A spike in your heart rate is a normal and healthy response to certain activities like exercise. But if you’ve ever noticed your heart beating faster when you drink, you may have wondered: Does alcohol make your heart race? In a 2015 study at Munich Oktoberfest, scientists measured the heart rate of more than 3,000 […]
Alcohol is probably best known for its more immediate effects—from intoxication to the dreaded hangover the following morning. But what’s really going on inside from the time you take that first drink? What does alcohol do to your body, brain, and organs? Realistically, alcohol can enter just about every system in the body. Below, we’ll […]
Dog owners know that man’s best friend is amazingly perceptive. Our dogs know when we are in a good mood, when we’re feeling down—and, of course, when we’re about to fill up the food bowl! But does that same perception extend to when we’re drunk? Your dog will never judge you for a night out. […]
Sex and gender play a role in how we consume, process, and react to alcohol. Some of these differences are biological, while others are social—relating to mainstream attitudes about gender roles. Males and females differ in how they metabolize alcohol, which results in varying effects on short- and long-term health. Gender identity also affects how […]
Drinking more due to COVID-19? You’re not alone. According to the University of Southern California, alcohol sales rose by 55 percent in late March, compared with the same period in 2019. And it’s quite possible that they have continued to rise since then. There are many reasons why you might be drinking more alcohol in […]
Many people don’t think twice about having a drink or two with dinner. And in some social settings, you may even feel awkward without a drink in your hand. But while indulging in the occasional alcoholic beverage is okay for some people, it isn’t the best choice for couples trying to get pregnant. Heavy drinking […]
What’s your Myers-Briggs type? Most of us have taken the classic Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator (MBTI) at least once in our lives. In fact, the assessment has been taken nearly 100 million times worldwide! The MBTI is a fun way to better understand ourselves and our personalities. But can it be used to predict a […]
With over 14 million Americans suffering from an alcohol use disorder, it’s hard not to wonder: is alcohol addiction preventable? To hear some people tell it, excessive alcohol use is a choice, and the answer is simple: just don’t drink. According to others, addiction is a genetic disease certain people are born with, and may […]
There are many theories about why some people become addicted to alcohol, while others do not. One explanation we often hear about is genetics—that some people are born predisposed to alcoholism. But is it true? Can your genes really determine if you become addicted to alcohol? Is alcoholism genetic? The short answer is, partially. There […]
Being an introvert or extrovert shapes both our personality, and the way we drink alcohol. Having an introverted or extroverted personality determines how much time we spend socializing with others, and may impact how much alcohol we drink and under what conditions we prefer to drink. Psychologists have theorized about the idea of the “addictive […]