A sobering simulation has revealed exactly what happens to you when you drink booze.
It's worth remembering what alcohol does to your body, especially around the Christmas and New Year's period - the booziest time of the year.
Experts have already shared the types of alcohol to steer clear of to avoid hangxiety, while the subject of 'high-intensity' drinking has also been brought up as a warning to Brits.
And make sure you don't get too carried away at your Christmas work do, unless you want to end up in a heap of trouble and long-term career issues.
Advert
Finding the balance can be hard for some people, but that's because it's easy to lose track of how much alcohol you're putting in your system and what it's doing exactly.
The science behind it might give you a different perspective, and hopefully urge some people to watch their drink this holiday season.
Essentially, the effects of a pint, or whatever your choice of poison is, starts after just five minutes.
A YouTube video explaining the intricacies of drinking has been accompanied by a simulation, showing exactly what goes on in your noggin.
The video explains: "It all starts with ethanol the star player in alcohol - once you take a sip, these tiny molecules slip into your bloodstream, in just five minutes they reach your brain and things start to change."
It details that ethanol sneaks past the brain's protective barrier to similar substances, attaching itself to GABA receptors, which slows these down, and slowing brain processes.
It's not just this though, as alcohol actually boosts brain activity by blocking glutamate, relaxing you a lot more than usual.
It then releases dopamine and serotonin, feel-good hormones that give you the feeling of being temporarily high.
So if you think this process with the multiple drinks you're planning to have over your upcoming parties and dinners, you can figure out why you might be a bit spacey come the end of the night.
On top of this the NHS has advice for those who are concerned about their own or someone else's drinking habits.
It explains that drinking too much in one incident can result in one of the following:
- Accidents leading to injury or death
- Getting involved in violence
- Losing personal items or belongings
- Losing self-control, such as having unprotected sex
- Alcohol poisoning
The NHS also recommends that, in order to reduce these health risks, limit how much you drink, drink more slowly, drink with food, or alternate with water while out celebrating.
Please drink responsibly. If you want to discuss any issues relating to alcohol in confidence, contact Drinkline on 0300 123 1110, 9am–8pm weekdays and 11am–4pm weekends for advice and support.
Joshua Nair