South Gloucestershire Council is supporting the Know Your Limits campaign, which encourages people to take stock of how much they are drinking by keeping a drink diary for the week. (Drink diary attached)
Drinking too much can increase your risk of heart or liver disease, stroke and other illnesses and it can also impact on your ability to get a good night’s sleep and affect your general day-to-day health.
So to help people find out if they are drinking more than they should, officers from the council and partner organisations will be visiting Bradley Stoke Community Centre and the University of the West of England’s Frenchay campus to hand out information and give tips on rethinking your drinking habits.
They will be talking to members of the public and students during the week at the following times/location:
Frenchay Campus, UWE – Tuesday 20 October from 10am to 3pm
Bradley Stoke Community Centre – Friday 23 October from 10am to 3pm
Cllr John Godwin, executive member for external affairs and partnerships, said: “We are lending our support to the campaign because alcohol can lead to a number of health problems.
“It is so easy to get into the routine of regular drinking without realising you might be putting your health at risk. Men who regularly drink about two pints of beer most days of the week could be at risk.
“Keeping a drink diary for a week is easy, and can really make you stop and think about whether you ought to be cutting back and there’s no better time than Alcohol Awareness Week to give it a go.”
The activities planned during the week support the ongoing work being carried out by South Gloucestershire Council, Avon & Somerset Constabulary and other agencies and community groups which make up the Safer & Stronger Communities Partnership.
For further information visit www.nhs.uk/units or call South Gloucestershire Council’s helpline on 0800 0733 011 for free, confidential advice.
Top ten campaign tips to rethink your drink:
- Decide on your ultimate goal. Do you want to cut down to a set daily amount / avoid binge drinking / give up alcohol altogether?
- Pick a day of the next week to start cutting down. Go for a day when you are less likely to be under pressure, so it’s easier to avoid alcohol.
- Keep a drink diary. Writing this on a regular basis will help you to work out how much you are drinking.
- Work out how you can avoid situations that you know will encourage you to drink. For example, if you’re going out with friends suggest the cinema instead of the pub.
- Pace yourself. Try drinking each drink more slowly or alternating alcoholic drinks with soft or low alcohol ones.
- Find something else to do while you drink, like playing darts or pool or dancing. This will take your mind off your drinks and help you to slow down.
- Get out of the habit of drinking because you are stressed or have nothing else to do. Look for other ways to relax: activities like swimming or going for a walk will make you feel better.
- Take stock of your progress and make sure you give yourself credit where it’s due for your achievements so far. This will help you keep going to achieve your targets.
- Try to have at least two alcohol-free days a week. Choose days when you’re less likely to be in situations where you would usually drink alcohol. Always give your body a 48 hour break from booze if you drink too much in one session.
- Don’t give up! Changing a habit like drinking takes time and hard work, and sometimes it’s difficult to drink less. Focus on what you’ve achieved so far and reward yourself when you have met your drinking targets. If you do relapse, don’t stop, just set a new date to start cutting down again.
ENDS