Abstract: 

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a prevalent disorder, characterized by repetitive episodes of complete or partial obstruction of the upper respiratory tract. Repeated pharyngeal collapse occurs during sleep, which produces, leading to interrupted breath at night (nocturnal hypoxia), sleep fragmentation and sympathetic arousal. In addition to this, biochemical signals are altered, manifested in episodes of anxiety, imbalance in the appetite/satiety equilibrium, and persistence of alcoholism. 

Objective: Propose an explanatory hypothesis on the influence of OAS as a factor or influential element on the origin and persistence of abusive alcohol consumption. 

Methodology: systematic revision of medical literature published in English and Spanish in biomedical databases [PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, Elsevier], related to the biochemical consequences of OSA in the levels of cortisol, ghrelin and leptin. 

Discussion: Information is found about the alterations of cortisol, ghrelin and leptin because of OSA, which allows to think in a relationship between apnea as a risk factor for alcohol consumption. 

Conclusions: Sleep disorders generate alterations in the cycle of cortisol, leading to an increase of its levels. Chronic reduction of sleep increases the activity of the sympathetic nervous system which translates into anxiety. Persons with moderate and severe OAS have higher appetite during night due to the increase of cortisol levels at that time of the day. Ghrelin is increased in persons with OSA, which translates into an increase in appetite and ingestion avidity. Leptin and OSA are closely related in affecting sleep architecture. OSA contributes to a greater predisposition for abuse in alcohol consumption.