Sleep Apnea: Causes, Risks, and Medications That Can Make It Worse
When you have sleep apnea, a condition where breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. It's not just loud snoring—it's your body struggling to get oxygen while you're unconscious. Also known as obstructive sleep apnea, it affects over 22 million Americans, many without knowing it. Left untreated, it raises your risk of heart attack, stroke, and even sudden death. The worst part? Some of the very pills people take to help them sleep can make it far worse.
Take sedatives, drugs that calm the nervous system and slow brain activity. Also known as hypnotics, they’re often prescribed for insomnia or anxiety—but they relax the muscles in your throat too much, making airway collapse more likely during sleep. This isn’t theoretical. Studies show sedatives like benzodiazepines and z-drugs can double the number of breathing pauses per hour in people with sleep apnea. Even over-the-counter sleep aids with diphenhydramine can trigger respiratory depression, a dangerous slowdown in breathing that can lead to low oxygen levels or even cardiac arrest. If you’re on any sleep medication and feel exhausted during the day, gasp for air at night, or wake up with a dry mouth and headache, you’re not just tired—you might be in danger.
Older adults are especially at risk. As we age, our airways naturally narrow, and our bodies process drugs slower. That’s why older adults, people over 65 who often take multiple medications. Also known as geriatric patients, they’re far more likely to experience harmful drug interactions that worsen sleep apnea. A common painkiller like ibuprofen, taken with a sleep aid, can spike blood pressure and strain the heart—exactly what sleep apnea already stresses. And if you’re taking lithium for bipolar disorder or statins for cholesterol, those drugs don’t just sit there. They interact with your breathing, your kidneys, your liver—and all of it ties back to how well you sleep at night.
You don’t have to live with this. Recognizing the signs early—like loud snoring, choking at night, or daytime fatigue—can lead to a simple sleep study. But before you even get tested, take a hard look at your medicine cabinet. Many people don’t realize their sleep problems aren’t caused by stress or aging—they’re caused by what they’re taking. The right fix might not be another pill. It might be stopping one.
Below, you’ll find real stories and hard facts about how medications like sedatives, antihistamines, and even common painkillers can quietly sabotage your sleep—and what to do about it.
