Alcohol can be an insidious drug. We all love knocking back a few, but your body often does the opposite of what you think it’s doing. The feelings you experience while under the influence are vastly different than alcohol’s actual physiological effects. A popular misconception is that a glass of hard liquor restores warmth when consumed on a cold day. Here’s a clear look at the reality.
Drinker’s Perception
- Warmth
- Increased Pain Threshold
- Relaxation
- Increased Confidence
- Fully Hydrated
- Quick Thinking
- Fast Reflexes
- Accurate Perception
Drinker’s Reality
- Increased Sweating
- High Blood Pressure
- Loss of Shivering (the body’s method of warming itself)
- Decreased Core Temperature
- Poor Decision Making
- Loss of Coordination
- Dehydration
- Increased Infection Risk
Sources
Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine
www.usariem.army.mil
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
www.cdc.gov
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National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
www.niaaa.nih.gov