Alcohol Use

When under stress, you may turn to alcohol to relax and sleep better. And while alcohol may make you fall asleep faster and even increase the amount of deep sleep during the first half of the night, studies show that this effect is temporary. Alcohol consumption leads to sleep disruptions during the second half of the night.

Alcohol use also exacerbates the effects of sleep apnea, particularly snoring. Alcohol relaxes the muscles you use to breathe, which increases the likelihood of snoring, even in people who don’t have sleep apnea. Bottom line is that if you have sleep apnea, alcohol will likely make your symptoms worse.