Serotonin, Mood & Depletion Myths
The idea that a night of indulgence 'depletes serotonin' and leaves you compliant next morning is folk neuroscience; the real next-morning effects come from sleep loss, alcohol and hangover.
An everyday example
A team is taken to a lavish dinner with heavy drinking and then asked to sign at 8 a.m.; they are impaired, but by dehydration, poor sleep and residual alcohol.
What it can cost you
Believing a wrong mechanism means you protect against the wrong thing; the real lever is sleep and alcohol, and the fix is scheduling.
Warning signs
- I feel flat and agreeable after a late night.
- The meeting was scheduled right after the party.
One thing to do
Never sign the morning after a late night; move any substantive session to at least 24 hours after heavy drinking or short sleep.
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