Woman sleeping on a plane.
Rudi_suardi | E+ | fake images
A popular pastime on long-haul flights – drinking alcohol before falling asleep – may pose health risks even for young, healthy passengers, according to a new study.
The combination of alcohol consumption, sleep, and low oxygen concentration at high altitudes was found to challenge the cardiovascular system and prolong the duration of hypoxemia, or low levels of oxygen in the blood.
Researchers from the Institute of Aerospace Medicine at the German Aerospace Center and Aachen University also said the habit reduced sleep quality and recommended that airlines restrict the consumption of alcoholic beverages during the flight.
Study co-author Eva-Maria Elmenhorst told NBC News that the team was “surprised to see that the effect was so strong” and recommended avoiding alcohol while flying.
Sleeping during the flight already aggravates the drop in blood oxygen saturation caused by the reduction in atmospheric pressure in aircraft cabins, according to the study.
Under the added effect of alcohol consumption, laboratory tests showed that the participants' blood oxygen saturation decreased further, their heart rate increased, and deep sleep was reduced.
Even “young, healthy participants” suffered “clinically relevant” heart rate desaturations and accelerations during sleep, according to the study.
“Higher doses of alcohol could amplify these observed effects, potentially increasing the risk of health complications and medical emergencies during flight, especially among older people and those with pre-existing medical conditions,” he added.
