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Prolonged, heavy consumption of alcoholic beverages can result in one or more serious, often life threatening consequences.
Deprivation of rapid eye movements (REM) or dreaming sleep, results in anxiety, chronic tiredness, and impaired concentration alcohol use may aggravate migraine sufferers' tendency to vascular headaches.
Blackouts are lapses in memory during intoxication; they are not a loss of consciousness. Whether lasting a few minutes or hours, blackouts are unpredictable but usually happen when the blood alcohol level is high. A blackout usually occurs after ingestion of large amounts of alcohol and for most social drinkers, it is a learning experience. Continued drinking patterns that produce blackouts indicate a high risk for alcohol problems.
The hangover is a mild manifestation of alcohol withdrawal. In the earlier stages, it is the all too familiar "hangover headache." This is more likely related to vascular changes and has nothing to do with the brain. The brain itself has no pain receptors. So, any headache pain must be from the nerves surrounding the lining, skin, vessels, or muscles. Although the alcohol has been eliminated, the body's chemical balance has been upset, digestive organs have been abused, and an overpowering fatigue is felt. There is a lack of consensus among researchers on the causes of hangovers. The explanations most frequently cited are described below.
Central Nervous System (CNS) Rebound
Alcohol has a depressant effect on the CNS. With abstinence, this depressant effect is removed and there is a "rebound" of sensitivity to stimuli. An area of the CNS particularly affected is the reticular activating system which oversees the general arousal level and CNS activity.
The congeners or chemicals added to color, flavor, preserve, or stabilize alcoholic beverages may cause headaches.
Alcohol suppresses the hormone regulating the amount of urine produced, therefore, too little of the hormone is released and the kidneys form excessive urine. The kidneys' capacity to reabsorb water is diminished and water is excreted from the body. Therefore, intoxication causes the body to lose water (including vitamins and minerals). This produces the sensation of thirst of "cotton mouth."
Alcohol depletes the body of its blood sugar causing a hypoglycemic state. In this state there is a reduced concentration of blood sugar. The brain is deprived of its proper nourishment. Symptoms include hunger, weakness, nervousness, sweating, headache, and tremor.
The brain is the organ most sensitive to alcohol. It also receives less oxygen when alcohol is present, which adds to the feeling of fatigue the following morning.
Alcohol is an irritant which produces the flow of gastric juices in the stomach lining, causing nausea and vomiting. The next morning, a "rebound effect" is produced as the stomach works extra hard to neutralize the gastric acid. This may cause an upset stomach.
Alcohol alters the neuro-chemical balance within the brain. Although some people fall asleep faster with a drink, alcohol depresses REM (Rapid Eye Movement or dreaming) sleep and causes more sleep disturbance later at night. REM sleep is an important component of a healthy sleep cycle. Even if people think they sleep well, the loss of REM sleep makes people want to sleep longer in the morning and would then feel tired during the day. Deprivation of REM sleep is what causes people to feel tired.
Alcohol is a vasodilator. It increases blood flow to the extremities. One reason for morning chills may be a rebound effect. As the blood vessels constrict, there is a reduced blood flow to the extremities, and therefore less warmth. These vascular changes have also been related to the hangover headaches. Migraine sufferers should avoid alcohol because use ma aggravate their tendency to vascular headaches.
The simple cause is too much alcohol. The only prevention is to avoid drinking too much, too fast. There is no cure for a hangover. Once excessive drinking has taken place, only time will cure a hangover--none of the many popular home remedies have been shown to be cures.
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