Over the years, we have shared research about alcohol that spoke about the good and bad effects of it. There has been mounting evidence that alcohol is universally harmful. However, a small amount may benefit older people’s blood sugar. It still appears to harm their overall health.
We always say that consuming or abstaining from alcohol is a deeply personal choice, and we support people either way. We share low-carb cocktail recipes just like we share low-carb recipes with bacon. We all know we shouldn’t eat cured meat, but many people do. We want you to have healthier recipes, no matter your dietary choices. We also want you to have all the information available to choose what to eat and drink!
New research has found that alcohol can directly and indirectly cause panic attacks in some people. If you feel short of breath, have a racing heart, are shaky or have a feeling of dread or impending after drinking, the alcohol may be to blame. These bouts of high-intensity anxiety tend to occur suddenly and end quickly.
Alcohol is a depressant that slows down brain activity and can calm the nervous system. However, as it wears off, people can have “rebound anxiety” with elevated stress levels. The chemical levels in the brain are unbalanced after drinking, and that can contribute to stress. If a person has a physical alcohol dependence and stops drinking, it can also cause panic attacks.
“When a person stops drinking, they can experience alcohol withdrawal symptoms, which can include increased anxiety and panic attacks,” Anne Oeswein, Clinical Supervisor with Charlie Health.
Some people get “hangxiety” after a nut of drinking. It’s a portmanteau of hangover and anxiety. If you wake up feeling anxious, irritable or edgy after a party, you may have hangxiety.
Not everyone experiences hangxiety. People who struggle with anxiety while sober are more likely to get hangxiety as their brain chemistry may already be skewed in favor of being anxious.
If you do get anxious or have a panic attack after or while drinking, there are things you can do to help yourself. Getting hydrated and eating something can help your body and brain chemistry start to rebalance. Resting by going to bed or doing a calming activity can help your body unwind. Breathing and relaxing with a soothing, distracting activity can be beneficial. You should not tamp down the anxiety with alcohol—that will just prolong the experience. You should also avoid stimulants like caffeine that increase the pulse and can worsen anxiety.
What a person chooses to eat or drink is up to them. But it’s important to know how it impacts the body. If you have felt anxious or unsettled while or after drinking in the past, this may clear up the situation.
