Alcohol : A Guide to Sensible Drinking

At the end of the year most people have cause to celebrate. People celebrate Christmas, they celebrate the end of a good year or the end of a challenging one, they celebrate a family get together or just the luxury of having a few days break from the normal routine. Alcohol has an important place in most people’s celebrations. This guide to sensible drinking can help you enjoy your celebrations while you get the most out of your drinking.

Getting Ready
Identifying risky situations when you are liable to drink to excess.
Establish some drinking rules that you can easily follow.
Identify a cut off point. i.e. How much can you safely drink before you feel the unpleasant effects of alcohol. (Recommended cut off point : 5-8 units for a man, 3-6 units for a woman)
Eat before you start drinking and start drinking later than you normally would.
If you are going out, plan how you will get home again. Order a taxi. Don’t drink and drive.

Going Out or Staying In
Slow down your drinking
Pacing yourself by taking smaller sips.
Pace yourself by aiming to have only a certain amount of drinks within a given period of time.
Put your glass down between sips
Keep yourself occupied by chatting or listening to music
Drink for the taste
Don’t drink beer and spirits together
Dilute spirits with soft drinks or water.
Avoid rounds or buy one round then opt out.
Learn to refuse drinks.
Buy a spacer, instead of a chaser
Copy the slow drinker
Have a snack and drink plenty of water if you feel drunk.
Know how much you are drinking by finishing your glass before having a refill.

Coming Home
Make sure you get home safely.
Don’t leave anyone behind. Take care of each other.
If someone passes out stay with them, call for help if required, keep them warm.
Don’t drink and drive.

The Morning after the Night before
Before you go to bed drink plenty of water.
The morning after the night before, keep drinking plenty of water.
Eat when you feel able to do so.