Immediate effects on your brain include slowed mental and physical reactions, reduced ability to think and reason, and impaired memory. Longer-term, alcohol can increase your risk of dementia and lead to alcohol-related brain damage.
Alcohol can cause inflammation and lead to uncomfortable reflux. Alcohol also increases your risk of stomach and bowel cancer.
Your liver processes the alcohol you consume – and over time, this can deteriorate liver health. Alcohol can lead to alcohol-related fatty liver disease, cirrhosis, liver inflammation (hepatitis), and liver cancer.
Kidney function plays a critical role in our overall health. Alcohol causes your kidneys to work harder. It can affect their ability to regulate fluid and electrolytes in the body, making them less able to filter your blood.
Alcohol use increases your risk of cardiovascular disease. Longer-term, alcohol can cause abnormalities in heart rhythm, increase your blood pressure, weaken your heart muscle, and lead to heart attack and stroke.
Alcohol increases your risk of injury and other short-term risks. It impairs balance and coordination and slows your reflexes, which can lead to accidents or injury.
High-risk drinking can also result in nausea and vomiting, memory loss, difficulty breathing, alcohol poisoning, loss of consciousness, coma, or death. It can result in hangovers, poor mood, and increased anxiety.
Alcohol also adds to calorie intake, making it more difficult to avoid weight gain. It is high in empty kilojoules.
Alcohol can also negatively affect the quality of your sleep. Alcohol, even in small quantities, disrupts your body’s capacity to enter deep, restorative sleep.
If you wake up in the night after drinking, it’s because alcohol increases the production of epinephrine, a stress hormone that increases heart rate and stimulates the body. Alcohol is also a diuretic, which means you need to wake up in the night to visit the bathroom.
This leads to longer periods of rapid eye movement sleep, and you may experience frequent waking, night sweats, nightmares and headaches. Alcohol is also a diuretic, which leads to more frequent urination.
The Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care breaks down the health effects of alcohol on their site:
Turning Point has an article about how alcohol affects sleep:
Beyond Blue also shares some ideas for getting a good night’s sleep:
More information
To find a local GP, you can call 1800 022 222 or visit healthdirect.gov.au. To find a local psychologist, visit psychology.org.au/find-a-psychologist. If you need other support to reduce your drinking, you can contact the National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline on 1800 250 015.
Will you join the community taking action on alcohol?
FARE acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the lands and waters on which we operate throughout Australia. We pay our respects to Elders past and present, and recognise the continuing connection to country of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
©2023 FARE
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FARE acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the lands and waters on which we operate throughout Australia. We pay our respects to Elders past and present, and recognise the continuing connection to country of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
©2021 FARE
Privacy Statement
T&C
