If you are going to consume alcohol, it is important to do it safely. Consuming excessive amounts of alcohol takes a negative hit to at your health, thoughts, judgement, concentration etc. it is important that everyone is aware of their own limit, to avoid excessive drinking and lessening the risk of making poor decisions. there isn’t exactly any “safe” way of drinking alcohol, however, there are ways you can prevent bingeing.
It should also be taken into consideration that drug and alcohol test procedures can happen at any time. This may be for recruitment, health, or legal reasons. Therefore, you should understand the basic ways in which you can keep your drinking at a moderate, safe level.
Understand The Recommended Limit
The current recommended limit on alcohol consumption for men and women in the UK is no more than 14 units per week. This usually refers to around 6 pints of average strength beer (est. 4.4%) and 10 small glasses of lower-percentage wine (est. 12% or lower). If you are able to keep an eye on how many units you are drinking per week, this will give you an indication whether you are drinking excessively over the recommended limit or not.
Consumption On Empty Stomach
There are factors that determine the concentration of alcohol in the blood. The main factor being how much food you have consumed. If you have not ate a substantial meal in the last 6 hours and then directly drink alcohol, there will be a sudden spike in the alcohol levels in your blood. This means you become intoxicated quicker.
Avoid Peer Pressure
It is common for friends and family to encourage you to continue drinking at social events and celebratory gatherings, however it is important to know when to say “no”. Don’t feel pressure to keep drinking once you are already intoxicated and be aware of your own limit.
Avoiding A Habit
Drinking alcohol weekly can lead to an addiction or dependency. No-one wants to be dependent on alcohol to get them through life, but unfortunately, it happens and is not that rare. Try to make the conscious effort to only drink at events, or special occasions, and cut alcohol out during the week and even on weekends when there is no need for it. Drinking for the sake of it is what leads to poor consequences and unfortunate situations.
Final Words
Even though there is no entirely “safe” way of drinking alcohol, there are ways to keep an eye on your consumption and avoid becoming alcohol-dependent. Drinking can cause your health to suffer significantly, and over time it can even cause issues with memory and overall performance and functionality. Always take your health into consideration, as well as others around you. Avoid situations that may result in poor judgement and unsafe scenarios. Consuming alcohol can be enjoyable, when done safely.
Devora Pieciak is an expert in service leadership and innovation. She writes about emerging trends in service-dominant logic, leadership strategies in service-based industries, and the impact of technology on customer engagement.
