Going on holiday often starts with a celebratory drink and a nap on the plane. However, a recent study suggests that this common practice might not be as harmless as it seems.
German scientists have discovered that the mix of in-flight alcohol and cabin pressure at cruising altitude could place undue strain on passengers’ hearts during sleep.
The study found that when individuals, even those who are young and healthy, sleep after consuming alcohol at the lower air pressures typical of flights, their blood oxygen levels decrease while their heart rates increase.
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“We were surprised to see that the effect was so strong,” remarked Dr. Eva-Maria Elmenhorst, a co-author of the study, in an interview with NBC News. She added a cautionary note: “Please don’t drink alcohol while being on an airplane.”
Published in the journal Thorax, the research indicates that passengers with pre-existing heart conditions face heightened risks as the reduced cabin pressure during flight exacerbates their symptoms, a situation worsened by alcohol consumption.
The researchers from the Institute of Aerospace Medicine in Germany emphasized that “the on-board consumption of alcohol is an underestimated health risk that could be easily avoided.” They suggested that it might be worthwhile to consider regulatory changes to limit access to alcoholic beverages on flights.
For their study, the researchers examined the effects of alcohol consumption and sleep in a low-pressure environment by testing 48 participants aged 18 to 40 over two nights in different settings: a sleep laboratory and an altitude chamber.
Participants consumed alcohol before one of these nights. The findings revealed that alcohol combined with low oxygen levels at high altitudes significantly reduced sleep quality, challenged the cardiovascular system, and extended periods of low blood oxygen levels.
While young and healthy people might not face severe heart problems from drinking during flights, Dr. Elmenhorst noted that “the decreased oxygen saturation together with the increase in heart rate could exacerbate pre-existing medical conditions.”
The study concluded that this combination of alcohol intake and sleeping under hypobaric conditions poses a significant strain on the cardiac system and could aggravate symptoms in individuals with cardiac or pulmonary diseases.
“The oxygen saturation dropped to quite low levels during sleep,” Dr. Elmenhorst explained. “This is why I would recommend avoiding drinking alcohol even when someone is healthy.”
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