Alcohol – how much is too much?

Glass of wine

If you regularly drink more than the recommended alcohol limits, then cutting down may be good for both your mental and physical health. As these tips show, it is possible to relax and enjoy a few drinks safely without overdoing it.

1. Have a goal: set yourself a goal - this could be stopping altogether or aiming to only have alcohol at the weekend. Decide on a start date and stick to it.
2. Eat something: food can slow down the rate that alcohol is absorbed into your system. Before going out eat a healthy meal with a high carbohydrate content to help prepare your stomach.
3. Downsize the supersize glasses: opt for smaller measures. Choose a small (125ml) glass rather than a large (250ml) one for wine. If you're drinking at home, buy smaller glasses for the house.
4. Stop the top-ups: Stopping topping up your glass before it's empty can help you to keep track of how much you've had. Beware the over-vigilant host who won’t let your glass empty.
5. Avoid drinking home alone: when you pour your own measures rather than paying for measures individually, you may not notice how much you are drinking. Smaller (1/4) wine bottles sizes are available and can help cut down consumption.
6. Sip your soda from a wine glass: drinking a soft drink from a glass you would usually fill with alcohol can be a great way to cut back without feeling like you're missing out. When you're trying to resist the pressure to have alcohol, get a drink that looks like it's an alcoholic one, or try having a shandy instead.
7. Weave in glasses of water: alcohol dehydrates you so it's important to drink water before you begin drinking and in between alcoholic drinks. People often guzzle the first drink because they're thirsty. Alternating alcoholic drinks with water or soft drinks will not only stop you getting too intoxicated, it will help reduce headaches and hangover symptoms the next day.
8. Know your units and monitor your intake: keep a drink diary. Writing this on a regular basis will help you to work out how much you're drinking. Sites like this one by the NHS can help you work out the number of units in your drinks.
9. Understand your triggers: if you’re really trying to cut down on your alcohol intake, work out which situations you know will encourage you to drink and then look for alternatives - for example, if you're going out with friends suggest the cinema instead of the pub.
10. Be cautious: when going out for a drink, plan how you're going to get home before you leave. Make sure you've got numbers for taxis and keep aside enough money to get home safely. If you’re thinking of driving the next day, be aware that you may still be over the legal limit. Your body breaks down alcohol at a rate of about one unit per hour - and there is no way you can speed up the process. Think about alternative methods of transport, or get a lift if possible.