If you regularly drink more than 14 units of alcohol a week, try these simple tips to help you cut down. (14 units is equivalent to 6 medium glasses of wine or 6 pints of average-strength beer)
Simple tips for cutting down
- Make a plan- Before you start drinking, set a limit on how much you're going to drink
- Set a budget- Only take a fixed amount of money to spend on alcohol.
- let your friends and family know - let them know you're cutting down and it's important to you, you could get support from them.
- Take it a day at a time- Cut back a little each day. That way, every day you do is a success.
- Make it a smaller one- You can still enjoy a drink, but go for smaller sizes.
- Have a lower-strength drink- swapping strong beers or wines for ones with a lower strength (ABV in %). You'll find this information on the bottle
- Stay hydrated- Have a glass of water before you have alcohol and alternate alcoholic drinks with water
- Take a break- Have several drink-free days each week.
Benefits of cutting down
The immediate effects of cutting down include:
- feeling better in the mornings
- being less tired during the day
- better looking skin
- feeling more energetic
- better weight management
Long-term benefits include:
- Mood- If you already feel anxious or sad, drinking can make this worse, so cutting down may put you in a better mood generally.
- Sleep- Although it can help some people fall asleep quickly, it can disrupt your sleep patterns and stop you sleeping deeply. So cutting down on alcohol should help you feel more rested when you wake up.
- Behaviour- You may behave irrationally or aggressively when you're drunk.
- Heart- Long-term heavy drinking can lead to your heart becoming enlarged.
- Immune system- Regular drinking can affect your body's ability to fight infections.
