Cutting back on drinking can improve sleep, energy levels, mood, weight and help lower the risk of some cancers. Photo / 123rf
Cutting back on drinking can improve sleep, energy levels, mood, weight and help lower the risk of some cancers. Photo / 123rf
Haven’t indulged in alcohol for four weeks? Here’s how to ease yourself back in now January is over.
I’ve always scoffed when friends announce immediately after their New Year’s Eve shenanigans that they are going teetotal for a month. Where’s the fun in that?
But as I am now in my early 60s, I am noticing that the hangovers are more vicious, the memory is less lucid, and my waistline could do with some relief from the booze – and so I found my interest piqued by the challenge of Dry January.
It hasn’t been a doddle and I’ve wavered on a few occasions, but if I were to sum up the past four weeks, I’d say they were clearer, brighter, more energetic.
Here’s how to cope after a month-long abstinence to alcohol:
Doctors and sobriety specialists tend to agree on the health benefits to cutting back on drinking, including improvement in sleep, energy levels, mood, weight, and lowering the risk of some cancers. As an “older” woman I should also experience better-looking skin, body movement, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, a decreased risk of diabetes, improved liver function and more mental focus.
Too much alcohol, too often, can damage the links between neurons and interfere with how your brain processes information. Photo / Getty Images
“Having a break from alcohol is a positive step,” says Karen Tyrell, the chief executive of the charity Drinkaware. “And once you’ve made the decision to reduce your drinking, you’ve already taken the first step to a healthier lifestyle.
“For those who aim to drink less, you might want to set some goals and ask for support from your friends or family; you might even end up encouraging them to team up with you,” she adds. “Try to recognise your triggers, those situations where you might normally drink, and make a conscious attempt to do something else instead.”
The final advice from Tyrell is to stick with it. “More than 40% of our daily behaviours are determined by habits,” she says. “With a bit of initial effort and focus, you’ll find that your new healthier habits become more ingrained and second nature.”
Ease yourself back gently
On the Drinkaware website it also encourages people to take a break in drinking “to prevent your body from becoming accustomed to alcohol and help lower or ‘reset’ your tolerance”. Because I haven’t indulged for almost a month, when I do take that first hit, it’s likely to clobber me.
I remember once cutting out nearly all sugar from my diet for six months. Then I got pregnant and craved chocolate. That first bite of a Dairy Milk bar tasted like someone had poured half a bag of Tate & Lyle into my mouth. I was bouncing off the walls for the entire day.
So when I sip that first drink again, my body will definitely feel it. Alcohol isn’t digested; instead, it moves quickly into the bloodstream and travels around the body, first hitting the brain and interfering with its communication pathways, before progressing to the kidneys, lungs and liver. Hence, my booze break means the effects will feel greater and the impact will happen more quickly.
So, it’s important to ease yourself back gently. The body needs to become accustomed again to any alcohol intake and, of course, bingeing is never a good idea, and can even put our health at serious risk. The Drinkaware website states: “A binge is defined as more than eight units of alcohol in a single session for males, or more than six units in a single session for females. That’s equivalent to about four pints of normal-strength beer for a man or three pints for a woman. Another way of thinking about it is ‘drinking to get drunk’.”
Binge drinking is defined as anything more than six units in one sitting for a woman, and eight units for a man. Photo / 123rf
Year-round change is the ultimate goal
“The Dry January programme is about year-round change,” says Richard Piper, the chief executive of Alcohol Change UK.
“Some people will decide to continue going dry for February, whilst many will aim to return to drinking but want to be drinking less,” he continues. “Evidence shows that 13% of people decide to stay dry permanently and 86% plan to drink the same or less than before. Only 1% decide to drink more than before.”
Be mindful about your drinking post Dry-January
Post-Dry January, the advice from the experts is to have strategies in place so you can hold on to the benefits of not drinking, or drinking less. Mainly, it’s important to be mindful of your behaviour. Here are some of the things that you might want to consider.
Think about the amount of alcohol you usually consume (the NHS recommends no more than 14 units per week) and whether you are now happy with that. Because of the reduction over the past month, you might now adhere to the theory “less is more”.
Consider what was the biggest gain of your experience (mine was a clearer, sharper brain) and how you can hold onto it.
Appreciate your achievement and put a plan into place for continued success in the coming weeks or months.
Be aware of your triggers (I’m prone to having a glass of wine while I’m cooking dinner) and try to do something different.
Alternate an alcoholic option with a soft drink or one of the alcohol-free varieties.
Don’t be afraid to say no to a drink or refuse to succumb to peer pressure.
Finally, self-restraint doesn’t need to be confined to January. Any time of the year qualifies for taking a booze break.
I am going to be straight with you: I will drink again. (Probably at times, a fair bit.) But being sober for a few weeks did make me feel good. And, without sounding too conceited, I’ve been told I look better. Shallow? At my age, I’m grabbing all the compliments I can get.
Don’t be afraid to say no to a drink or refuse to succumb to peer pressure. Photo / Getty Images
The temptation to over-indulge might be strong, but after a period of abstinence, gently ease back into drinking again.
2. Falling back into previous unhealthy habits
If Friday night always meant a hefty drinking session after work with colleagues, don’t be afraid to say no. Or decide beforehand that you’ll go along but leave after one drink, or at a certain time.
3. Not being honest with those close to you
If you want to continue drinking less, be transparent about your goals. That way, others can encourage and support you.
