Should you exercise after drinking?

Do you usually take it easy the morning after a big night out?

Well, you could be onto something. As it turns out, skipping the gym is the best way to recover.

Speaking to dailymail.co.uk, chief executive of UK charity Alcohol Concern, Jackie Ballard, says many of us think we can “‘’bank’ good behaviour at the gym and credit it against bad behaviour in bars”.

“But life doesn’t work like that,” she says.

In fact, it seems sweating through a hangover can actually cause more health problems.

But a recent report has shown that people who drink more than the recommended amount are likely to exercise more regularly than those who drink moderately.

The Way We Drink Now survey (which questioned 1,250 men and women across the UK) found 27 per cent of people considered as “possibly dependant” on alcohol exercise four or more times a week. 

Meanwhile, just 9 per cent of the heavy drinkers surveyed said they never exercise, compared to 26 per cent of people who drink moderately or not at all.

The consequences for the former group could be dire, with studies showing exercise after heavy drinking can put strain on your heart and even prolong the recovery time of muscle injuries.

Why? Well, the dehydration caused by excessive drinking means your heart has to work harder to push thicker blood around your body.

Exercise and sweating make this dehydration worse (I’m getting thirsty just thinking about it).

In any case, we all know heavy drinking can lead to serious health issues (liver and heart disease, to name a couple) – and being fit doesn’t exempt you from them.

“More needs to be done to tell people about the dangers – otherwise there is a tendency just to think it’s a simple swap between exercise and alcohol,” says UK alcohol nurse and addiction specialist, Mark Holmes.

Toned abs may also hide the telltale signs you’re drinking too much. 

“Sometimes, I wish the liver was outside the body so people could see how much damage they were doing to this crucial organ,” says Mr Holmes.

So, who else is planning a sleep-in this Sunday?

Do you take it easy after drinking? Has this made you think twice about hitting the gym after a big night?