Having a Drink, doesn’t mean Having a Hangover

Lads' Night Out Campaign

1 in 3 say drinking too much has ruined a good time for them

One in three (33%) of 30 to 50-year-olds say that on at least one occasion in the past year, drinking too much alcohol has ruined a good time for them, be it on a night out, a night in or at a family event. So whether you are staying in or going out here are some tips so help your night go well.

Staying in

When you're drinking at home you can get a false sense of security. You still need to think about your units - and consider the following:

Don't mix alcohol with any kind of medication as it can reduce the drug's effects and be harmful
At home it can be much more difficult to keep track on how much you are drinking than when you are out. There are no measures and poured drinks are probably more generous than in bars or pubs. Keep that in mind when you are pouring your self a measure and try for a single (not a quadruple!)
Don't mix alcohol with recreational drugs, especially stimulants (such as ecstasy or cocaine)
If you are drinking wine, try using a smaller glass: a small glass of wine (ABV 12%) is about 1.5 units but a large glass of stronger wine can contain 3 units or more;
Don’t feel you should “finish the bottle off”, put a cork in it and keep it for another day.
It may be best not to drink if you have mental health problems like anxiety or depression - it could make these worse

Going out

If you're getting ready for a big night, we've put together some tips worth remembering before you start a drinking session. They could stop you getting a nasty hangover - or even save your life.

Make it easy on yourself

Eat before you go out, or early in the evening, to reduce the effects of your drinking
Remember, it's not about saving up your units for the week and cramming them all into one evening
Drink water regularly during the evening and before you go to bed
Take a break if you think the drink is hitting you too quickly
Pace yourself with soft drinks - a tonic looks the same with or without vodka
Don't try to keep up with friends who drink more than you - that's their choice
Don't mix alcohol with drugs of any kind, but especially ecstasy or cocaine: it can be deadly
If you're on medication, ask your doctor if it's safe to drink
After a session of heavy drinking take a break for 48 hours to let your body recover

Since 1979 alcohol related deaths have almost tripled among men and doubled among women

Alcohol consumption in the UK has increased steadily over the last couple of decades and this has been directly linked to the increase in the number of premature deaths of both men and women. As well as the figures increasing for alcohol related deaths, the age at which people are dying are also getting younger. In 1991 the average age for an alcohol related death was 70, but by 2005 the peak age was only 55.

For people who drink in the “harmful category”, that’s over 35 units of alcohol a week for a woman and over 50 units for a man, you are 13 times more like to get Liver Disease. Women are four times more likely to suffer a stroke and Men are four times more likely to suffer high blood pressure. Your drinking has a real effect on your health and this is worth bearing in mind when you think about your drinking habits.

For people who do develop liver disease, the final stage is cirrhosis. Irregular bumps, known as nodules, replace the smooth liver tissue and the liver becomes harder. The effect of this, together with continued scarring from fibrosis, means that the liver will run out of healthy cells to support normal functions. By the time you discover you have cirrhosis your quality of life may be severely damaged as your liver will have stopped working properly. If you carry on drinking you will speed up the damage and increase your chances of dying.

The odds are 1 in 10 that you will develop cirrhosis if you drink too much over a long period of time. Take the drink check Quiz to find out what your drinking pattern may say about you. http://www.drinkcheck.nhs.uk/quiz.php

35% of men aged 16-24 say they drink more than eight units on at least one day a week

Young men are drinking twice what their grandfathers drank 50 years ago.
35% of men aged 16 to 24 say they drink more than eight units on at least one day a week, compared to 18% of those aged 45-64.
Almost half (44%) of 30-50 year olds admit that they haven't learnt to stick to their limits when it comes to alcohol - a similar figure to 18-29 year olds (40%).

Well it looks like a lot of us may be drinking more than the recommended units and could be damaging our health in the long term. If you feel you would like to try and cut down, you can work through the following self help booklet on the link below. Try keeping a drinking diary and setting yourself positive goals for cutting down. Think about the benefits of drinking less, whether it’s more money in your pocket at the end of the night, improving your health and well-being or getting on better with family members. There is an easy step by step approach which gives you ideas on how to drink less and reduce the risks without missing out on the fun you have with family and friends.

Your drinking and yourself help guide (pdf)

You may be surprised or even shocked if you find out you are in one of the risk categories and may need to look at ways to lower your alcohol intake and put a stop to the harm you’re doing to your health. Most people just need to cut down their drinking but there are people who may need professional advice to stop drinking completely.

If you regularly get early morning shakes after you have been drinking you could have physical withdrawal symptoms (including sweating or feeling anxious until you have had the first drink of the day) You should get proper medical advice before stopping completely as it can be dangerous to do this too quickly without proper advice and support.
You have a health problem, like liver or heart disease
You commonly have memory blackouts, so you can’t remember things that happened when you have been drinking.

If any of these apply to you, you should seek professional help for drinking, speak to a GP or nurse, or see the “where to get help” tab above.
You should also stop drinking completely if:

You are pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant
You are taking medication that doesn’t mix with drinking (ask your doctor)
You think your life would be better if you didn’t drink at all.