Let’s face it, we all enjoy a drink; an ice-cool beer goes down a treat after a hard day’s work and a party isn’t a party unless everyone’s got a full glass! While drinking is part of our culture and we wouldn’t have it any other way, there is a fine line between enjoying yourself and overdoing it. Those nights out with the boys become more frequent and before long, that hungover feeling is the norm and should you reach the point of taking a drink first thing in the morning to stave off that inevitable hangover, this is a sign to take drastic measures. We are very often the last to know we have a drink problem, friends notice the pungent odour that emanates from the skin, then there’s the breath; and the time spent socialising.
As it is so difficult to accurately measure one’s drinking, here are a few tips to help you regulate the amount you drink.
- Do an alcohol unit measure – Be honest with yourself and calculate how many units you consume in a typical week, then check with government guidelines. In the event you are way over the recommended number of units, it is time to make some changes. This might include limiting yourself to 3 beers per session, or only drinking at weekends, or even going out later than usual, which reduces your overall drinking time.
- ABV – If you are a regular beer drinker, you might want to consider low-alcohol beers, rather than drinking ABV 6.2, which is very potent. As you probably know, the body gets used to alcohol on a regular basis and a level of tolerance develops, which makes you want to drink more and recognising this is a wake-up call to start to reduce the strength of the beverage we like to drink. When dining at https://catalinarosebay.com.au/, the best place to see Sydney and enjoy fine cuisine, order alcohol-free beer and you can take the car.
- Buy Less – A simple, yet effective way to reduce the amount you drink is to take half what you would normally pick up at the supermarket; if you are a craft beer drinker who orders online, reduce your order. If you are a spirit drinker, stick with single shots, rather than doubles and add more mixer than normal.
- Peer Pressure – If you are one of the boys, it can be difficult to reduce the amount you drink; comments like ‘what’s up, can’t handle it?’ and ‘Cmon Bro, down the hatch’ do little to strengthen your resolve. A good friend would encourage you to take positive steps to reduce the amount you drink, yet sadly, peer pressure can weaken a person’s determination.
- Lifestyle Change – Rather than spending your leisure time in the pub, take up a sport, which will benefit you in several ways. Dig out that mountain bike and get riding to get some fresh air and healthy exercise and if you have a friend, why not pair up for long rides? You’ll be surprised at how a lifestyle change can affect your drinking for the better, plus you feel so much better when you exercise daily. Click here for how to live a more relaxed life, which we should all read.
- Total Abstinence – Could you go tea total for 30 days? See this is as a test of your willpower; most people would have no issues with abstaining from alcohol for one month and if the very thought bothers you, this might be a sign that a short rest is in order. Most heavy drinkers that quit completely, find a renewed level of energy after a couple of weeks and this motivates you to stay off the drink. If you do manage to quit for a month, be very careful if you start drinking again, drink a small amount and see how you feel, as your system has got used to not dealing with alcohol.
If any friends or family have made comments about your drinking habit, perhaps now is the time to ease off a little; click here for government guidelines regarding the number of alcohol units you should drink.
If you are always aware of how much you are drinking, you can enjoy yourself responsibly and alcohol can play a part in your life.
Image Credits: Peter Heeling
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