Remember it's water and fat soluble has effects on the hypothalamus . The hypothalamus normally provides very specific signals to what's called the pituitary gland . This is a little gland that actually sticks out of the brain , but it receives instructions from the hypothalamus .
The hypothalamus normally provides very specific signals to what's called the pituitary gland . This is a little gland that actually sticks out of the brain , but it receives instructions from the hypothalamus . And then the pituitary releases hormones into the bloodstream that go and talk to your adrenals .
One also very interesting finding is that alcohol changes the relationship between what's called the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland and the adrenals . Now , the hypothalamus is a small collection of neurons about the size of a large gum ball sits above the roof of your mouth and it houses neurons that are responsible for some incredible aspects of our behavior and our mindset , things like rage , things like sex drive , things like temperature regulation , very primitive functions including appetite , thirst , et cetera , alcohol because it can go anywhere in the brain . Remember it's water and fat soluble has effects on the hypothalamus .
Ok . So the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis , I know it's a mouthful . You don't need to remember the names , but the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis maintains your physiological balance of what you perceive as stressful and what you don't perceive as stressful .
But there are also people who drink often who start to experience this increase in alertness , the longer they drink across the night . Part of that effect we think is because of changes in this hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis . So alcohol is kind of a double hit in this sense .
