What your heart looks like when you go raving

Perhaps not something many of us consider when we’re OUT out is how a night of partying can affect our internal organs. These can be both positive and not-so-positive, of course. A combination of physical exertion, stress and pressure and lack of sleep combined with intake of booze and whatever else, will impact our bodies in numerous ways.

Let’s take a look at how different aspects of the rave affect the heart.

DANCING
When you dance, your heart rate increases, pumping more oxygenated blood to the muscles. The faster it beats, the more blood goes to your lungs to gather oxygen and transport it around the body. This increase in heart rate can strengthen your heart and keep it conditioned.

ALCOHOL
When you’re drinking, alcohol can cause a temporary increase in heart rate and blood pressure. Long-term drinking, especially when it’s above guidelines, can lead to issues such as consistent increased heart rate and high blood pressure, and possibly weakened heart muscle and irregular heartbeat.

OTHER SUBSTANCES
Similarly, other well-known party favours have a direct impact on heart rate and blood pressure. Interestingly, even those that are considered ‘downers’ are linked to an increase in cardiac output. In combination with dancing, this can have a negative effect on cardiovascular health.

LACK OF SLEEP
During the non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep stages, changes occur in our bodies that reduce stress on the heart, allowing it to recover from any strain experienced in waking hours.

During normal, healthy sleep, blood pressure drops by around 10-20%. This is known as nocturnal dipping, which, according to research, plays a key role in cardiovascular health. A lack of sleep or disrupted sleep, is associated with non-dipping, meaning that a person’s blood pressure doesn’t go down at night, as it should.