Drink Less - See More of Life

It’s time to think about what you drink...

Alcohol has become a normal and accepted part of everyday life and most people enjoy an alcoholic drink from time to time.

Relaxing with a glass of wine or a pint of beer, either at home or out with friends can be a good way to unwind. However, for some people, the pleasant effects of alcohol can lead them to drinking more than is recommended, which over time may cause a number of health problems.

Maximum weekly guidance

Your alcohol consumption should not exceed:

6 pints of beer (4% strength)
7 glasses of wine (11.5% strength, 175ml)
14 single shots (40% strength, 175ml)

This should be spaced out over 3-4 days. Also include 3 alcohol free days per week.

Do you ever say or hear any of these...

It's only in the evenings I have a drink!

It’s not unusual to want to have an alcoholic drink in the evenings. This can help you to relax and unwind, possibly after a long day at work. However, the ‘one glass of wine’ that you have initially can quite easily lead to more, and then you may think ‘I might as well finish the bottle’. Many people do get into the habit of regularly drinking above the recommended levels of alcohol intake.

I haven’t got a drink problem, I don’t drink first thing in the morning.

Regularly drinking too much alcohol can lead people to depend on alcohol, in the same way as people become addicted to drugs. These problems can arise regardless of the time of day that you are drinking alcohol. Although drinking regularly doesn’t necessarily mean you are an alcoholic, reducing your intake would benefit your health

I just have two glasses of wine a night, whilst my partner simply has 4 pints of beer.

Even though this may not seem like a lot of alcohol, the pictures overleaf show how many units are in certain drinks. As well as being aware of the units, you also need to look at the strength of the alcohol and the size of your glass (e.g. a glass of wine can contain between 1 and 3 units). The amount that you are drinking during the evening may still be taking you above the recommended daily intake, which in turn will be having an impact on your health.

I only drink alcohol at weekends.

Often drinkers pack their alcohol consumption into a few sessions, usually on a Friday or Saturday night. However, this pattern of drinking could risk your personal safety and that of others, impact on your relationships with family, friends and employers and also harm your health. The body breaks down alcohol at a rate of one unit in every hour. Therefore if a person drinks a large volume of alcohol in a short space of time, the rate that the body breaks down the alcohol remains the same, which has a negative effect on your health.

As you drink more alcohol, it can result in a range of health problems including low energy, memory loss, relationship problems, depression, insomnia and impotence. Drinking on a regular basis can also lead to alcohol dependence, high blood pressure, liver disease and a range of cancers including breast, throat and colon cancer.

Alcohol is measured in units, although the amount of units in each alcoholic drink does depend on the strength of the alcohol and the size of the glass/bottle.

Wine

175ml, ABV 12% is 2 units
250ml, ABV 12% is 3 units
75cl, ABV 12% is 9 units

Beer/Lager/Cider

330ml, ABV 4% is 1.3 units
440ml, ABV 5% is 2.2 units
568ml, ABV 9% is 5 units

Spirits/Shots

25ml, ABV 38% - 40% is 1 unit
35ml, ABV 38% - 40% is 1.4 units
1 litre, ABV 38% - 40% is 40 units

ABV %’ shows the strength of each alcoholic drink. The higher the %, the stronger the alcoholic content of the drink.

The benefits of cutting down

Psychological/Social/Financial

Improved mood • Improved motivation
Improved relationships
Improved safety for yourself and others
Save money / more money to spend on other things

Physical

Sleep better
More energy
Lose weight
Reduction in hangovers
Reduced risk of injury
Improved memory
Better physical shape
Reduced risk of high blood pressure
Reduced risk of cancer
Reduced risk of liver disease
Reduced risk of brain damage

Most people are able to make some changes to their alcohol intake to bring it in line with the recommended levels, so that their health is not affected.

Count your units: A drinks diary can raise your own awareness of when, where and who you usually drink with.
Make a swap: Instead of always choosing your usual tipple, try an alcohol free drink such as a smoothie, fruit juice, water, or you could even try a low alcohol drink.
Alternate your drinks: Drink water between each alcoholic drink so that you stay hydrated, drink less alcohol and also feel better the next day.
Find ways to relax and try to distract yourself: At times when you would usually drink alcohol, try to do something different. This could involve pursuing a hobby or interest, such as walking, swimming, cycling, reading a book, listening to music or gardening.
Reduce your glass size or size of the measure: Choosing smaller wine glasses, drinking halves instead of pints or drinking single measures instead of doubles can all help to reduce how much alcohol you are drinking.
Reduce the strength of your drinks: Try to avoid ‘super-strength’ beers, add mixers to spirits and change your usual drink for one that is of a lower strength (check out the ABV % on the side of the bottle to see what the strength is).