How much does drinking alcohol affect apnea?

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Sleeper Agent
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How much does drinking alcohol affect apnea?

Post by Sleeper Agent » Wed Aug 06, 2014 2:46 pm

I have not had a drink since I started CPAP a month ago. Did not want to mess with the data while trying to optimize my treatment.

Now that I have settled on a setting that works. I am dying for an alcopop (1.5 units) near bed time while watching a movie.

Is that going to exacerbate my AHI?

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LSAT
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Re: How much does drinking alcohol affect apnea?

Post by LSAT » Wed Aug 06, 2014 2:54 pm

In my opinion, it would make you sleep better and perhaps have a better than normal AHI. It might have the same effect as using a sleeping aid.

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Re: How much does drinking alcohol affect apnea?

Post by Sleeper Agent » Wed Aug 06, 2014 2:55 pm

LSAT wrote:In my opinion, it would make you sleep better and perhaps have a better than normal AHI. It might have the same effect as using a sleeping aid.
http://sleepdisorders.about.com/od/caus ... -Apnea.htm ?

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Re: How much does drinking alcohol affect apnea?

Post by archangle » Wed Aug 06, 2014 3:06 pm

Are you using SleepyHead or other software? If so, you could check and see what happens.

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Re: How much does drinking alcohol affect apnea?

Post by Sleeper Agent » Wed Aug 06, 2014 4:09 pm

archangle wrote:Are you using SleepyHead or other software? If so, you could check and see what happens.
Will check tonight. Going to go for 1 bottle of alcohol (1.5 units).

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Re: How much does drinking alcohol affect apnea?

Post by LSAT » Wed Aug 06, 2014 4:12 pm

Sleeper Agent wrote:
LSAT wrote:In my opinion, it would make you sleep better and perhaps have a better than normal AHI. It might have the same effect as using a sleeping aid.
http://sleepdisorders.about.com/od/caus ... -Apnea.htm ?
If you knew this...why did you ask the question in the first place?

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Re: How much does drinking alcohol affect apnea?

Post by Sleeper Agent » Wed Aug 06, 2014 4:28 pm

LSAT wrote: If you knew this...why did you ask the question in the first place?
I know it does worsen apnea.

But I wanted to see if anyone here knows how much it affects apnea.

In particular, is 1.5 units of alcohol going to add significantly to my AHI tonight?

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Re: How much does drinking alcohol affect apnea?

Post by chunkyfrog » Wed Aug 06, 2014 4:36 pm

It may depend on the individual and the amount of alcohol consumed.
Please do not, anyone, use internet comments as an excuse to drink to excess.
Nothing good ever comes of alcohol abuse.

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Re: How much does drinking alcohol affect apnea?

Post by sc0ttt » Wed Aug 06, 2014 5:05 pm

Sleeper Agent wrote:
But I wanted to see if anyone here knows how much it affects apnea.

In particular, is 1.5 units of alcohol going to add significantly to my AHI tonight?
I made some notes; no effect. No alcohol nites were in the middle of my AHI range for the week.

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Re: How much does drinking alcohol affect apnea?

Post by palerider » Wed Aug 06, 2014 6:08 pm

Sleeper Agent wrote:
LSAT wrote: If you knew this...why did you ask the question in the first place?
I know it does worsen apnea.

But I wanted to see if anyone here knows how much it affects apnea.

In particular, is 1.5 units of alcohol going to add significantly to my AHI tonight?
what I wanna know is... what's a unit?

(in this case)

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Re: How much does drinking alcohol affect apnea?

Post by Sleeper Agent » Thu Aug 07, 2014 10:53 am

The 1 unit that I am using is 12 fl oz of 5% alcohol. So, 0.6 fl oz of alcohol.

I had 2 units and my AHI is still 1.34. So no effect, thankfully.

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Re: How much does drinking alcohol affect apnea?

Post by Day_Dreamer » Thu Aug 07, 2014 11:08 am

Any wake ups?

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Uncle Sigh
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Re: How much does drinking alcohol affect apnea?

Post by Uncle Sigh » Thu Aug 07, 2014 11:11 am

I was marooned in the jungle once with only food, water and CPAP. Terrible experience.

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Re: How much does drinking alcohol affect apnea?

Post by MeToo » Thu Aug 07, 2014 11:22 am

As I recall, a significant factor is the proximity to bedtime that the alcohol is consumed. I regularly drink 2-3 glasses of wine a night, but try to do so immediately after work and go to bed 3+ hours later. I have heard that 3 hours is enough time to mitigate the effects of moderate alcohol consumption on sleep.

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Re: How much does drinking alcohol affect apnea?

Post by palerider » Thu Aug 07, 2014 11:59 am

Sleeper Agent wrote:The 1 unit that I am using is 12 fl oz of 5% alcohol. So, 0.6 fl oz of alcohol.
the more mundane of us would say "two beers" instead of trying to sound like we're on a medical tv show.

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