How to Lower Your Evening Drinking?

Having a glass of wine or a bottle of beer after your evening meal isn’t an issue right? Wrong! If you’re doing this every day, the likelihood is that you’re drinking too much. You should think about the number of units you’re consuming, and why you are drinking.

If you think your drinking has got out of your control and you cannot stop despite many attempts, you should seek help and potentially rehab treatment.

Ask Yourself the Following Questions to Evaluate your Drinking:

• Do I Drink More than 14 Units Each Week?

Guidelines for the UK advise that we consume no more than 14 units of alcohol a week. This equates to about 6 medium glasses of wine or 6 pints – so one a day would be too much. Drinking any more than this puts you more at risk of a bunch of health issues and a drinking problem.

• Have I Been Drinking More and More?

If you started off just having one drink a night, but it’s developed into having a couple, then you could be getting a tolerance to the alcohol. This means you’ll need more to feel the effects. Drinking more as the tolerance grows can lead to a physical dependency.

• Am I Drinking Alcohol as a Coping Mechanism?

Lots of people drink to cover up emotions or anxious and depressive thoughts, thinking it helps them. However, after the initial ‘masking’, alcohol will only make you feel worse.

If you are Drinking Every Night, Consider Taking Steps to cut Down:

• Find a new Night-Time Routine.

Plan your evenings so that your mind stays off the thought of having a drink. Perhaps take a stroll around the area after dinner to help your food settle instead of that glass of wine.

• Don’t keep Alcohol in the House. 

If you drink each evening, it is likely you have a little store of alcohol. Keeping your home alcohol free will help you resist.

• Focus on the Health Benefits of not Drinking. 

Cutting alcohol out of your evening routine will provide so many different benefits. It will help you save money, improve your health and sleep, and help with weight loss efforts.

• Tell people About your new Goal. 

If you tell people about your plans to cut down on alcohol, you may feel more obliged to stick to it. Also, your friends and family can support you with your decision.

• Think about Why you may have Been Drinking, and try to Resolve this. 

Have you been drinking due to stresses at work? A difficult relationship? Or just out of boredom? Try to address the reason to make cutting back on alcohol easier.