It has been a tough year in which we might have indulged in the odd tipple a little more often than usual.
So it is little surprise to discover many of us want to turn over a new leaf when we see the back of 2020 – with a survey showing one in five plans to take part in Dry January.
More than a quarter admit they need to cut down on alcohol – with a third thinking they were drinking at increasing or ‘high-risk’ levels.
More than a quarter admit they need to cut down on alcohol – with a third thinking they were drinking at increasing or ‘high-risk’ levels (stock image)
As well as the 20 per cent who plan to turn teetotal next month, another 21 per cent say they intend to take some part, by making certain days of the week alcohol-free.
The findings of the survey come amid fears Britons have been overindulging as a way of dealing with the lockdown blues.
Sarah Jarvis, of the alcohol education charity Drinkaware, which carried out the survey of 4,000 adults, said the good news was that stopping or cutting down on drinking can provide an immediate boost to health.
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‘Alcohol has a huge impact on our bodies,’ she added. ‘It can affect concentration, your mood, your anxiety levels. It can make you prone to depression and it can also affect your relationships.
Sarah Jarvis, of the alcohol education charity Drinkaware, which carried out the survey of 4,000 adults, said the good news was that stopping or cutting down on drinking can provide an immediate boost to health (stock image)
‘It can affect you physically. It impacts our immune systems, our guts, our hearts… it can even affect the condition of our skin. So actually, you’ll start to see the benefits really quickly.’
She added: ‘You’d be amazed at how many calories there are in alcohol. So no alcohol – less weight.’
Drinkaware says those looking to cut back should seek help from others, take things day by day and avoid an ‘all or nothing’ mentality.
Current UK guidelines are that adults should drink no more than 14 units of alcohol a week – around six pints of beer or six medium-sized glasses of wine.
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