therefore, the authors believe it might be worthwhile to change the rules around serving alcohol on long-haul flights, or at least ensure people are aware of the possible dangers.
“Practitioners, passengers and crew should be informed of the potential risks and it may be beneficial to consider changes to regulations to restrict access to alcohol on board aircraft,” they wrote.
