Find advice, leaflets and tools about the effects of alcohol on your health.
Alcohol can play a major part in many people's social lives. And if you are drinking at home you can get a false sense of security.
That is why it is easy to forget that it is actually a very powerful drug. Alcohol is a depressant, not a stimulant, which means it slows down your body's responses in all kinds of ways.
Enjoy Drinking Sensibly
There is a big difference between enjoying a drink and drinking in a harmful way. Heavy drinking, especially if regularly, can lead to serious health problems.
Here are a few ways to have a great night out without regretting it the next day:
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Eat before drinking - food slows down how fast alcohol gets into your bloodstream. It also gives you more energy and lessens the effects the next day.
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Do not start drinking at home while you are getting ready to go on a night out - wait to enjoy drinks when you are socialising.
- Set a drinks limit - decide a limit in advance and then stick to it.
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Try starting off your night with a non-alcoholic drink - a soft drink or water. It will quench your thirst before you move on to alcohol.
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Consider alternating between an alcoholic drink and a non-alcoholic drink or at least throw in a non-alcoholic one once in a while to keep your body hydrated. It will lessen the effects the next day.
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Stay cool - drink more water, particularly in hot weather or when you are dancing
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Avoid drinking in rounds - this can mean drinking at a faster pace set by someone else in the group. You can end up drinking more than you intended as you accept people returning your kindness after you have bought them a drink.
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Be your own person - you should never feel as though you have to drink something if you do not want to. If you do not feel like another drink, or want to drink at your own pace, real friends will respect that.
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Keep track of how much you have been drinking - it is hard to say "That's my limit tonight" if you do not know how much you have had.
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Sit down to enjoy your drink - people drink at a faster rate when standing up.
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Drink lighter beers - strong continental beers are popular, but can make for a messy night and a bigger hangover. The difference between a pint of 5 per cent lager, and a 3.5 per cent or 4 per cent one is a whole unit.
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Use more mixers - diluting a drink with another mixer will make it last longer, and lessen the effects.
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Drink smaller drinks - it is better to drink smaller measures of drinks if you have the choice - especially with wine. A large glass of wine in most bars is equivalent to a third of a bottle! It might well contain 3 units or more – about the same amount as a treble vodka.
Health Effects of Alcohol
As well as the short term health risks of alcohol misuse such as anxiety, impotence and safety risks due to impaired judgement, the long term effects of heavy drinking can include liver disease, cancer, pancreatitis and diabetes, raised blood pressure and stroke. To find out more, use the links from this page or download the leaflets below:
