The Day After Last Night
Had a few drinks last night and I’m feeling less than ok today. I didn’t even go out; just sat and had a good chat over a few glasses of wine. Sitting at work today, I feel less than motivated and frankly lethargic. Usually when I’m in this state of mind my thoughts wonder and I got to thinking about the one tiny fact people always tend to ignore when it comes to alcohol- it’s a depressant. What does that mean anyway? It’s not like you sit in sulk in a dark corner after having a couple of beers. Ok, if you do do that, then you should seriously see a mental health professional.
Usually, we count on the fact that the glass of wine or beer in our hands is going to do the exact opposite. Instead of decreasing our drive, alcohol causes elation and a fabulous sense of euphoria- when drunk in beautifully correct amounts, off course. My poison is and will probably always be tequila. Yes, Jose and I have had some great bonding experiences. After a few tequilas, the world is my oyster. My personality escalates along with the pitch of my voice and I feel like Angelina Jolie- without the offspring!
Anyway, getting back to the point, I realized that the depression only hits the next day. I know this seems like common sense but I believe this observation to be quite a discovery, especially considering the fact that my brain is on retirement today. I feel irritable, indolent, moody and highly sensitive. I am taking the slightest comment personally and feel absolutely unmotivated. Lifting a coffee cup to my mouth is effort! I’m sure a lot of people feel one or more of these symptoms after a hard night of partying and the funny thing is that everything I listed is characteristic of depression.
Alcohol is a depressant because it depresses the brain and the nervous system. Brain suppression would probably explain the lack of social inhibition and stress. It is said that alcohol has a biphasic effect, which means that the effect that it has on you changes over time. Some people know that one minute you can feel great and the next have your head in a toilet contemplating death over the vertigo and nausea. Ironically, in small doses it actually stimulates your brain. However, what goes up must come down. Last night I felt great-today, not so much.
To conclude this post, here are some facts for you:
Hangovers are usually a result of dehydration, so the best way to cure one is to drink water before you go to bed and then again continually the next day. For those of you who faithfully stick to your hangover remedy, you might wana try drinking less because it’s not gonna make any difference the next day!
Taken from the Wikipedia:
“The severity of a hangover also depends on the effects of the byproducts of the fermentation process that brings out the taste and aroma of the beverage, also known as congeners.”
In order of prevalence, congeners are highest in brandy, wine (red), rum, whiskey, wine (white), gin and lastly vodka.
Lastly, animals get drunk too:
“Bees or yellow jackets cannot fly well after having drunk the juice of overripe fruits or berries.
Bears have been seen to stagger and fall down after eating fermented honey.
Birds often crash or fly haphazardly while intoxicated on ethanol that occurs naturally as free-floating microorganisms convert vegetable carbohydrates to alcohol.”
