Drinking is ingrained in British culture from nipping down the pub with your friends to having a bottle of wine with your meal. Despite this, Alcohol Change UK have reported that one in four drinkers want to cut down on their alcohol consumption.
If you want to reduce the amount you’re drinking but aren’t sure where to start, Wise Bartender recommends beginning with these 10 steps.
How to drink less alcohol:
1. Set goals
Start by setting clear goals to reduce your alcohol consumption. These should be realistic and achievable.
You could begin with something small, like switching to a drink with a lower ABV to consume fewer units of alcohol, or drinking one less day a week.
Measure your progress. Having goals will force you to think about your drinking habits more closely, and give you something to assess yourself against. Notice if drinking one drink instead of two reduces other issues caused by excessive alcohol consumption like sleeping problems or trouble sticking to a diet.
2. Set limits
Give yourself an alcohol cap. This will depend entirely on your current drinking habits, but we recommend a weekly limit rather than daily because you’ll be able to establish better balance with your overall drinking and set longer term goals.
3. Reward yourself
We understand that cutting down on drinking can be difficult. We recommend rewarding yourself when you hit one of your goals to motivate your efforts.
This could be something like going out for a nice dinner, booking a spa day, or something else. Something that makes you feel good, and isn’t likely to become a replacement craving.
4. Alternate drinks
Practice drinking a glass of water or soft drink for every alcoholic drink you consume. This will draw out your sobriety while you continue to drink the same amount of liquid.
5. Remove alcohol from the house
If alcohol is in the house, the temptation to drink it will be present. When you remove it, you put an obstacle in place. If this is an unrealistic goal, try putting alcohol somewhere that’s difficult to access, like a loft, shed or high shelf.
6. Only drink when you’re eating
When you eat, alcohol is absorbed slower into the body. It also fills your stomach and leaves you feeling full, so you may be tempted to drink less.
This also encourages healthier habits of waiting until a meal to drink. If you’re able, gradually reduce the number of meals you consume alcohol with. If you feel comfortable, limit your drinking to the weekend and only consume alcohol with a Friday and/or Saturday meal.
7. Suggest alternative social plans
It can be difficult to open up to friends about your drinking habits, but confiding in them will loosen the pressure on your shoulders.
Suggest social activities that don’t involve alcohol. Going for drinks isn’t the only way to see your friends and if they know you’re trying to cut down on alcohol, they will be more likely to proactively suggest other ideas themselves.
8. Relieve stress through exercise
Alcohol is often drunk to relieve stress, so find a physical activity that releases tension in a healthier way.
This could be going to the gym, taking up a sport, or even finding a hobby at home that you enjoy and keeps you occupied. DIY, playing a musical instrument and dancing are all great options for this because they’ll teach you a new skill and give you a goal outside of your drinking plan.
9. Avoid the ‘rounds’ mentality
Stay strong and avoid taking part in rounds. We can all attest that being involved in rounds usually ends up with you drinking more than you meant to. Take a breath, ask for a glass of water and never feel like you need to say yes to a drink just because it’s free.
If you need to, assign yourself the designated driver as extra motivation to stay sober.
10. Choose alcohol-free alternatives
Alcohol-free alternatives are a great way to feel like you’re drinking your favourite beverage without consuming alcohol. AF drinks can either be completely free of alcohol, or contain a percentage so low that it won’t have a negative impact on your body.
Alcoholic drinks companies are becoming wiser with their non-alcoholic alternatives and in most cases, you can’t taste the difference between them and their original.
Wise Bartender has a wide range of non-alcoholic alternatives including beer, cider and wine so you can continue to enjoy your favourite drink without feeling the effects of alcohol.
A Quick Message
At Wise Bartender, we would never give medical advice to those suffering with an addiction. We have created this guide to help people who are trying to cut down on regular or social drinking habits.
If you are struggling with an addiction and it’s having a negative impact on your life, please seek advice from a medical professional.
Find alcohol addiction support services near you using the NHS resource.
