Probably no one will dispute the fact that the majority of our compatriots take drinking alcohol in a bathhouse as a matter of course. Moreover, according to many of them, alcohol is an excellent addition to bath procedures.
It would seem that what could be better than splashing beer on the stones, taking a big sip and sitting comfortably on the shelf? However, how does a steam room affect the body, how does alcohol affect it, and how do they work together? Is it possible to drink alcohol during bath procedures? What consequences can befall a person in this case? Is your blood pressure rising or falling? Are hangover symptoms getting better or worse? Let's try to figure it out.
Alcohol puts additional increased stress on the body
What happens to the heart and blood vessels
As you know, blood vessels have elastic walls, which, depending on the circumstances, can expand or contract.
In a steam room, the walls of blood vessels expand, their volume increases, and the work of the heart accelerates in order to fully supply tissues and organs with blood. It is quite natural that the load on the heart in this case increases, and the pressure first decreases and then increases. As for alcohol, it has a similar effect and dilates blood vessels in the same way. Thus, alcohol consumed in the steam room puts additional stress on the body, lowering and then increasing blood pressure.
Naturally, you can ignore this problem, however, the consequences of this can be disastrous. For example, high blood pressure in this case can lead to the development of a stroke. In addition, high blood pressure can be accompanied by headaches, confusion and other unpleasant symptoms that can overshadow a long-awaited vacation.
Risks of drinking alcohol before visiting the sauna
Do not underestimate the strength of beer, even though it belongs to the low-alcohol group of alcoholic beverages. One half-liter bottle with four percent strength contains about 20 grams of pure ethanol. To understand: this amount can be compared to fifty grams of vodka. A rare person will drink “white” in extreme heat, realizing that he may feel ill. At the same time, drinking two or three glasses of beer before a bath is mistakenly considered the norm due to the appearance of a low percentage of alcohol in the malt drink.
After a person drinks beer or another alcoholic drink before water procedures, his blood vessels gradually dilate. At the same time, in the steam room, under the influence of high temperatures, a similar process occurs, and the vessels expand even more. The effect on a strong body will be barely noticeable, although even here a blow will be dealt to health, and a young and strong man will not even suspect it at first.
If a person whose blood vessel walls are initially weakened enters the bathhouse after drinking beer, this can lead to dire consequences. The vessels will not hold up and may burst. In the best case, if the vessels lying on the body cannot withstand it, a bruise or hematoma will form in that place - depending on which vessel bursts. And in the worst case scenario, if a blood vessel in the brain bursts, it can result in a stroke. Strokes are dangerous because in some cases they result in death or disability.
People suffering from hypertension should not drink alcohol before the bath or directly in the steam room. They are not recommended to visit the sauna even without alcohol, and there is nothing to do with it at all. Due to alcohol and high temperatures, their blood pressure can skyrocket.
Patients with varicose veins and atherosclerosis should refrain from drinking alcohol in the steam room.
There is no need to put yourself in danger if your heart occasionally plays havoc. Alcohol and heat deal a double blow to the body's cardiovascular system, causing arrhythmia. This carries a risk of heart attack. In addition, excessive activity of the heart muscle has a negative effect on the hepatic artery. If it gets damaged in a bathhouse, it can be fatal.
It is not recommended for healthy people who do not experience problems with their well-being to “relax” with alcohol before going to the bathhouse. Alcohol (for example, beer), drunk in large quantities, weakens a person’s attentiveness and impairs coordination of movements. Even slightly distracted attention and unbalanced movements can pose a serious danger. For example, in a public bathhouse, the floor in the waiting room is often made of tiles, which quickly gets wet and becomes very slippery. A drunk person quickly loses vigilance and can easily fall on the tile and hurt himself. And in a private steam bath, where, for example, there is no dangerous tiled floor, you can get seriously injured on the corner of the same heater.
What happens to the nervous system
Due to the fact that the volume of oxygen in the steam room gradually decreases, the supply of this element to the brain deteriorates, and it begins to work much more slowly than under normal conditions. In this case, the central nervous system begins to experience increased stress, trying to ensure the normal functioning of the body, regardless of external conditions.
Alcohol, which inhibits the central nervous system, further aggravates the current situation. What happens to the urinary system? A long stay in a steam room is fraught with a decrease in blood flow to the kidneys and a decrease in urine formation. Just a third of an hour in the steam room is enough for the kidneys to stop urine production, and the duration of this effect can be about 6 hours.
Thus, the level of ethyl aldehyde, formed after the breakdown of alcohol, increases, which leads to headaches and other symptoms of a hangover.
How to use an intoxicating drink in a steam room
Despite the harm of drinking beer in a bathhouse, it can be used as an external remedy. To do this, you can make a special beer liqueur, which can be splashed onto the hot stones of the heater. The result will be such a unique and very useful inhalation.
By inhaling non-concentrated beer vapor, the body will absorb the beneficial contents of the drink.
Beer steam in a bath has an excellent effect on the gastrointestinal tract and skin, has a good effect on the nervous system, calming the body overly excited by bath procedures, helps with insomnia and resists viral diseases.
Some doctors claim that the use of beer vapor in a bathhouse helps prevent tumors, but this is an unproven fact, so you should not entertain hopes of treating oncology with it.
The composition of the beer infusion is very simple. Add about 0.5 ml of live beer and a tablespoon of honey to 1 liter of water.
You need to use it wisely, without watering left and right.
First, you need to pour boiling water over the stones from a ladle, and only after that sprinkle the tincture on the still wet stones. You will be surprised, but beer vapors have a wonderful smell of freshly baked bread.
Is it possible to drink beer in the bathhouse?
As a rule, many people think that drinking light alcohol in a bathhouse is not prohibited.
. However, despite the fact that beer is a low-alcohol drink, drinking it in a steam room is extremely undesirable. This is due, first of all, to the fact that:
- beer contains ethyl alcohol;
- in most cases, beer is consumed in huge quantities, which puts a huge strain on the kidneys and makes their work almost impossible;
- beer can cause bloating, due to the fact that the intestines also relax in the steam room.
What can lead to drinking alcohol in a bathhouse? In light of the above, it is quite logical that drinking alcoholic beverages in a bathhouse can lead to:
- development of hypertension and fainting in the steam room;
- arrhythmias;
- sudden death from acute myocardial infarction or hyperthermia, and especially in people suffering from coronary heart disease;
- stroke caused by increased blood pressure.
In addition, alcohol consumed in a bathhouse increases the risk of injury to a person due to burns, falls, as well as increased conflict and aggression of people who are intoxicated.
Alcohol after the bath
It is better to put a strict taboo on strong alcohol after a bath. Wellness procedures have been completed, sweat is released through the open pores, cleansing the body of toxins and stagnant fluids. The skin becomes elastic and pink, blood circulation improves. And all this positive effect can be undone by a glass of strong alcoholic drink.
Alcohol attacks blood vessels, causing spasms. The level of adrenaline in the blood increases, the heart beats faster. Kidney functions are inhibited. Toxins from which the body has just been cleansed return to the blood and internal organs. Working in extreme conditions is fraught with serious cardiovascular disorders. Cases of heart attacks and even fatalities are common.
At the same time, do not forget about the nuances of staying in the steam room. In most cases, the bathhouse is located outside the city, on a private plot, a dacha, or simply in a picturesque place. In emergency situations, it can be difficult for an ambulance to get there. And there is also no one to sit behind the wheel to evacuate a patient due to the fact that everything is on equal terms, there are no sober drivers.
If you plan to drink, then it is better to first fully improve your health in the bathhouse, and after 2-3 hours, start the feast. In this case, the load will be normal, the person will be able to independently calculate his capabilities
To drink or not to drink
So, is it possible to drink alcohol during bath procedures? It is quite natural that no one can prohibit adults from drinking alcoholic beverages in the bathhouse or immediately after it. However, having decided to combine bath procedures with friendly gatherings, you should remember that alcohol not only negates all the benefits of a bath, but also causes irreparable harm to human health and reduces the vitality of the human body.
Thus, it is worth separating the flies from the cutlets, and separating the bath and drinking alcoholic beverages. Otherwise, the consequences could be dire.
How to visit a sauna with a hangover
Going to the bathhouse with a hangover must comply with certain rules:
- You cannot visit the steam room on the day of the feast.
- Before the bath you need to get a good night's sleep.
- Refuse food and drinks before going to the steam room.
- Take a contrast shower (warm-cool) first.
- Brew herbal tea to drink between visits to the steam room. Black tea with lemon is also beneficial.
- Enter the steam room for a short time. 5-10 minutes is enough for the first two visits.
- On your third visit, you can steam yourself with a broom and spend 15 minutes in the steam room.
- In between sessions, which last about a quarter of an hour, drink more liquid: tea, herbal decoction, fruit juice, compote. Any alcoholic drinks are strictly prohibited.
- The first meal should consist of a liquid dish - soup with vegetable or meat broth, okroshka, fish soup.
This procedure will help not only cope with a hangover, but also restore strength and significantly improve your well-being. People with vascular disorders should use the bathhouse with caution. Procedures are prohibited for hypertensive patients and people with heart disease. And such a popular winter pastime as diving into an ice hole and wiping with snow is only allowed for strong young people.
Your Narcologist: The basic principle of a healthy bath
The first chronicle of the ancient Slavs, “The Tale of Bygone Years,” established the purpose of a healthy bath: to cleanse the body of dirt and the head of bad thoughts. Nine centuries have passed, but the basic principles have not changed. The bath is needed for relaxation and cleansing. It eliminates harmful toxins and waste, normalizes blood circulation, enhances metabolic processes, and improves skin condition. The nervous system will calm down, fatigue will go away, and peace of mind will return.
Bath procedures help improve health and relieve stress. The healing properties and healing effect disappear when drinking alcohol before or after the bath. Replacing alcohol with healthy drinks based on natural ingredients will fill the body with health, lightness and satisfaction.
