Little sleep, lots of alcohol, heat and exercise: how does Carnival wear out the body and how can you get out of the festivities well? | Carnival 2024

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Carnival survival manual

Carnival is meant to make the most of it. But, whether in the blocks or in the parades, this period also ends up bringing a combination of factors that wear out the body.

In addition to glitter and costumes, other items are also very common on festive days: little sleep, lots of alcohol, long distances walked and constant exposure to heat.

According to experts, the wear and tear during Carnival is similar to intense physical activity and, therefore, it is necessary to take some precautions to enjoy the festivities in a healthy way.

1 of 1 Body wear at carnival — Photo: Arte/g1 Body wear at carnival — Photo: Arte/g1

The intense routine of blocks, which often start early in the morning and last until the night, and the parades, which take place throughout the night, contribute to sleepless nights during Carnival.

Humberto Bogossian, pulmonologist at Albert Einstein Hospital, explains that the Sleep is essential for body repair.

It’s the time we need to rest, the brain will shut down and the body will recover from all the overload from the previous day.

— Humberto Bogossian, pulmonologist

This rest is essential for both physical and mental recovery.

Luis Fernando Penna, emergency room doctor at Hospital Sírio-Libanês, points out that sleep a bit during the festival days it can be harmful to health in different aspects.

“These poor nights can cause cardiovascular changes, increasing the predisposition to arrhythmias”, he says.

Beyond the cardiovascular impactslack of sleep also generates negative effects on the emotional partleading to more anxiety, irritation and tiredness.

The doctor points out that the damage caused by sleeping for just a few hours during Carnival continues even after the festivities are over.

“The person ends up returning to their usual routine, but it takes time to fit in sleep due to all these changes that happened during the carnival period”, warns Luis Fernando.

If Carnival nights tend to be filled with little sleep, the days tend to involve excessive alcohol consumption.

Despite being a common practice during the festivities, experts warn against dangers of drinking alcoholic beverages in large quantities.

“If the person drinks a little drink, to enjoy, there is no problem. The problem is using alcohol, for example, to hydrate. Alcohol is not for hydration”, warns doctor Humberto Bogossian.

🤮 More than the already known hangover, alcohol abuse can cause problems such as:

• Worsening muscle maintenance and loss of motor coordination;
• Dehydration;
• Emotional changeswith a greater likelihood of anxiety;
• Damage to sleep;
• cardiovascular changesfavoring an increase in heart rate and the occurrence of arrhythmias.

Bogossian also highlights that the alcohol has a sedative effect and, in high doses, can lead to decreased level of consciousness and drowsiness. These consequences end up being heightened due to excessive heat and also the lack of adequate hydration.

Exercise on the streets and avenues

Long journeys on foot, in the sambadromes or on the streets, also cause wear and tear on the body.

“This generates constant physical activity, because people jump, dance, sometimes wear heavy costumes and all of this is intense physical exercise for the body”, analyzes doctor Luis Fernando Penna.

Humberto Bogossian also states that carnival can be similar to an intense physical activity, but that the wear and tear depends on how long the person is exposed to this overload. “It’s one thing to enjoy a block for an hour or two. It’s another to spend a whole day under these conditions, in addition to the weather influences”, he assesses.

In addition to muscle impact, which can cause pain in the days following the festivities, these exercises end up generating a overload on joints, especially hips, knees and ankles.

Penna warns that the lack of stretching, consumption of heavy foods and excess alcohol contribute to the deterioration of muscular condition – naturally caused by standing and walking for a long time.

Excessive heat in the blocks

Long periods of exposure to heat, due to the sun and crowded blocks, can cause a series of health problems.

Among the main risks associated with high temperatures during Carnival are insolation it’s at dehydration.

🥵 These conditions may be associated and the main symptoms are:

• Dizziness;
• Discomfort;
• Vertigo;
• Fatigue;
• Headache;
• Difficulty concentrating;
• Fainting.

In addition to feeling unwell, heatstroke can also be accompanied by skin burns. Experts state that, in periods of 40 minutes to one hour of exposurethe burn can already happen if there is no adequate sun protection.

Another common feature of these problems is the loss of motor coordinationwhich can be worsened by excessive alcohol consumption.

How to survive carnival healthily?

To enjoy the festivities, and still return home healthy, it is interesting to adopt some measures to protect yourself.

“During Carnival, a person has to prioritize what is important to them, going to the blocks, parades. But it is necessary to keep in mind that there is considerable physical effort involved”, ponders Luis Fernando.

“Carnival is a great festive moment, we have to know how to enjoy it, but remember that there is carnival every year. The biggest tip is to be thoughtful so that you can always enjoy it and have good memories of what happened”, recommends Humberto Bogossian.

Experts list some valuable tips for enjoying Carnival and avoiding health problems:

• Stay hydrated constantly, whether with water, juices or sports drinks. Drinking fluids prevents dehydration and minimizes the effects of possible heatstroke. Additionally, water helps dilute the alcohol in your stomach, reducing the chance of a hangover the next day. ⚠️Attention: alcoholic drinks are not recommended for hydration;
• Avoid drinking on an empty stomach. Drinking alcohol on an empty stomach accelerates the absorption of the drink, contributing to a hangover even with smaller amounts of alcohol consumed;
• Avoid eating very heavy foodsbefore, during and after the festivities;
• Wear a hat or cap. Protecting your head is essential for prevent the body from overheating e dehydration, in addition to preventing scalp burns and partially blocking solar radiation;
• In the hottest moments of the day throughout Carnival, try to stay in the shadowor in less open places;
• Sleep six to eight hours on festive days to recover and prepare for the next day.