When we enjoy a drink, our body experiences a range of effects that provide momentary pleasure. But how does alcohol affect the brain? Read on to understand the impact of indulging in an alcoholic drink.
How Alcohol Impacts the Brain
It is important to understand how alcohol damages the brain to develop responsible drinking habits. This awareness can also help you prioritise your health in the long term.
- Temporary Effects: Alcohol may appear to improve your mood at first because it increases levels of corresponding mood hormones like dopamine. However, it also quickly starts to cloud memory, influence speech, affect balance, and impair judgment. Consequently, things that you usually find simple to do appear to be momentous and difficult, if not dangerous.
- Effect on Neurotransmitters: Research has long been concerned with understanding how does alcohol change the brain. After consuming alcohol, the brain’s neurotransmitters no longer function optimally. Reflexes become slower, and the response to stimuli appears less sharp.
- Disturbed Sleep: Contrary to popular belief, alcohol actually interferes with the natural sleep cycle. After drinking, you find that you are unable to experience deep sleep. Drinking without recognising how alcohol affects the brain may lead to poor sleep and groggy mornings.
- Long-Term Changes: More severe changes can occur as a result of persistent alcohol use. For instance, a reduction in brain cells and a shrinking of brain tissue have been associated with heavy alcohol usage.
- Effect on Cognitive Abilities: You may find it difficult to reason and make sound decisions if you drink alcohol on a regular basis. Cognitive capacities such as attention, memory, and problem-solving ability may be adversely impacted.
- Mood and Behaviour: Alcohol can influence a person’s emotional state and actions. Frequent alcohol consumption is linked to a wide range of negative emotions, including anger, melancholy, and mood swings.
- Addiction: The brain can develop a reliance on alcohol if it is forced to adapt to regular consumption. Once addiction sets in, it becomes hard to control one’s drinking. Other issues with brain health are also exacerbated by addiction.
- Effects on Mental Health: Alcohol may cause existing problems with mental health to worsen. Individuals may sometimes fall victim to a self-perpetuating loop of drinking to alleviate symptoms when it is alcohol that is making them worse in the long run.
- Risk of Permanent Damage: Severe cases of alcoholism can cause permanent brain damage and disorders like Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, a debilitating brain disorder marked by memory lapses and cognitive decline.
Conclusion
It is wise to wonder how does alcohol affect brain function before choosing to drink. There are a number of short and long-term effects of alcohol that could seriously affect your health. If you begin noticing the symptoms of severe alcohol usage in yourself or a loved one, you may stand to benefit from acquiring a health insurance plan to access affordable treatment plans and begin your journey of recovery.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult your general physician or another certified medical professional for any questions regarding a medical condition. Relying on any information provided in this blog is solely at your own risk, and ICICI Lombard is not responsible for any effects or consequences resulting from the use of the information shared.