In the foolish time during carnival Alcohol is simply part of the fun for many party-goers. Whether it’s the welcome Prosecco as a toast, the colorful schnapps during the carnival parade or the seductive cocktail at the carnival party in the evening. There’s always an opportunity for a sip or two when celebrating. Only those who swallow too much alcohol usually have a huge thirst the next day after the party, which is not exactly harmless.
Not just at carnival: increased alcohol dries you out
In the morning after partying, the mouth is dry and the tongue seems almost stuck to the palate. A vehement feeling of thirst sets in. The body has absorbed a lot of fluid the evening before. However, if the drinks were alcoholic this does not help the metabolism too much, because the alcohol contained dries out the body from the inside, so to speak . And this harms your health. Alcohol has a dehydrating effect. Every alcoholic drink contributes to dehydration med.: Volumenmangel der extrazellulären Flüssigkeit, u.a. des Blutplasmas – dem Körper wird weniger Flüssigkeit zugef... of the body . The intensity of this can vary considerably. Factors such as the physical condition, the body weight and the alcohol content of the respective drinks play a role. The diuretic effect usually sets in after just a few drinks.
Inhibition of the antidiuretic hormone
Increased consumption of alcoholic beverages increases the amount of urine in the body . Water and important minerals are also flushed out. The effect can be described as a hormonal process in the body. Alcohol inhibits the so-called antidiuretic hormone (ADH) of the pituitary gland. This hormone is mainly released during sleep at night. A primary urine is continuously formed in the kidneys through normal metabolic processes. By releasing ADH, water is recovered from this primary urine . The hormone therefore influences the amount of urine excretion.
How the feeling of thirst arises
The antidiuretic hormone works during sleep. This means that people do not normally need to go to the toilet so often at night to urinate. Increased alcohol means that the hormone cannot work as usual. Therefore increases the amount of urine. The amount of fluid available to the body is reduced. This also has a direct effect on the reduction in blood volume. Perceptible headaches occur . The body tries to compensate for this – for it threatening – situation with a strong feeling of thirst in the hope that the thirst will be quenched immediately.
Holiday heart syndrome due to increased alcohol consumption: also during carnival
The circulation can only be maintained in the body with a reduced blood volume by increasing the heart rate . In addition to the water loss , the body also loses important minerals such as potassium and magnesium due to the increased amount of urine. If these losses are massive, this can lead to additional beats of the heart . heart stumbling or atrial fibrillation are the result. Holiday heart syndrome is often seen after very heavy drinking. Anyone who has celebrated heavily with alcohol at the weekend and does not promptly and comprehensively compensate for the water and mineral losses will usually still suffer from cardiac arrhythmia on Mondays. These usually normalize in a healthy adult after one to two days.
A tip for celebrating without regrets: If you don’t want to go without alcoholic drinks when celebrating, you should also drink a glass of water with every glass of alcohol . It is best to choose a mineral water that is rich in potassium and magnesium. Also apple juice spritzer, isotonic sports drinks or a warm broth containing minerals can positively support the metabolism with water and minerals .
