Many Brits enjoy a drink. In fact, once you enter the world of work and legal drinking age, a trip to the pub on a Friday evening or the opening of a bottle of wine almost feels like a right of passage.
It’s estimated that around 70% of adults in the country drink alcohol each week and drink responsibly, it can be the perfect way to unwind and enjoy something you love. However, there’s a fine line between drinking responsibly and drinking becoming a little more problematic. But how do you know if your drinking is becoming too much?
For the hundreds and thousands of people that go to alcohol rehab each year, it’s often our physical and mental health deteriating that can be the telltale signs to get help. But how can alcohol noticably affect our health and suggest that we may need to assess our relationship with the substance?
Frequent Hangovers
Obviously a common sign you may be drinking too much is the frequency of hangovers. Essentially what a hangover is, is the body’s way of telling you that it’s struggling to process the amount of alcohol that you’ve consumed. If you’re finding you’re waking up to a hangover regularly, then it’s a clear sign your drinking is excessive.
The likes of dehydration, nausea, headaches and fatigue are all your body’s response to alcohol’s toxicity. In the long term, regular hangovers can lead to chronic dehydration, bad skin and lower energy levels, while frequent use of painkillers to combat hangover symptoms can put strain on your kidneys and liver.
Sleep Problems
While many may think alcohol can knock us out and get us to sleep faster, it does severely disrupt sleep cycles. It interferes with the body’s natural sleep stages, especially REM, a vital part of restorative rest.
If you’re waking up regularly during the night, enduring restless nights of sleep and are waking up feeling tired. This sleep disruption on a regular basis can lead to a wealth of health issues, including increased stress, impaired cognitive function and even a weakened immune system.
Increased Tolerance
Actually, the more you drink, the more tolerant you become to alcohol, which is a huge red flag when it comes to alcohol dependence.
What you’ll find is that the more you drink, the more the body becomes reliant on alcohol, which is essentially a pathway towards addiction. It’s important to spot this kind of problem as while you may feel it beneficial that you can drink more and not get a hangover, actually the more alcohol you drink, the more strain that’s going to be on your liver, heart and other organs. As a result, you may start to notice your health deteriorate longer term.
Weight Gain
As we all know, alcohol, particularly the likes of beer, is high in calories, but offers absolutely no value nutritionally. These calories can add up quickly, and ultimately end up with you gaining weight.
The beer belly is a real thing and you’ll start to look and feel more bloated when drinking regularly. What’s more, drinking alcohol regularly also leads to poor diet choices, with you more likely to eat unhealthy snacks, order takeaways and just generally crave junk food.
Mood Swings and Mental Health Issues
Alcohol is a depressant that affects the central nervous system, and excessive drinking can have a profound impact on your mental health. If you find that you’re experiencing mood swings, anxiety, or depression, your drinking habits might be playing a role. While alcohol can initially create feelings of relaxation or euphoria, it often leads to negative emotions as its effects wear off.
Regular alcohol consumption can disrupt the balance of neurotransmitters in the brain, leading to increased feelings of anxiety or depression. Additionally, the guilt or shame associated with excessive drinking can exacerbate these feelings, creating a vicious cycle. If your mood is consistently low or you’re struggling with mental health issues, it’s important to consider the role alcohol may be playing in these changes.
If you are recognising any of the health problems and symptoms above, then you really should give your relationship with alcohol a review and get the help you need.
