Why is a beer after exercise so attractive?

An hour of hard training, breaking a personal record or winning a competition: after delivering a sporting performance, we like to reward ourselves with something tasty. In practice, that treat is often something unhealthy, such as a beer in the cafeteria. Why do we drink a glass of alcohol more quickly after exercise?

Do you like to dive into the cafeteria after working out to grab a well-deserved beer, wine or other alcoholic drink? Then you are certainly not the only one. Various studies have shown that athletes are more likely to grab a drink with alcohol after a sporting performance. Why is it easier for us to choose a beer after exercise?

I'm so thirsty!

The first simple trigger is the feeling of thirst you have after your training or competition. You want to quench that thirst, preferably with something tasty! This is where the phenomenon plays self-licensing a role: your self-confidence has been boosted by your healthy action. Subconsciously you then surrender more easily to unhealthy behavior. After all, you earned that beer, right?

Relax after exercise

As soon as you step into the cafeteria, why doesn't your brain think of a nice glass of sparkling water or a soft drink? Because we secretly associate alcohol most with relaxing. There is also (healthy) tension in a fun activity such as sports. A glass of alcohol takes that tension away. In addition, your body comes into a resting position after the physical exertion of sports. This creates space in your brain for enjoyment. And that brings you back to the beer in the third half.

Accidentally had a beer?

You walk towards the cafeteria after your game and before you know it, you are drinking your first beer. Freak? No, it is not. Your choice to drink alcohol in the cafeteria is partly an unconscious one. Triggers around you have a major influence on this. For example: there is a good chance that the canteen you visit is surrounded by advertising for alcohol (think beer coasters, logos on tap or billboards). Your social environment also plays an important role. Are all your teammates having a beer? Then there is a greater chance that you will also take one. Alcohol has a social function: you celebrate the victory together or drink away a lost match.

habitual behavior

Once you have been triggered a few times to have a glass of alcohol after exercise to relax, this will strengthen your association between sports and alcohol. Ordering a beer in the cafeteria afterwards is slowly becoming a habit. The disadvantage of this automatism is that it has a reinforcing effect. This causes you to think less and less consciously about your drink choice. The narcotic effect of alcohol is extra difficult. Every beer is a new trigger to drink and strengthens the automaticity of drinking alcohol.

Do you go to the canteen, no alcohol?

If you read it like this, it seems like you can't visit a canteen without stepping out again inebriated. Fortunately this is not the case. It is useful to know that there are various triggers in the canteen that (unconsciously) influence you when choosing a drink. Once you know what the pitfalls are, it's easier to avoid them. For example, by learning to deal with peer pressure† Or what can also help is knowing what effect drinking alcohol after exercise has on your body. Curious about what these effects are? You will read it next Friday!