Is it possible to cut down on drinking

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While we work hard to provide accurate and up-to-date information that we think you will find relevant, Forbes Health does not and cannot guarantee that any information provided is complete and makes no representations or warranties in connection thereto, nor to the accuracy or applicability thereof. Expert Reviewed. If you enjoy drinking, be it a glass of red wine with dinner or a tumbler of your favorite spirits poolside, you might have experienced the urge to keep pouring after a long day.

But serious health problems can develop from drinking too much, including liver disease, heart disease, depression, stroke, stomach bleeding and certain types of cancer, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism NIAAA. And even moderate drinking is associated with increased risks of injury from violence, falls and car crashes. How much is too much? Crews, Ph. Women should limit their alcohol intake to no more than one drink a day while men should limit their alcohol consumption to no more than two drinks a day, according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

To determine whether—and where—you fall in the alcohol use disorder AUD spectrum, answer the following questions. Consult with a licensed mental health professional to further explore AUD. Cutback Coach uses a psychology-based approach to help you drink more mindfully.

Get a custom plan based on your current drinking habits and goals, then daily text messages help you track progress and stay on target. If you identify with any of the scenarios above, try the expert tips below for reducing your alcohol consumption or even eliminating it altogether. A shot of distilled spirits like vodka is 1. And beginning the week well is an indicator of success: Members who stay under their planned limit on Monday and Tuesday are nearly four times more likely to reach their goal for the week.

Instead of aiming for complete abstinence, for instance, aim to drink fewer than seven days a week. Reframe drinking as you would any other health behavior you want to change, such as eating better or getting more exercise, and share it aloud with those closest to you.

In January , more than 6 million people reportedly participated in Dry January, a campaign to reduce alcohol consumption organized by Alcohol Change UK. Follow-up research suggested that most tended to drink in healthier amounts afterward. If you turn to alcohol to ease anxiety, try exercise as a healthy alternative.

Drink a cup of soothing tea or a tall glass of water before you imbibe—once your thirst is quenched, you may not feel the need for as much—or any—alcohol. Food can absorb the alcohol in beverages, so eating before or even while you drink can dampen the effect and may make you want to drink less, says Crews. The urge to drink will inevitably come—so make a plan for it. Remind yourself of why you want to cut back, talk to a friend about it and distract yourself with a hobby or exercise, the NIAAA suggests.

An easy way of cutting down is to buy small ml wine glasses for the house, rather than large ml ones, and half pint glasses for drinking beer or lager. Challenge yourself to come up with other activities at home instead of drinking alcohol in the evenings or at weekends, for example, having a games night, taking a long bath or trying a new cake recipe.

Try some of our top drink-free days ideas to help reduce your drinking. There are also lots of alcohol-free and lower strength alcohol alternative drinks on supermarket shelves these days.

You can find alternative wines, alcohol-free spirit mixers to make cocktails and both alcohol-free and low ABV beers. Health experts recommend to reduce the risk of harm from alcohol-related disease or injury, healthy men and women should:. Having a few alcohol-free days each week will help you stay healthy and break any bad habits, such as reaching for a drink each day after work.

Take this opportunity to adopt some other healthy behaviours, such as eating well and exercising. Low and no alcohol products are a good alternative for people who want to reduce their drinking — they have the same or similar taste but contain less alcohol.

There are an ever increasing range of low and no alcohol products available at many retailers. And make sure to alternate your alcoholic drinks with non-alcoholic drinks.

A glass of water, soda water, juice or soft drink will do the trick. Drinking on an empty stomach will increase the rate that alcohol is metabolised in your body. Eating before or while you drink alcohol will help it be absorbed into the bloodstream at a lower rate.

Regardless of how much food you eat or water you drink, our bodies only break down one standard drink of alcohol every hour, on average. If you regularly drink more than 14 units of alcohol a week, try these simple tips to help you cut down. Before you start drinking, set a limit on how much you're going to drink. If you let your friends and family know you're cutting down and it's important to you, you could get support from them.

You can still enjoy a drink, but go for smaller sizes. Try bottled beer instead of pints, or a small glass of wine instead of a large one. You'll find this information on the bottle.

Have a glass of water before you have alcohol and alternate alcoholic drinks with water or other non-alcoholic drinks. There's a strong link between heavy drinking and depression , and hangovers often make you feel anxious and low.