Do you enjoy a nice glass of wine in the evening or a refreshing cocktail on a sunny day? Although there’s nothing wrong with the occasional alcoholic beverage in moderation, it is possible to overdo it. Even the smallest quantity of alcohol has a significant impact on your body, and this effect only increases the more you drink. There are a few easy lifestyle changes you can make to drink less alcohol this year, without quitting altogether.
Prolonged alcohol consumption can cause all kinds of health issues such as liver damage, cancer, digestive problems, insomnia, and infertility. To make things worse, alcohol is highly addictive. Your post-work drink might seem harmless, but it’s a good idea to consider your drinking habits and decide whether you need to cut down.
Amid the global pandemic, many people have been drinking more. This is due to people occupying themselves throughout lockdown and restrictions, but also as a coping mechanism to get through these stressful times. Alcohol should never be used as a crutch, as this could lead to dependency and severe consequences for your health. If you want to drink less alcohol this year, here are four tips to get you started.
Tips to Drink Less Alcohol
1. Set Limits
Drinking less is sometimes harder than not drinking at all, as there are no clear limits to how much you can consume. To make your objective easier, you should set clear boundaries for how much you can drink in a given week or day.
The exact limit will completely depend on your current drinking behaviors, but any decrease is a good start. This figure will help keep you motivated to reach your target. Plus, it will prevent a casual post-work drink from descending into a heavy all-night session.
2. Ban Alcohol at Home
A small amount of alcohol can be harmless if you are careful about it. Drinking in a social setting can be enjoyable, and there are few things better than an ice-cold beer in a brewery or a shared bottle of wine after a busy day in the office.
With so many opportunities to consume alcohol with friends and family, you can get by without drinking alone at home. Make an effort to limit alcohol at home. By doing this, you will have no choice but to drink less. If you struggle with alcohol and drugs, now could be the time to explore outpatient drug rehab.
3. Alternate Drinks
When attending social functions like birthdays, funerals, or parties, it is easy to drink too much. Wine, beer, and cocktails are flowing freely, and it’s sometimes hard to say no, especially if there’s an open bar thrown into the mix.
A good way to slow yourself down is to alternate alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. So, for every glass of beer or wine, follow it up with sparkling water or a glass of lemonade.
Tell Your Friends
We all have those friends who drink excessive amounts of alcohol and like to encourage others to do the same. These people can be dangerous if you’re trying to drink less alcohol. Tell your friends and family about your efforts to cut alcohol and ask them to keep you accountable for your actions.
Drink Less Alcohol
There’s nothing wrong with the occasional alcoholic beverage (trust me, I know!), but it is easy to overdo it. Start paying attention to how much you’re drinking and when you want to drink the most. This can help you cut back as you are more aware of your habits.
Do you have any tips to add? Leave a comment, if so! 🙂
