Blackouts and Fatigue: The Effects of Alcohol on the Body
Did you wake up with no recollection of last night?
Drinking alcohol gets a lot of us through our late teens and twenties, but how do you know when it’s time to hang up your drinking cap and get sober?
Abusing alcohol for long periods of time can have quite an effect on your body. If you’re noticing yourself constantly fatigued by the end of the day, it could be that you’re drinking too much.
In this article, we’re going to discuss the negative effects of alcohol on the body. You may not think you have an issue, but not many people do. Problems crop up over time and prevent you from living your best life.
Put the bottle down, let’s get started.
Effects of Alcohol On the Body
Alcohol is a drug. A legal drug, but a drug nonetheless. As you get older, you may notice your body taking longer and longer to recover from nights out with friends. This is your body telling you that you’re poisoning it and it wants you to stop.
The effects that alcohol has on the body are plenty. Heart problems, brain problems, liver problems, immune system problems, and of course, cancer are all in play when you abuse your body with alcohol.
#1 It’s Not Brain Food
Alcohol can interfere with the brain’s “communication pathways”. Meaning that it changes your behavior, clear thinking, and coordination. Think about it; would you be concerned if you had a completely sober evening and then woke up the next morning remembering none of it? Alcohol is not good for your head.
#2 Or Heart Food
Most people think that it is a depressant, but alcohol is a stimulant. Extended periods of drinking can cause cardiomyopathy and irregular heartbeat, which in turn, can eventually result in prolonged high blood pressure, which can lead to a stroke sooner than you think.
#3 Cancer
There are various cancers that prolonged alcohol abuse can be the root of. Cancers of the head and neck are common for heavy drinkers. People who consume 50 or more grams of alcohol per day (3-4 drinks) are up to 3 times more likely to get cancer.
#4 Low Immunity
Constant drinking weakens the immune system, making you susceptible to all sorts of other diseases, pneumonia, and tuberculosis being common among them.
Big drinking sessions weaken your immune system to the point of welcoming colds and the flu, as well. Your body has a hard time fighting off these illnesses, which makes them much more painful and harder to recover from.
How to Heal
Beyond the effects of alcohol on the body, they also have an effect on your lifestyle and relationships. It’s a mind-altering drug that can turn you into someone that you normally aren’t. Too often you hear of fractured marriages, friendships, and families as a result of alcohol abuse.
It’s never too late to quit drinking. There are no lost causes. If you’re concerned that you or a loved one is drinking themselves to an early grave, then you should never hesitate to get them help. They may resist it at first, but they’ll thank you for it when they’ve recovered.
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