It’s no secret that drinking alcohol in moderation comes with certain benefits. However, it’s not all the time that you can step on the breaks — before you know it, you have downed 5 or more glasses of alcohol, which is categorized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as “binge drinking”.
Although it may seem like people between the ages of 18 and 34 are more susceptible to binge drinking, older ones are actually the more guilty parties. That’s because the brain tends to be more sensitive to the sedating effects of alcohol the older an individual gets, and this can easily make the person lose control.
You know for yourself that you are a moderate drinker but it seems like your friends or officemates are thinking otherwise. So who should you believe? Before you take sides, it’s a good idea to continue reading first. Below are some indicators that you may actually be drinking too much alcohol than you think.
Needing to Pee a Lot at Night
Alcohol is regarded as a diuretic, which means that it increases the production of urine. This is the reason why you often find yourself waking up to hit the loo several times in the middle of the night if you consume a lot of alcohol. The resulting sleep deprivation, by the way, can make your hangover the following day so much worse.
Waking Up with Dry Eyes
Since alcohol is a diuretic, it can easily leave you dehydrated. It’s exactly due to this why you are likely to wake up the next morning with really dry eyes if you drink tons of alcohol the night before. Naturally, robbing your peepers with much-needed lubrication can leave it feeling itchy and prone to redness and irritation.
Feeling Unrefreshed in the Morning
It’s true that consuming plenty of alcohol can knock you out quite easily, giving the impression that it helps you enjoy long and quality sleep. However, the kind of sleep that too much alcoholism brings is the fragmented kind, which keeps you from feeling refreshed when you wake up. Sleep deprivation can also leave you cranky the entire day.
Not Being Tipsy Right Away
Does it seem like everybody in your squad is already tipsy after a couple of drinks except for yourself? Then it’s a clear sign that you usually drink more alcohol than the rest. Put simply, it has something to do with alcohol tolerance — the more drinks you have to consume before feeling tipsy, the more accustomed your body to alcohol.
Looking Less Picture-Perfect Than Before
Toxins and sugar in alcohol can definitely have all sorts of negative impact on your skin. So if your complexion seems to look lifeless and aged, chances are what you consider as moderate alcohol drinking is in fact binge drinking. Experts say, by the way, that certain skin issues like eczema and psoriasis are more common in those who drink heavily.
Neglecting Important Matters
Drinking too much alcohol can become a real problem if you’re allowing responsibilities here and there to slide. Not only can alcoholism destroy your health, but also wreck your career and relationships. If it seems as though glugging down your favorite drink is more important than other aspects of your life, it’s time to rethink things.
Failure to Attain Superb Performance
Men, take note of this: while it’s true that drinking lots of alcohol can considerably lower your inhibitions, it can actually rob you of the opportunity to perform very well in bed. For instance, erectile dysfunction can result from alcoholism, and it’s something that may persist for days, months or even years. In some cases, it’s even irreversible!
