AS THOSE aged 45-65 are encouraged to have more alcohol-free days, here are some of the advantages of doing so:
1. You might sleep better: Many of us think a soothing glass of red before bed will help us get to sleep, but no. Drinking before bed is actually far more likely to lead to disordered sleeping patterns and interrupted sleep.
2. You're likely to feel more energetic: More sleep equals more energy, and waking up without a hangover means starting the day feeling buoyant rather than sluggish, nauseous and foggy-headed.
3. ...and happier as a result: If you're sleeping better and feeling more energetic, you're going to be in a better position to do the things that make you happy, and do them well. Also, alcohol is a depressant – without it floating around in your system, you should feel lighter and generally more positive.
4. It could help you lose weight: When downing a pint is equivalent to scoffing a slice of pizza, and a large glass of red amounts to eating a 40g bar of chocolate, you can see how going alcohol-free a few days a week could help slim your waistline too.
5. You'll reduce your chances of suffering from heart problems: Heavy drinking can have a major impact on your heart, so reducing your intake means being less at risk of high blood pressure, one of the major risk factors. While some research suggests a glass of red can be good for your heart, excessive alcohol consumption is likely to weaken the heart muscle, making it tougher to pump blood around the body.
6. You'll distance yourself from liver disease: Your liver will be happy at the prospect of fewer days processing alcohol. Excessive drinking puts a lot of pressure on the organ – which bears the brunt of detoxification in the body – and can lead to cirrhosis of the liver and scarring, which can in turn lead to liver cancer.
7. You'll reduce your chances of developing certain cancers: Including liver cancer, Drinkaware note that alcohol has been "identified as a contributory factor for seven types of cancer." The rest are bowel, breast, mouth, oesophageal, laryngeal (voice box) and pharyngeal cancer (upper throat).
:: Download the Drinkaware app (drinkaware.co.uk) to track your alcohol consumption, and receive tips on cutting down.
