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4 Ways Alcohol Affects Your Body. Consuming alcohol may affect your ability to maintain control of your mood, judgement and level of energy. LifeHack points out these 5 ways that alcohol can affect you: 1. Increasing risk of depression. Alcohol is classified as a depressant as it reduces arousal and stimulation of the central nervous system. It also depletes your levels of dopamine and serotonin over time 2. Reducing energy levels. Not only does alcohol increase blood sugar levels, it also causes your kidneys to work harder and can lead to dehydration. It also reduces the level of melatonin in your body, which can interfere with your sleep-wake cycle. 3. Slower reactions. Alcohol slows down messages betweenyour brain and your body, which means it takes longer for you to react. 4. Impaired judgement. Studies have shown that prolonged alcohol use can alter the structure of the brain. Particularly, it can change the prefrontal cortex which is responsible for reasoning and judgement. While most people who have a drink from time to time will likely never experience serious side-effects, it is important to know the potential impact of regular alcohol use. Always drink responsibly. THIS VIDEO MUST NOT BE EDITED FOR LENGTH TO COMBINE WITH OTHER CONTENT