One Unit is...

• ½ pint beer, lager, cider ABV 3.6%;
• 125ml glass of wine;
• 25ml measure of  spirits;
• 100ml glass of prosecco.

Alcohol Guidelines

• Men and women should  not regularly drink more than 14 units a week.
• If you drink more than 14 units of alcohol a  week, it’s best to spread this evenly over three days or more.
• Pregnant women should  not drink alcohol.
• Have one or two alcohol free days each week.
• If you have drunk too much, allow 48 hours for your body to recover.

Harmful drinking is defined as a pattern of alcohol consumption causing health problems directly related to alcohol. This includes psychological problems such as depression, alcohol-related accidents or conditions  such as acute pancreatitis.

Long term heavy drinking can increase your risk of developing:
High blood pressure - a major risk factor of having a stroke or heart  attack;

• Heart disease;
• Liver disease;
• Liver cancer and bowel cancer;
• Mouth cancer;
• Cirrhosis of liver (where damage to the liver causes scar tissues to build up which can lead to cancer)

Alcohol has high sugar content.

Drinking excessive amounts over time can decrease the effectiveness of insulin, leading to high blood sugar  levels and diabetes. 

Alcohol is a diuretic.

It acts on the kidneys to make you lose more  fluids from your body, leading to dehydration which can cause  headaches.

Alcohol poisoning

May lead to vomiting, seizures (fits) and falling unconscious.

Did you know?

• Alcohol is very high in calories and excessive consumption can lead to weight gain.
• Alcohol can affect your sleep patterns and it best to avoid drinking alcohol before bedtime.
• Alcohol weakens the heart muscle, which can mean the heart does not pump blood efficiently, this can cause premature death, usually through heart failure.

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) has been shown to be helpful. Medication such as acamprosate, disulfiram, naltrexone and nalmefene  can be prescribed to treat alcohol misuse.

Keeping a drinking diary to record how many units of alcohol you drink a  week may help control your alcohol intake.

Myth 1: A glass of red wine is good for you

Untrue! Unfortunately, the negative affects of alcohol, such as damage to organs and mental health, outweigh any benefits there may be to our health from antioxidants in red wine.

Myth 2:  Drinking heavily on just the weekend is ok!

This is not true. Any kind of binging is harmful to our organs and our health. Drinking heavily on the weekend is actually worse for our health than drinking the alcohol limit each day.

Myth 3:  Alcohol helps you sleep better

Incorrect! Alcohol often helps us falls asleep quicker which is what has led to this myth. However, it also disrupts our sleep and causes us to wake up feeling groggy and dehydrated.

If you are looking to reduce your alcohol consumption it can be hard to know where to start. Here are some tips to help:

Factor in non drinking days to your week

A good way to start reducing your alcohol intake is by taking breaks each week. It is a smaller goal that still gives your body a break from some of the negative affects of alcohol.

Tell your friends and family that you are cutting down

Not having the pressure to drink can really help you work out when you can go without it.

Drinkaware

National charity providing advice, information and tools to help you  make better choices about your drinking.

www.drinkaware.co.uk

Drinkline  0300 123 1110 

Alcohol Change UK

National charity providing information, advice and support to help  you make better choices about your drinking.

www.alcoholchange.org.uk

Alcoholics Anonymous 0800 9177 650

Drink Wise Age Well

www.drinkwiseagewell.org.uk

Website with online workshops to support lifestyle changes around alcohol. 

Drug and Alcohol Service in Bromley

Drug and Alcohol Service that offers support in crisis but also ongoing support in person and on the phone. 

Weekday 020 8289 1999, Weekends 07738 802 713.

NHS Live Well Alcohol Support

NHS advice on drinking, including a tracking app and links to services.

www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-advice/alcohol-support/

Link to download the NHS drink less app. 

www.nhs.uk/better-health/drink-less/

Further reading

For this factsheet we used information from:-

NHS choices: www.nhs.uk/conditions/high-blood-pressure-hypertension/
Public Health England: www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-matters-
combating-high-blood-pressure/health-matters-combating-high-blood-pressure