The next time you're on a long-haul flight, you might want to think twice about having a drink and taking a nap. According to a new study, it's a combination that can put extra strain on your heart, Science Alert reported.
A team from the Institute of Space Medicine at the German Aerospace Center divided 40 volunteers between two sleep chambers: one with normal ground pressure and one with an artificially created pressure designed to mimic an aeroplane moving at an altitude of 2,438 meters.
We know that at these high altitudes where oxygen is depleted, blood oxygen levels begin to drop - technically known as hypobaric hypoxia. New research has shown that alcohol and in-flight naps are a dangerous combination.
"This study is the first to examine the combined effects of hypobaric hypoxia and alcohol during sleep. We show that alcohol consumption on board an aircraft is an underestimated health risk that can be easily avoided," the researchers wrote.
There were a total of four groups: those who slept at normal pressure with or without drinking, and those who slept at cabin pressure with or without drinking.
The alcohol given to the participants is equivalent to two kegs of beer or two glasses of wine. During the experiments, the participants were restricted to four hours of sleep per night, presumably to mimic the experience of interrupted sleep during a flight.
At normal pressure, the average individual who consumed alcohol had a blood oxygen level of 94.97% and a heart rate of 76.97 beats per minute. Subjects who did not consume alcohol at normal pressure had a blood oxygen level of 95.88% and 63.74 beats per minute. At reduced pressure, the equivalent statistics were 85.32% blood oxygen and 87.73 bpm for drinkers 88.07% blood oxygen and 72.90 bpm for non-drinkers.
The results showed that under aeroplane cabin conditions, blood oxygen was lower and heart rate higher than in the control group, and these effects were even stronger among those who drank alcohol.
Altitude and alcohol also reduced the time spent in deep and REM sleep, which are important for sleep quality.
The low amount of oxygen in the blood and the high heart rate put additional strain on the cardiovascular system.
The study had a very small sample and all participants were young and healthy people. The change in statistics in older and more vulnerable people may be even more pronounced, which is something that could be explored in future research.
Sure, it's tempting to have a little cuppa and take a nap when you go on vacation, but researchers are urging travellers to be more cautious in the future. | BGNES
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