The pitfalls of alcoholic refreshment

After two years of Covid, festival fans have a lot of catching up to do this summer. In addition to the varied line-ups, it's the warm weather, good food and the prospect of a carefree time that attracts many people to Swiss open air festivals. And the party atmosphere at the Gampel, Gurten and Sittertobel festivals also generally involves a drop or two of alcohol.

Heat and alcohol – not a good mix

When the temperature rises, your blood vessels dilate. This makes it easier for your body to release heat and cool down. Alcohol has a similar effect on the blood vessels. So if you drink an alcoholic beverage in the heat, your blood vessels expand even more, which can lead to a sudden lack of strength and feeling of exhaustion. If your body has an extreme reaction, the dilation of your blood vessels can lead to circulation problems or even loss of consciousness.

To cool the body down, we sweat more in the summer heat. This causes us to lose a lot of fluid. Alcoholic beverages exacerbate this effect. So if you consume alcohol when it's hot, your body dehydrates faster. What remains in the body is the alcohol which, due to its concentration, works faster and stronger. While the sweat glands are working at full speed, this is not the case for the liver. The detoxification organ usually breaks alcohol down at a rate of 0.1 to 0.15 per mil per hour – regardless of the outside temperature.

A toast despite the heat

It is especially important not to overtax or overexert your body in the heat. As this can prove rather difficult at a festival when you are unconsciously processing countless new experiences 24/7, it is all the more important to at least drink plenty of water. The Swiss Society for Nutrition (SSN) recommends around 2.5 litres of fluid per day for an adult.

However, this does not mean alcoholic drinks. To protect your circulation, these supposed thirst quenchers should not be drunk excessively on hot days. If you still want to have a glass or – as is customary at festivals – a plastic cup of beer, wine or a cocktail, you should take your time.

In oppressive heat, ice-cold drinks promise eagerly desired cooling down. But the refreshment is only short-lived. This is because the body first has to heat the liquid to body temperature, which it needs energy for. So it is much better to have lukewarm drinks.

When the sun shines too much

It's not just your circulation that will thank you if you don't drink too much on hot days - your skin, eyes and brain will be happy too. Because the higher the alcohol level, the more relaxed you become in terms of sun and eye protection. As it's often impossible to find a shady spot on the festival site, the rule for festival fans during the day is: wear sunglasses with UV protection and regularly apply sunscreen with a high sun protection factor.

And don't forget your head. Without proper kit, you risk sunstroke, which manifests itself as headaches and nausea with vomiting or fever. Confusion and seizures can also be signs that you have had too much sun. This can be prevented by wearing a cap or other head covering.

Armed with these tips, you are all set for an unforgettable festival full of good music – have fun!

08.06.2022