Alcohol Effects After a Night Out Drinking

Ever have a night out and wonder why the next day you feel so depressed? It's a common feeling among my friends and I. Although I must admit I am not really a "drinker" I do enjoy my nights out. With that said the next day I always feel like the weight of the world is on my shoulders and want to sleep all my worries away. So I decided to do some research since so many of us feel the same way after a night out.

Alcohol Effects After a Night Out Drinking:

• Alcohol is a depressant, so the depression caused by alcohol alone goes with the territory
• Alcohol tends to potentiate the mood of the user. Thus, if one is sad, alcohol may make you sadder. If you are happy, alcohol may make you happier.
• Alcohol affects the chemistry of the brain, increasing the risk of depression.
• It is now known that some of the systems that are involved in producing the symptoms of low mood, anxiety, poor sleep and reduced appetite in depression are also affected by alcohol.
• Alcohol diminishes the function of the mind through various processes. It affects many of the hormone functions in the brain within 1-2 minutes of consumption. Besides that, alcohol intake slows glycogen metabolism. This means the brain receives less glycogen, so it doesn't have much energy

"We can more easily be fooled when we drink alcohol or smoke. I want to be sure of the real world around me as possible, and they can fuzz the edge of rationality and reasoning powers - I do not use either of them.”
June Russell

Sources:
http://howistoppeddrinking.org/depression-and-loneliness-after-a-night-of-drinking
http://chemcases.com/alcohol/alc-07.htm
http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mentalhealthinfoforall/problems/alcoholanddrugs/alcoholdepression.aspx
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Anxiety/Anxiety-panic-attacks-the-day-after-drinking/show/514905
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/swordchucks3.htm