Post by Sarah Wilde

 Exercise may be an effective and nonpharmacologic treatment option for alcohol dependence.

Likewise, according to ScienceDaily, circadian disruptions can also lead to alcohol abuse as well as relapse in abstinent alcoholics.   Circadian rhythms, which refers to the timing of daily rhythms, can be - no surprise - highly disrupted by alcohol abuse.   A new animal study has used hamsters to test for the influence of wheel-running on alcohol intake.  Results indicate that exercise, perhaps through stimulation of brain reward pathways, may be able to reduce alcohol intake in humans. 

“Alcohol abuse, characterized by routine craving for and consumption of alcohol as well as an inability to function normally without it, disrupts both the timing and consolidation of daily circadian rhythms — when to sleep, eat, and mate — driven by the brain circadian clock,” explained J. David Glass, professor of biological sciences at Kent State University and corresponding author for the study. “With continual alcohol use, one may go to bed too early or late, not sleep across the night, and have an unusual eating regime, eating little throughout the day and/or overeating at night. This can lead to a vicious cycle of drinking because these individuals, in response, will consume more alcohol to fall asleep easier only to complain of more disrupted sleep across the night and additionally have a greater craving for alcohol.”

In other words, said Alan M. Rosenwasser, professor of psychology at the University of Maine, chronic alcohol abuse and circadian disruption become reciprocally destructive and result in negative effects on physical and emotional health.  By getting  proper exercise at key points in the day, alcoholics and others alike can improve their circadian regulation to improve their sleep habits and reduce their need for alcohol.  While this does not mean that exercise is the cure for alcoholism, it is further evidence that exercise is important to the regulation of Circadian rhythm, which is why both areas are key components in the LifeSkills Authorities Recovery Coaching programs.   

Results will be published in the September 2010 issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.  Read the full article at Science Daily.

Have you used exercise as part of your recovery plan?    Tell us more.