“Alcohol can relax us, we don’t pretend otherwise,” says Richard Piper, chief executive of Alcohol Change UK, the charity which, among other things, runs the annual Dry January challenge. But, he continues: “One of the most interesting findings is that when people sit in the pub with friends at the end of the day with a non-alcoholic beer, the effect is almost identical. The mental trigger, the decision to relax- yes, it is by far the most important factor, as opposed to the alcohol itself.”
Alcohol affects brain activity, suppressing the release of glutamine (which normally increases brain activity) and increasing the release of GABA (a neurotransmitter that blocks impulses between nerve cells in the brain and works to reduce brain activity), that’s why we find it. relaxing
Unfortunately, your body will try to correct the balance. However, instead of returning to pre-drinking levels, there can be a rebound effect, resulting in low levels of GABA and increased glutamate causing jittery feelings.
“Anxiety [hangover related anxiety] it is a scientific fact, although it is not called that in the literature. It’s not just worrying about what you said last night, it’s the clinical version of anxiety,” says Piper. “And in the long term: “The link between alcohol and anxiety is proven. If you suffer from even mild anxiety, alcohol can make it massively worse.” Even those of us who aren’t generally uncomfortable can start to feel jittery after a hangover, she says.
“A drink helps me sleep”
Maybe, Piper says, but “the negative effects on your subsequent sleep far outweigh that. When we do Dry January, people tell us they’re doing it because they want to regain control, lose weight, or save money. In the end, they we ask how they have benefited and everyone says: sleep!”.
The sedative effect of alcohol can decrease the time you spend in the important and restorative REM stage of sleep. Its diuretic effect can also cause you to wake up at night. It’s also a muscle relaxant, so you might end up waking up to your own snoring.