How giving up booze can help you through lockdown

With increased feelings of loneliness and rising levels of anxiety, it’s little surprise that so many of us have used alcohol as a crutch during the national lockdowns.

Research shows that drinking at home has sky-rocketed thanks to the pandemic, with 40 per cent of those polled admitting to increasing their intake and more than a third of us drinking more than the recommended maximum of 14 units of alcohol (equivalent to around seven 175ml or medium glasses of wine) per week.

But while most people know that drinking excessively is a health risk, the ongoing pandemic makes it seem much harder to consider going without. Social media has been awash with posts from people declining to take part in the traditional Dry January as they worry that trying to give up during lockdown will be too difficult.

But you don’t need to go cold turkey to reap the rewards. Dietician Juliette Kellow says that simply cutting back on your booze intake can help you feel happier, improve sleep and reduce anxiety as well as improving your general health.

“There are so many benefits to giving up, or at least reducing your intake of alcohol,” says Juliette. “Alcohol disrupts our sleep patterns so we don’t sleep as deeply, it also acts as a depressant, so while you may initially feel more relaxed, it plays havoc with the messaging system in our brain, making us feel anxious and depressed.

“So while many of us think a regular drink will help us during lockdown by making us feel more relaxed and less stressed, it can in fact, have the opposite effect and make us feel far worse, especially if the next day we’re having to deal with a hangover and low energy and tiredness caused by a poor night’s sleep.

“By cutting back we allow our bodies to get proper rest and our physical health to improve, which is vital during the pandemic.”

“Long-term boozing also causes wrinkles and makes skin red and puffy. Even a few days without alcohol can make you feel more energised, lift your mood, boost your ability to focus and concentrate, and brighten dehydrated skin, giving you a healthy glow.”

Juliette says ditching booze can also do wonders for your waistline, which can only be a good thing as obesity is reported to worsen the effects of coronavirus.

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“Booze is packed with calories – just half a bottle of white wine contains 340 calories,” she explains.

“If you’re drinking that amount daily, cut it out for a year and you’ll remove enough calories from your diet to lose 2st 7lb – and you’ll be more likely to maintain that loss if you stick with it!”

And if that’s not enough to persuade you, drinking less or no alcohol helps lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and liver disease. Plus, it can strengthen our immune system, making it easier to fight infections and feel healthier overall.

Read on for Juliette’s simple tips for quitting and cutting back on alcohol…

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Simple steps to cutting down

Write a list of why you want to quit booze, for example to sleep better, lose weight or get pregnant. It’s easier to stay motivated if you have clear reasons for going alcohol-free, ones you can read back if you’re tempted to have a drink.

Serve soft drinks in martini, cocktail or wine glasses – you can still enjoy the same experience without the alcohol and it tends to stop people asking why you’re not drinking over video calls.

Set short-term goals and you’re more likely to succeed – plan a couple of alcohol-free days, then a week, then a fortnight, and then build on this. It’s all about small achievements.

Celebrate your success – set aside the money saved on booze then treat yourself or stash it away for a future holiday. Save £5 a day – equal to an inexpensive bottle of wine – and that’s £1,825 in a year!

**Channel your focus into something else.**With many of us working at home, wine o’clock has become the defining moment for separating work from home life. At the time you would normally reach for booze, go for a walk, try a new recipe or have a games night.

Find friends to quit booze with– even though you can’t meet up in person, you can still support each other, hear progress and stay motivated.

Get creative with mocktails. Just as you would with cocktails, find out what tickles your taste buds, with alcohol-free mixers, fresh fruit and soft drinks.

For more information and support visit drinkaware.co.uk

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