21 Dec Medical Doctor Shares Drinking Safety Tips & Hangover Advice to Keep in Mind During the Festive Period
When it comes to drinking alcohol, the ‘eating is cheating’ and ‘hair of the dog’ mindsets are not recommended, new advice has revealed.
During the festive period last year (December 2021 and January 2022), there were 33,100 searches for information on ‘Dry January’ in the UK. However, Google Trend data shows that searches are continuing to drop year on year*. Despite this, according to Google Trends data, searches for ‘alcoholism’ are up 160% in the last 12 months the UK, indicating that many are struggling with their alcohol consumption.
When it comes to drinking during the festive period, Dr. Samantha Miller, MB CHB – medical contributor at DrugHelpline, commented that “limiting alcohol intake to one or two drinks per day is recommended, and certainly not exceeding 4–5 drinks on one occasion. If you plan on drinking more than 1–2 drinks, keeping a log of your drinks can help you know when to stop. Set a plan of how much you intend to drink and communicate this with your friends and family. Staying hydrated can also reduce the effects of alcohol – with some people preferring to alternate an alcoholic drink with a glass of water. If you are drinking, it is important to plan how you will get home and remain with trusted people. Never try to drive when under the influence of alcohol”.
There are also additional risks when drinking alcohol in cold weather… Dr Samantha Miller explained that “drinking alcohol often makes the user feel warm; however, this is deceptive! Alcohol causes blood vessels to dilate, removing heat from the body’s core. In addition, alcohol use can result in impaired decision-making, meaning a user may stay in a cold environment longer than they would normally, placing the user at risk of hypothermia”.
While there is no specific ‘cure’ for a hangover, there are ways to alleviate the symptoms, including:
Eating before and after having a drink can help to absorb the alcohol and minimize adverse effects, such as clouded judgement or impaired balance
Drinking plenty of water can help with dehydration and aid your body in removing the alcohol from your system
You might also consider using an oral rehydration salt to replace lost minerals
For a headache, simple analgesia such as acetaminophen may help
For an upset stomach, an antacid may be useful
When it comes to treating a hangover, Dr Samantha Miller added that “obviously, the best way to curb a hangover is to avoid it in the first place! Limiting alcohol consumption to 1–2 drinks, or avoiding alcohol altogether, is a sure-fire way to prevent the hangover. Also, ‘hair of the dog’ – another alcoholic drink – is not a good hangover remedy!”.
The health risks of excessive drinking can be divided into short-term and long-term effects. Short-term effects of excessive alcohol consumption, such as binge drinking (consuming more than 4-5 drinks on one occasion), result in impaired judgement, meaning the user is more likely to engage in dangerous activities and increases the risk of accidents. In addition, excess alcohol consumption can result in alcohol poisoning, which can interfere with basic bodily functions such as breathing, placing the user at risk of choking, coma, and death. Long-term health risks of excessive drinking include damage to most body systems, including the heart, brain, nervous system, liver, pancreas, and immune system. In addition, excessive alcohol consumption is associated with high blood pressure, stroke, liver disease, depression, dementia, and several types of cancer.
For more information, visit: https://drughelpline.org/alcohol-use-and-abuse-information-advice/
