Muse Treatment: The Impact of Excessive Alcohol Intake on Heart Health

The dangers of consuming alcohol go way beyond the legal and personal ramifications if the drinking gets out of hand. Excessive alcohol consumption can harm the body in numerous ways, including having adverse effects on the heart. When someone drinks heavily, their heart muscle can become progressively weakened and stretched, changing the shape of the heart, a condition known as alcoholic cardiomyopathy. This weakening makes it harder for the heart to pump blood efficiently throughout the body, potentially leading to heart failure.

Along with long-term effects, the negative impact of drinking alcohol can begin right away. A high heart rate after drinking alcohol, known as alcohol-induced tachycardia, poses significant risks to a user’s health. When alcohol increases the heart rate, it puts additional stress on the cardiovascular system, potentially leading to dangerous arrhythmias or irregular heartbeats. This elevated heart rate can cause palpitations, shortness of breath, chest pain, and in severe cases, may trigger anxiety or panic attacks. If someone has any underlying heart conditions, this alcohol-induced rapid heart rate can be particularly dangerous, potentially triggering more serious cardiac events. The risk becomes even greater when binge drinking or consuming alcohol with energy drinks or other stimulants. Let’s explore more into how an elevated heart rate after drinking can be harmful and what can be done to repair the body from alcohol abuse.

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How Do You Calm Your Heart Rate After Drinking?

One of the most effective ways to calm your heart rate after drinking alcohol is to focus on proper hydration and rest. Since alcohol is a diuretic that can lead to dehydration, drinking plenty of water is crucial. Try to rotate between drinking a full glass of water for each alcoholic drink consumed and continue hydrating even after you’ve stopped drinking alcohol. Finding a quiet, cool place to sit or lie down can help the body relax and naturally lower the heart rate. Deep breathing exercises can be particularly beneficial by helping activate your parasympathetic nervous system, which can slow your racing heart.

Gentle movement and certain dietary choices can help stabilize your heart rate. While challenging exercise should be avoided when experiencing alcohol-related tachycardia, light walking or gentle stretching can help your body process the alcohol more effectively. Eating foods rich in potassium and magnesium like bananas or nuts, can help restore electrolyte balance that may have been disrupted by alcohol consumption. It’s important to avoid caffeine, smoking, and additional alcohol, as these substances can further increase heart rates.

Why Does Alcohol Make My Heart Race the Next Day?

Alcohol can cause your heart to race the next day when your body metabolizes alcohol, it triggers various responses that can affect your heart rate. After you stop binge drinking and alcohol leaves the system, there’s often a rebound effect where your nervous system, which was suppressed by alcohol, becomes hyperactive. This can cause an elevated heart rate along with increased anxiety and jitteriness. Dehydration from alcohol consumption can also cause your blood to become more concentrated, making your heart work harder to pump it through your body.

The disruption of sleep quality also significantly impacts your heart rate the next day. While alcohol might help you fall asleep initially, it interferes with REM sleep and can cause you to wake up when your blood alcohol level drops. This poor sleep quality triggers stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, which increase your heart rate. Also, as your liver works overtime to process the alcohol, it releases stress hormones and glucose into your bloodstream, which can also contribute to a racing heart.

high heart rate after drinking alcohol

Does Alcohol Intolerance Cause High Heart Rate?

Yes, alcohol intolerance can cause an elevated heart rate as one of its primary symptoms. When someone has alcohol intolerance or an alcohol sensitivity, their body lacks the proper enzymes to break down alcohol effectively, leading to several physical reactions, including rapid heart rate.

The process occurs because when someone with alcohol intolerance drinks, their body accumulates acetaldehyde, a toxic byproduct of alcohol metabolism, more quickly than it can be processed. This buildup triggers a range of symptoms that often include:

Rapid heartbeat or heart palpitations
Warm, red skin
Headaches
Nausea and stomach pain
Stuffy nose and breathing difficulties

The heart rate increase from alcohol intolerance typically occurs more quickly and can be more pronounced than the normal cardiovascular effects of alcohol consumption. This reaction can happen even with small amounts of alcohol, unlike typical alcohol-related heart rate increases that usually occur with larger quantities. If you consistently experience a racing heart after drinking even small amounts of alcohol, it’s worth discussing with a healthcare provider to determine if you have alcohol intolerance and to ensure there aren’t any underlying cardiovascular concerns.

How Do I Know If Alcohol Has Damaged My Heart?

Several key signs and symptoms can indicate that alcohol has caused damage to the heart, though it’s crucial to understand that only a medical professional can make a definitive diagnosis. The early warning signs that alcohol may have affected heart health include persistent heart rhythm irregularities (especially after drinking), shortness of breath during mild physical activity, unusual fatigue or weakness, swelling in your legs and ankles, and frequent heart palpitations. Other signs can include a decreased tolerance for exercise, feeling lightheaded more often, or experiencing chest pain.

More serious indicators of alcohol-related heart damage include:

Persistent rapid or irregular heartbeat that doesn’t resolve with rest
Difficulty breathing when lying down
Unexplained coughing, especially when lying down
Significant swelling in the abdomen
Unexplained weight gain due to fluid retention
Frequent dizziness or fainting
A feeling of fullness or pain in the upper right side of the abdomen
Bluish tint to the skin or lips

Regular alcohol use can produce many health-related symptoms and if you experience any of these symptoms, especially if they persist or worsen over time, it’s essential to seek immediate medical attention.

Overcome a High Heart Rate After Drinking Alcohol with Help from Muse Treatment

A high heart rate after drinking alcohol is just one of many adverse effects of excessive alcohol consumption. Letting alcohol take over your life can lead to job loss, legal issues, ruined personal relationships, and mental health issues. If left untreated, this disease can even cause death. If you’re experiencing any health-related issues due to alcohol abuse or have the motivation to overcome your dependence, professional help is available at Muse Treatment in Los Angeles. We offer a caring alcohol addiction treatment facility that treats each patient as an individual. Our alcohol addiction treatment programs include detox, inpatient, therapy, outpatient, and aftercare services to ensure our patients have access to professional support throughout recovery. Don’t let alcohol control your life any longer. Please contact Muse Treatment in Los Angeles at (800) 426-1818 today to learn more about how we can help you overcome alcohol addiction.