Dr. Sarah Wakeman

Are you drinking despite the fact that people in your life are worried about it or your spouse has expressed concern or it's impacting your work or your ability to function in roles that matter to you? Are you drinking despite the fact that it actually makes you more anxious or it's worsening your mental or physical health in some way? And then we often think about

craving, which is sort of a strong psychological urge to want to drink. So like you can't get the idea of having a drink out of your mind. That's something that we can see with alcohol use disorder. And then there are two physical symptoms, which is that idea of like, do you need to drink more to get the same effects?

craving, which is sort of a strong psychological urge to want to drink. So like you can't get the idea of having a drink out of your mind. That's something that we can see with alcohol use disorder. And then there are two physical symptoms, which is that idea of like, do you need to drink more to get the same effects?

craving, which is sort of a strong psychological urge to want to drink. So like you can't get the idea of having a drink out of your mind. That's something that we can see with alcohol use disorder. And then there are two physical symptoms, which is that idea of like, do you need to drink more to get the same effects?

Do you need to drink four drinks now, whereas before one or two would give you that effect? And do you feel sick if you stop drinking? So that's sort of the checklist we run through and I think really gets at those kind of general areas of losing control, using compulsively, using despite consequences and then craving.

Do you need to drink four drinks now, whereas before one or two would give you that effect? And do you feel sick if you stop drinking? So that's sort of the checklist we run through and I think really gets at those kind of general areas of losing control, using compulsively, using despite consequences and then craving.

Do you need to drink four drinks now, whereas before one or two would give you that effect? And do you feel sick if you stop drinking? So that's sort of the checklist we run through and I think really gets at those kind of general areas of losing control, using compulsively, using despite consequences and then craving.

Yeah, it's a great question. So one really common thing is worsened acid reflux. So if you have heartburn, that's strongly associated with alcohol, which actually relaxes the part of your esophagus that allows acid to come back up. So oftentimes people who are struggling with terrible heartburn and they don't realize that those two glasses of wine are probably having a direct impact on that.

Yeah, it's a great question. So one really common thing is worsened acid reflux. So if you have heartburn, that's strongly associated with alcohol, which actually relaxes the part of your esophagus that allows acid to come back up. So oftentimes people who are struggling with terrible heartburn and they don't realize that those two glasses of wine are probably having a direct impact on that.

Yeah, it's a great question. So one really common thing is worsened acid reflux. So if you have heartburn, that's strongly associated with alcohol, which actually relaxes the part of your esophagus that allows acid to come back up. So oftentimes people who are struggling with terrible heartburn and they don't realize that those two glasses of wine are probably having a direct impact on that.

Other things we know that alcohol can make you dehydrated. So you may notice that your skin changes. It impacts how you sleep. So you may feel less rested when you wake up in the morning or wake up in the middle of the night and not be able to fall back asleep. So lots of little sort of day-to-day ways that alcohol may be impacting your health and your experience.

Other things we know that alcohol can make you dehydrated. So you may notice that your skin changes. It impacts how you sleep. So you may feel less rested when you wake up in the morning or wake up in the middle of the night and not be able to fall back asleep. So lots of little sort of day-to-day ways that alcohol may be impacting your health and your experience.

Other things we know that alcohol can make you dehydrated. So you may notice that your skin changes. It impacts how you sleep. So you may feel less rested when you wake up in the morning or wake up in the middle of the night and not be able to fall back asleep. So lots of little sort of day-to-day ways that alcohol may be impacting your health and your experience.

Yeah, you'll see a lot of really quick things. So when you'll sleep better and feel more restored, you may lose weight. There's a lot of calories in alcohol. So if your goal is to lose weight, you're drinking a ton of liquid calories. So you may find that that's better.

Yeah, you'll see a lot of really quick things. So when you'll sleep better and feel more restored, you may lose weight. There's a lot of calories in alcohol. So if your goal is to lose weight, you're drinking a ton of liquid calories. So you may find that that's better.

Yeah, you'll see a lot of really quick things. So when you'll sleep better and feel more restored, you may lose weight. There's a lot of calories in alcohol. So if your goal is to lose weight, you're drinking a ton of liquid calories. So you may find that that's better.

You may find that your exercise capacity goes up because you're resting more and you're not having hangovers and you're able to exercise in a way that feels different. You may find that you're less irritable and more present for your loved ones, that your mood is actually better over time. Your skin might look better. You're less dehydrated.

You may find that your exercise capacity goes up because you're resting more and you're not having hangovers and you're able to exercise in a way that feels different. You may find that you're less irritable and more present for your loved ones, that your mood is actually better over time. Your skin might look better. You're less dehydrated.

You may find that your exercise capacity goes up because you're resting more and you're not having hangovers and you're able to exercise in a way that feels different. You may find that you're less irritable and more present for your loved ones, that your mood is actually better over time. Your skin might look better. You're less dehydrated.

Your hormones are more regulated, so you may have less acne. So all of those benefits you can often see in a very short time, and that can be reinforcing as you decide what you want your long-term goals to look like to really see what life is like with less or without alcohol.