Have You Ever Felt More Anxious or Down After Drinking Alcohol?
Your anxiousness or low mood might completely disappear after having a few drinks, no doubt, but the next day, it comes back tenfold. Here are three reasons why…
Happy Hormones
Alcohol actually increases the amount of happy hormones we have while drinking:
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GABA – our calming hormone
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Serotonin – our happy hormone
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Dopamine – our motivation/pleasure hormone
No wonder we feel fantastic after a few drinks! But the downside? Alcohol depletes these hormones, so once they leave, we feel much worse than before—draining us emotionally and leaving our mental health struggling.
Sleep and Alcohol
Alcohol increases our sleep-inducing chemical, adenosine, which is why we feel sleepy after drinking. But this doesn’t mean quality sleep—in fact, it prevents deep sleep, leading to tossing and turning all night and waking up completely unrefreshed. And how much worse does our mental health feel after a shocking night's sleep? 🌛
Loss of Nutrients
Alcohol depletes key nutrients essential for mental well-being, including:
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B vitamins
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Zinc
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Magnesium
Since these nutrients help produce calming and happy hormones, their depletion can trigger anxiety and depression.
Oestrogen and Liver Burden
Alcohol burdens the liver, which is responsible for detoxifying old oestrogen. This slows the process down, increasing the amount of free oestrogen in circulation—leading to oestrogen dominance and hormonal imbalance.
My Personal Experience with Alcohol
I went through a period at the beginning of lockdown where I was drinking a lot at night—doing Zoom drinking games and boozy phone calls to friends. My mental health was terrible the next day. Of course, I knew the links, but I was in a bit of a lockdown rut.
I got so sick of it that I ended up giving up alcohol for the most part. Now, I only drink about four times a year and limit myself to three drinks max. I know it makes me feel better, and when I feel better, I'm a better mother to my kids.
Challenge Yourself: Try a Month Without Alcohol
If you think alcohol is impacting your mental health, why not try going without it for a month? Once the month is over, I bet you won’t look back!
