Cutting back on alcohol can improve your health and your mental and physical well-being. Read further to see how how a reduction in our alcohol intake can help improve our health.
Weight management
Alcohol is made by fermenting (and sometimes distilling) starch and sugar. Because of this, it's high in calories, containing seven calories per gram – almost as many as fat.
Calories from alcohol are described as 'empty calories', as they have no nutritional value.
Alcohol burns less fat as energy. We can store nutrients, protein, carbohydrates and fat in our bodies but we can't store alcohol, so our bodies try to process it as soon as possible. This disrupts the other processes that would usually take place (including absorbing nutrients and burning fat).
Swapping alcoholic drinks for non-alcoholic, lower-sugar drinks is a great way to cut down on the calories that you're drinking and may help you to manage your weight.
Better sleep
You might think alcohol helps you to nod off, but the truth is that even just a few drinks can disrupt your sleep cycle and make you feel tired and sluggish.
In contrast, having alcohol-free days may help you to sleep better and find it easier to wake up in the morning.
Better mental health
Alcohol is a depressant, which means it slows down the brain and the central nervous system's processes. This means that, while it may feel as though alcohol relieves stress in the short term, in the long term it can contribute to feelings of anxiety and depression.
This is why we only recommend you drink responsibly and enjoy our drinks together with friends and family. If you want any more guidance or advice please visit the Drinkaware website for more information on how drinking affects mental health, and how to get help.
All health content on nueraspirits.co.uk is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other healthcare professional. If you have any concerns about your general health, you should contact your local healthcare provider.