Many airlines offer passengers, especially those in their first-class and business class cabins, alcohol. Plus, there is also something about being on air that makes people want to take a quick nap.
A study by German scientists has found that in-flight alcohol and cabin pressure at cruising altitude can strain the hearts of sleeping passengers.
The researchers found that when people fall asleep after drinking alcohol at low air pressure during flights, blood oxygen levels drop and heart rates increase, even in healthy and young individuals.
The study co-author, Eva-Maria Elmenhorst urged passengers to avoid alcohol while on an airplane. The decreased cabin pressure at cruising altitude which is amplified during sleep, increases the risk of aggravating symptoms for those with or without heart problems.
A study involving 48 participants aged 18–40 found that alcohol consumption and sleep in an environment with low air pressure can significantly strain the cardiovascular system.
The participants consumed alcohol before one of the nights, and the combination of alcohol and low oxygen concentrations at high altitudes reduced sleep quality and disturbed their cardiovascular system.
The study concluded that even in young and healthy individuals, the combination of alcohol intake and sleeping under hypobaric conditions could exacerbate symptoms in patients with cardiac or pulmonary diseases.
The oxygen saturation dropped to low levels during sleep, and the researchers recommend avoiding alcohol consumption even when someone is healthy.
