How to call time on wine o’clock
Giving up or cutting back on booze will boost your mood, your health and your bank balance, says Hannah Britt
AS A nation, we love a tipple. From pints in the pub to wine o’clock, it seems there’s always an excuse to pour a drink.
But alcohol consumption is linked to everything from depression and obesity to cancer and dementia.
A recent report revealed baby boomers are set to overtake young people as Britain’s problem drinkers.
According to NHS Digital, the number of people aged 50 and over admitted to hospital with alcohol-related mental health disorders has risen by 21 per cent in five years.
Thankfully, cutting back or quitting is easier than you might think...
SOFT ISN’T BORING
Alcohol-free drinks have a reputation for being dull. But the latest booze-free tipples are designed to mimic your favourite drink.
Fancy a cocktail? Everleaf Non-Alcoholic Bittersweet Aperitif (£18, Sainsbury’s) is delicious mixed with soda and a slice of orange.
If beer is your thing, Infinite Session Alcohol-Free Indian Pale Ale (£4.74 for four, Sainsbury’s) has a full-bodied taste like the real deal.
FIND YOUR TRIBE
When people stop drinking, they fear they’ll never have fun again and will lose their social life. However, finding friends who don’t drink can be a big help, according to sober coach Kate Baily.
She said: “Being part of a sober community can help you set goals and give you support. If your friends aren’t interested, an online community is a great place to get to know people who understand why you want to quit.”
For information on courses and coaching, visit lovesober.com
GET MOVING
Wine cravings are often triggered by feelings such as stress or boredom and alcohol is a quick fix. It helps us relax and change how we feel.
However, exercise can do this as efficiently, by providing a natural endorphin boost.
Baily said: “Alcohol works on the brain’s neurotransmitters, including dopamine, serotonin and GABA. So, people often crave a drink if they are feeling low or stressed.
“If you are anxious, a GABAboosting exercise such as yoga will calm the nervous system.
“And if you are feeling blue, you need the serotonin boost you’ll get from a good cardio workout, such as going for a jog.”
MONEY MATTERS
Over a month, put the money you’d normally spend drinking in a pot. Don’t touch it and see how much you have when you get to the end of four weeks.
Laurie McAllister, of alcohol-free blog girlandtonic. co.uk, said: “The most up-to-date advice says men and women who drink regularly should consume no more than 14 units a week – equivalent to six pints of beer or seven glasses of wine.
“Work out how much you spend each week and multiply that by four weeks. Once you have your total, think about what you could buy with it.”
THE MORNING AFTER
When you’re alcohol-free it’s something to look forward to.
McAllister said: “Book a fun event for the morning after a big-but-sober night out. Preferably something that would be rubbish with a hangover, which will steer you away from the temptation to drink. When all your friends are suffering the next morning, you’ll be on your way to brunch, a long dog walk with friends or your favourite coffee shop.”
SWITCH UP HABITS
Sober coach Stephanie Chivers said: “At the start of a night out or a date, you may be nervous and excited, so you will finish your first alcoholic drink quickly.
“You’ll then want another one. If you learn how to relax into your evening without the aid of alcohol, you delay the time you start drinking, so you consume less.”
CHANGE YOUR MINDSET
Write down 10 reasons why you will feel better without alcohol or how you will benefit from having alcohol-free days.
Hypnotherapist Ailsa Frank said: “Will you feel slimmer, fitter, healthier, have more money or be more focused at work?
“Reading the list every day will encourage you to reduce how much you drink.”
See yourself taking off your make- up and getting into bed sober. It will create a new positive vision