Substance useMental healthGeneral wellness

8 not-so-obvious ways alcohol is hurting your health

Feeling down, tired, or broke after having a few drinks? Here’s how alcohol can affect your quality of life, beyond raising the risk for chronic disease.


LearnAddiction8 not-so-obvious ways alcohol is hurting your health
It can alter your mood and judgment
It’s a financial drain
It can lead to weight gain
You might lose sleep
Your skin may suffer
You’re more likely to get hurt (or hurt others)
You’re more likely to smoke
You may spend more time at the dentist
Rethinking your alcohol intake

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Have you ever felt overly tired or a little flushed after having a few drinks? Have you spent more money than you intended, or done things you regret after a night out drinking with friends? Is your daily glass of wine interfering with your weight loss goals? If you can answer yes to any of these questions, you’re not alone.

Drinking can influence your health in many different ways. Though it's often linked to chronic conditions, including increased cancer risk and raised blood pressure, it has other consequences that can greatly affect your physical and mental well-being, including the following.

Sources: Brooks PJ, Enoch MA, et al. The alcohol ... + 22
  1. Brooks PJ, Enoch MA, et al. The alcohol flushing response: an unrecognized risk factor for esophageal cancer from alcohol consumption. PLoS Med. 2009 Mar 24;6(3):e50.
  2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Alcohol and Public Health: Data on excessive drinking. Page last reviewed November 28, 2022.
  3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Alcohol and Public Health: Deaths from excessive alcohol use in the United States. Page last reviewed July 6, 2022.
  4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Alcohol and Public Health: Alcohol use and your health. Page last reviewed April 14, 2022.
  5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Calories Consumed From Alcoholic Beverages by U.S. Adults, 2007-2010. Page last reviewed November 6, 2015.
  6. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Transportation Safety: Impaired driving. Page last reviewed December 28, 2022.
  7. Falk DE, Yi HY, et al. An epidemiologic analysis of co-occurring alcohol and tobacco use and disorders: findings from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Alcohol Res Health. 2006;29(3):162-71.
  8. Lages EJ, Costa FO, et al. Alcohol consumption and periodontitis: quantification of periodontal pathogens and cytokines. J Periodontol. 2015 Sep;86(9):1058-68.
  9. Li S, Cho E, et al. Alcohol intake and risk of rosacea in US women. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2017 Jun;76(6):1061-1067.e2.
  10. MedlinePlus: Dry mouth. Page last reviewed May 3, 2021.
  11. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Drunk Driving. Accessed on February 24, 2023.
  12. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Alcohol medication interactions: potentially dangerous mixes. Page last revised May 6, 2022.
  13. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Rethinking Drinking. Strategies for cutting down: tips to try. Accessed on February 27, 2023.
  14. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Rethinking Drinking. Tools: Worksheets and more: handling urges to drink. Accessed on February 27, 2023.National Library of Medicine.
  15. National Library of Medicine. MedlinePlus: Weight loss and alcohol. Page last reviewed June 22, 2022.
  16. Nayak MB, Patterson D, Wilsnack SC, et al. Alcohol's secondhand harms in the United States: new data on prevalence and risk factors. J Stud Alcohol Drugs. 2019 May;80(3):273-281.
  17. NIH: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Alcohol’s Effects on the Body. Accessed March 20, 2023.
  18. NIH: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Genetics of Alcohol Use Disorder. Accessed March 20, 2023.
  19. Priyanka K, Sudhir KM, et al. Impact of alcohol dependency on oral health – a cross-sectional comparative study. J Clin Diagn Res. 2017 Jun;11(6):ZC43-ZC46.
  20. Sawada Y, Saito-Sasaki N, et al. Daily lifestyle and inflammatory skin diseases. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 May 14;22(10):5204.
  21. Sleep Foundation. Nutrition and Sleep: Alcohol and sleep. Page last reviewed February 8, 2023.
  22. National Library of Medicine. MedlinePlus: Alcohol use and safe drinking. Page last reviewed April 30, 2022.
  23. Tkacz K, Gill J, McLernon M. Necrotising periodontal diseases and alcohol misuse – a cause of osteonecrosis?. BDJ Team 8, 30–37 (2021).
Written by Olivia DeLong.
Medically reviewed by Amy Gonzales, MD.July, 2025
Updated onNovember, 2026
Written by Olivia DeLong.
Medically reviewed by Amy Gonzales, MD.July, 2025
Updated onNovember, 2026
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