by Kay Lockett
It’s the time for Christmas parties and festive celebrations and there is nothing wrong with enjoying a well-earned drink at the end of a hard year. But Christmas seems to provide a perfect excuse to drink far more than we normally would and to exceed our personal limits, to say nothing of the legal limits or the government advised number of units.
With the party season in full swing and the mulled wine flowing, health campaigners are encouraging Christmas partygoers to enjoy their night, but understand how much they’re drinking.
Christmas is a fantastic time to let your hair down and have a drink with your friends and work colleagues, but over the years the strength of popular drinks has increased and glass sizes have grown. By recognising the units in drinks, partygoers can ensure they have a safe and memorable evening, without embarrassing themselves.
What is a unit of alcohol?
Women can drink two to three units of alcohol per day and men three to four units a day without damaging their health.
As a rough guide:
• one pint of normal strength beer contains two units
• one 25ml measure of spirits contains one unit of alcohol
• one 175ml glass of wine (12% abv) contains two units and a 250ml glass contains three units
• one 330ml alcopop (4.5% - 5.5% abv) contains one-and-a-half units to two units
• one 440ml can of strong lager (4.6% - 6% abv) contains three units
Home measures are often larger, so watch the size of your drinks.
Rather than trying to stop us from drinking alcohol at all, we are encouraged to drink lighter spirits, drink glasses of water in between drinks and find substitutes to stronger tipples.
The Department of Health recommends that men should not regularly drink more than 3-4 units of alcohol daily and that women should not regularly drink more than 2-3 units daily. Regularly exceeding your recommended daily alcohol limit increases the risk of long-term health harms.
Alcohol Concern has come up with these top tips for safer drinking for Christmas partygoers - whether you’re going out or hosting your own celebrations.
Going out
Decide your limit
If you’re out for the night, decide on a limit of how much you plan to drink and stick to it.
Avoid rounds
Round-buying often means you drink more than you want. Skip some rounds by drinking more slowly. You could say you’d rather get your own drink.
Pace yourself
Slow down and take smaller sips – or choose smaller drinks such as a half instead of a pint. Drink water or soft drinks in between alcoholic drinks to dilute the alcohol.
Know what you’re drinking
Stronger drinks and larger pub measures can make it difficult to know just how much you’re drinking. Learn the strengths of your drinks so you can stick to your own limits.
Go for less alcoholic longer drinks
Top up your spirits with more mixer, try spritzers or choose shandy rather than beer. Darker drinks like red wine, brandy and whisky give worse hangovers because of higher concentrations of chemicals called congeners.
Don’t just drink
Find something else to do while you drink, like darts, or pool, dancing or pub quizzes. This will distract you from drinking and help you to drink more slowly.
Getting home
Leave your car at home if you’re planning to drink and don’t walk home alone – get a taxi.
Staying in – tips for the party host
Food first
Alcohol on an empty stomach makes people drunk more quickly. Always offer something to eat – dips and pitta bread, cheese and crackers are good alternatives to salty snacks which make people more thirsty.
Offer an alternative
Have non-alcoholic drinks available and make sure they are just as visible as the alcoholic drinks. Mention them to guests when offering a drink.
None for the road
Put the kettle on and offer some tea or coffee or hot chocolate before guests go home. It won’t sober them up, but it will give a little more time for their bodies to deal with the alcohol they’ve had.
Find more facts and information at www.alcoholconcern.org.uk
Winter holidays bring fun and frivolity. But, if you're like most people, they also bring stress. Getting carried away with one too many is a common way of dealing with the pressure, often by accident.
Drinking in moderation helps you have a healthy, hangover-free holiday season yet still have a great time with your friends, colleagues and loved ones.
