Alcohol, Caffeine & Sugary Beverages

If you’re managing sleep apnea with CPAP, an oral appliance, or lifestyle changes, what you drink can have a bigger impact on your sleep than you might think. Many people don’t realize that everyday drinks like alcohol, caffeine, and sugary beverages can quietly make it harder to keep your airway stable, lower your oxygen levels, and disrupt your sleep quality.

In this guide, we break down how each of these drinks affects sleep apnea, practical tips for managing their impact, and what to watch for in your therapy data.

Why Beverages Matter for Sleep Apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) causes repeated collapses or narrowing of the upper airway during sleep. This interrupts breathing, fragments sleep, and lowers blood oxygen levels. Anything that relaxes airway muscles, alters arousal thresholds, or disrupts normal sleep cycles can worsen this condition.

Some drinks might seem harmless or even helpful at bedtime, but they can actually make breathing problems worse for people with sleep apnea. Here’s how.

1. Alcohol: The Sneaky Muscle Relaxant

How Alcohol Worsens Sleep Apnea

• Relaxes airway muscles: Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant. It relaxes skeletal muscles, including those that help keep your airway open (tongue, throat, soft palate), increasing the risk of airway collapse.
• Blunts your brain’s arousal response: Alcohol raises the arousal threshold, which means your brain becomes slower to respond when breathing stops. Apneas can last longer as a result.
• Increases apnea events and oxygen drops: Studies consistently show that alcohol before bed increases the number and severity of apneas and deepens oxygen desaturations.
• Disrupts sleep architecture: Alcohol may help you fall asleep faster initially, but it reduces REM sleep, causes more awakenings, and fragments sleep later in the night.

A meta-analysis found that alcohol drinkers had a ~1.33× higher odds of having OSA compared to non-drinkers, though the evidence is still developing.

Tips for Alcohol and Sleep Apnea

• Try not to drink alcohol within three to four hours before going to bed.
• Limit how much alcohol you have, since even one drink can affect breathing for some people.
• If you do drink, do so earlier in the evening and with food.
• Check your CPAP or sleep data after drinking (AHI, oxygen levels, leaks). Notice any changes?
• Ask your sleep specialist if you should temporarily adjust your pressure settings or therapy approach after drinking.

2. Caffeine: The Stimulant That Disrupts Sleep

How Caffeine Can Be a Problem

• Delays sleep onset: Caffeine’s stimulant effects can make it harder to fall asleep and reduce total sleep time. Less time asleep means less time for your therapy to work.
• Raises sympathetic activity: Caffeine increases alertness, heart rate, and stress hormones—potentially making your breathing more unstable at night.
• Disrupts sleep cycles: High caffeine intake can shift your circadian rhythm and reduce deep and REM sleep, both of which are critical for recovery.
• Linked to worse OSA in some studies: Some research suggests a correlation between higher caffeine intake and more severe OSA symptoms—but evidence remains mixed.

While caffeine’s impact is less direct than alcohol’s, its interference with sleep quantity and quality can indirectly aggravate sleep apnea symptoms.

Tips for Caffeine and Sleep Apnea

• Try to have caffeine only in the morning, ideally before noon.
• Skip strong caffeinated drinks like coffee, energy drinks, or sodas in the afternoon or evening.
• Track how your caffeine intake affects your sleep metrics or next-day fatigue.
• If you think caffeine is affecting your sleep, consider tapering down gradually.

3. Sugary Drinks (Especially Those With Caffeine)

How Sugary Beverages Can Worsen Sleep Apnea

• Contribute to weight gain: Excess sugar intake is a known factor in obesity—a major risk factor for sleep apnea. Fat deposits around the neck and airway worsen airway collapse.
• Create a feedback loop: Sleep-deprived individuals often crave more sugary or high-energy drinks during the day. This can lead to poor sleep and worsening apnea in a vicious cycle.
• Combine with caffeine: Many sugary drinks (sodas, energy drinks, sweetened teas) also contain caffeine, which amplifies the sleep-disrupting effects.
• Lead to nocturia (nighttime urination): Drinking sugary beverages in the evening can increase fluid load and wake you up for bathroom trips, disrupting sleep continuity.
• Trigger reflux: Sugary, acidic, or carbonated drinks may contribute to heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), which can worsen nighttime breathing and sleep disruption.

Tips for Managing Sugary Beverages

• Swap sugary drinks for water, herbal tea, or unsweetened alternatives.
• Avoid sugar-loaded drinks in the evening—especially in the 2–3 hours before bed.
• Be aware of hidden sugars in flavored coffees, bottled teas, or “health” drinks.
• Monitor your weight, glucose levels, and other metabolic markers—they directly affect sleep apnea severity.

How to Build Better Beverage Habits for Sleep Apnea

Here’s a sample evening routine you can use to avoid sabotaging your sleep:

Morning:

• Moderate caffeine intake (e.g., coffee or tea)
• Stay well-hydrated throughout the day

Afternoon:

• Cut off all caffeine intake by early afternoon
• Avoid energy drinks or sodas

Evening:

• Skip alcohol or limit it to early evening with a meal
• Avoid sugary drinks after dinner
• Opt for water or caffeine-free herbal tea before bed

Night:

• Check your CPAP data the following morning
• Watch for patterns in AHI, oxygen levels, or leak rates
• Communicate with your sleep specialist if issues arise

What to Ask Your Sleep Specialist

If you notice changes in your therapy results after drinking certain beverages, consider asking your provider:

• “Does my CPAP pressure need adjustment on nights when I drink alcohol?”
• “Are my therapy metrics (like AHI or leak rate) changing after caffeine or sugar intake?”
• “Could beverage timing be interfering with my sleep cycles?”
• “Can we incorporate dietary habits into my overall apnea management plan?”

Final Word: Beverage Habits Matter

Managing your drink choices may seem like a small change, but for people with sleep apnea, it can make a meaningful difference. Alcohol, caffeine, and sugary beverages can all:

• Relax airway muscles
• Disrupt normal sleep architecture
• Lead to poor CPAP performance
• Increase the severity of apnea events

Paying attention to what and when you drink can enhance your therapy, increase oxygen intake, and leave you feeling more rested.

If your current sleep therapy plan isn’t delivering the results you hoped for, reviewing your beverage habits could be a simple and effective place to start.

Making the right choices about what you drink can have a big impact on your breathing, energy, and overall health — especially if you’re living with a respiratory condition. At 1st Class Medical, we’re here to help you live better and breathe easier every day. If you have questions or want to learn more about portable oxygen options that fit your lifestyle, call us today at 1-800-520-5726.