Drinking too much alcohol is likely to have a damaging effect on your health. Here are a few simple tips to help you cut down.
Plan Ahead: Before you start drinking, set a limit on how much you’re going to drink.
Set a budget: Only take a fixed amount of money to spend on alcohol.
Share the News: If you let your friends and family know you’re cutting down and that it’s important to you, you could get support from them.
Make Gradual Changes: Cut back a little each day. That way, every day you do is a success.
Not just Fewer, also Smaller: Enjoy your drink but go for smaller sizes. Try bottled beer instead of pints, or a small glass of wine instead of a large one.
Percentage Gains: Cut down the alcohol by swapping strong beers or wines for ones with a lower strength (ABV in %). You’ll find this information on the bottle.
Hydration First: Drink a pint of water before you start drinking, and don’t use alcohol to quench your thirst. Have a soft drink instead.
Have a day (or two) off: Have the odd day each week when you don’t have an alcoholic drink.
For more information, advice and useful tools like the units calculator, have a look at the extensive content on Alcohol on the NHS Choices website.
