Conditions · FAQ
Can medicines or alcohol make snoring worse?
Short answer
Yes. Alcohol and some sedating medicines can relax throat muscles or affect breathing during sleep, which may worsen snoring or sleep apnea. Tell your physician about all medicines, supplements, and alcohol use. Do not stop prescribed treatment on your own, and avoid mixing alcohol with sedating medicines.
Alcohol relaxes muscles in the upper airway and can make the airway more likely to narrow during sleep. Some sleep medicines, anti-anxiety medicines, and other sedating drugs can also affect airway tone or breathing. Opioid pain medicines can cause serious breathing problems during sleep, which may occur with or without snoring.
Give your physician a full list of prescription medicines, over-the-counter products, and supplements. Include sleep aids and allergy products, since some cause drowsiness. Mention when you take them and how much alcohol you drink. This information helps your clinician assess risks without assuming one product is the only cause.
Do not stop a prescribed medicine suddenly or change its dose yourself. Your prescriber can decide whether a safer plan is needed. Avoid combining alcohol with sedating medicines. Seek prompt medical review for new breathing pauses or marked daytime sleepiness. If someone is hard to wake or is breathing slowly or abnormally, call 911.
Sources
Written by the Verra clinical team · Medical review pending
General information, not medical advice. If you're in crisis, call or text 988.