Stroke Tips for sensible drinking A 20-year study of 6000 Scottish men, found those drinking more than the Stick to the sensible drinking guidelines Drop a glass size recommended weekly limit were more Find out why and what they are inside Why not swap a large glass of wine for a Alcohol likely to die of a stroke (those consuming this leaflet. smaller one or a pint of beer for a half and 5 units a day were twice as likely to Have a break see the difference it makes to your weight, do so compared with non-drinkers). Aim to have at least 2 alcohol-free days sleep, health and finances. & healthy High blood pressure every week to give your body a break. Change your drink Drinking to excess is linked with a rise in blood Eat before and while you drink Not all brands are the same strength – try switching to a lower alcohol alternative. living pressure. Raised blood pressure increases the Eat a good meal before you start drinking, Make spirits into long drinks by adding risk of heart disease and stroke. or enjoy some snacks while you drink. This helps to slow down the effect of alcohol mixers. Add soda water to wine or drink Enjoy your drink… Fertility and pregnancy on your body. shandy instead of beer. Alcohol lowers sperm count in men and Alternate alcohol with soft drinks or Keep a diary but know what it could be doing to fertility in women. If you’re pregnant or Try keeping a drinking diary, noting how water your body and your mind. trying for a baby avoid alcohol completely. It will help you cut down the number of much you drank and where and you’ll get Sex units you consume and avoid a hangover a better idea of your alcohol intake. Alcohol numbs our sex organs and can make the next day. it hard to reach orgasm. It can also result in Watch your measures unsatisfying and unsafe sex. Drinks poured at home, at parties and in foreign bars are often larger than standard Worried about your own or Unsafe sex can lead to unplanned UK pub measures. Use a unit measure cup someone else’s drinking? pregnancy and also sexually transmitted to keep track of how much you’re pouring diseases, including HIV and AIDS. at home. Call DRINKLINE free on 0800 7 314 314 at any time. Know your strength Essential safety information The strength of drinks varies dramatically Further information Never leave a drunk person on their own, depending on what you’re drinking. So make sure you know how many units are For more tips and information about especially if they appear sleepy. in your drink, and keep tabs on your intake. alcohol, visit www.drinksmarter.org Turn them onto their side (recovery position) Use the guide in this leaflet or look on the Find out more about healthy living at so that if they’re sick, they won’t choke. label – many brands state their unit content as well as their percentage www.healthyliving.gov.uk If you can’t wake them and it is causing you strength. great concern dial 999. Keep them warm and stay with them until help arrives. Make your night last longer, We all need at least 2 days a use soft-drink ‘spacers’ between week without alcohol. alcoholic drinks.

Alcohol How many units in a drink? What happens when we drink Liver disease Alcohol turns some liver cells into fat and Alcohol is so widely used that we sometimes more than the sensible drinking guidelines? damages others. Repeated heavy drinking forget the harm it can cause to our physical and scars the liver (‘liver cirrhosis’) and causes mental health. Single measure spirit 1 unit ABV 40% 25ml Weight gain permanent damage which can lead to death. So how can we enjoy our drink and stay healthy? Alcoholic drinks contain more calories than you Mental health problems Alcopop think. If you’re concerned about weight gain you Alcohol is a significant risk factor for poor What are the sensible drinking should consider cutting down your alcohol intake. guidelines? 1.4 units ABV 5% 275ml mental health and mental illness. Dehydration People sometimes wrongly use alcohol as a Standard glass of wine Alcohol dehydrates the body. This is partly what Sensible Drinking Guidelines way of coping with difficulties in their life. 2.1 units ABV 12% 175ml causes ‘hangover’ symptoms. If you’ve been Alcohol can cause and increase anxiety and drinking alcohol, drink plenty of water before going 2-3 3-4 depression. This is partly because it uses up units daily units daily Pint of lager to bed. 2.8 units ABV 5% 568ml our stores of the natural brain chemicals that Aim to have at least 2 alcohol-free days a week. Early ageing calm us and lift our mood. Women shouldn’t regularly drink more than Dehydration and lack of proper sleep wrecks skin Bottle of cider People who drink a lot have more problems 2-3 units a day and men 3-4. Aim to have at and hair. It expands blood vessels, causing thread with their mental health. Continued excessive least 2 alcohol-free days a week. 1.4 units ABV 5% 275ml veins and other physical symptoms. drinking can cause memory loss and alcohol- Avoid alcohol if pregnant or trying to conceive. Drink – it adds up to more than you think Sleep problems related brain damage. It can help us nod off but even small amounts drinksmarter.org Try to adopt healthier ways to cope, like What’s a ‘unit’? prevent the deep sleep that we need to feel alert walking, playing sport, learning to relax and Sensible Drinking Guidelines and refreshed. A unit equals 10ml of pure alcohol. That’s the talking through your worries. amount an adult body can safely get rid of in 2-3 3-4 Cancer an hour. Remember, the number of units in a units daily units daily Did you know that alcohol can be linked to seven drink vary dependent on size and alcohol types of cancer including mouth, throat, liver, bowel Aim to have at least 2 alcohol-free days a week. content (% ABV). and breast cancer? After smoking, alcohol is the second biggest risk factor for cancers of the mouth and throat. The units above are average levels – the strength of drinks varies by brand.