|
|
|
Loss of Motivation Alcohol acts as a depressant in the brain, it leads to a dampening down and switching off of neural activity which starts in the conscious brain areas, responsible for intellectual tasks and reasoning, and carries on back through the intermediary brain (the limbic system) responsible for emotions, then on into the more native / subconscious part of the brain that controls breathing and other innate, reflex actions. The loss of motivation is in part due to this winding down of brain activity, alcohol makes us feel tired, on top of this it can also lead to depression, which in itself removes our "get up and go" and makes everything seem to hard or unachievable.
Tired and Apathetic Similar to the reasoning behind the loss of motivation seen in some individuals who have a drinking problem, tiredness and apathy is caused by the joint effect of the sedative effects of alcohol on the brain and the depression it causes. Alcohol disrupts the natural levels and more importantly the natural balance of chemicals in the brain that are responsible for our "normal" range of emotions. Although in some individuals the question has been posed as to whether it is a disruption in these levels or balance which can exacerbate or maybe even initiate the drinking problem. Alcohol also disrupts our sleep patterns leading to a lack of "proper" restful sleep so the individual may always feel tired. (See below)
Restlessness Although alcohol is a depressant and makes us feel tired, individuals who are drinking heavily often tend to display higher than normal levels of agitation also this is probably due to the effects alcohol has on the areas of brain that are involved in our anxious behaviours, see Anxiety for an explanation as to the possible mechanisms behind this.
Insomnia and other Sleep problems As alcohol has such a disruptive effects on the actions of the chemicals in our brains it is hardly surprising that it also disrupts the chemicals that naturally co-ordinate rest and sleep. Heavy drinkers may have problems when they stop drinking and are withdrawing, it can take several months for the chemicals in our brains and therefore our sleep patterns to return to "normal".
Although we know alcohol can make us dozy as mentioned above, it can also lead to problems getting to sleep and problems staying asleep. It is common for someone who might drink at night until they pass out to wake after a few hours and find themselves unable to get back to sleep regardless of how tired they feel.
Alcohol
causes sedation due to CNS suppression but also interferes with REM sleep
leading to sleep fragmentation and rebound REM. In natural sleep the brain goes
through 6-7 cycles of REM sleep each night resulting in the feeling of being
rested and refreshed the following morning. When someone has been drinking the
brain only goes through 1-2 REM cycles which means although they may have slept
they will still feel tired.
Nightmares (See Hallucinations and Delusions under Anxiety)
|