We've all had stressful days and found that turning to a glass or two of vino can make us feel more relaxed and shake off the worries from work, study or life.
While turning to alcohol might help us feel a bit less stressed, it can come with issues for our health - especially if you find yourself reaching for a beer or glass of wine too regularly.
The NHS guidance currently recommends that men and women drink no more than 14 units of alcohol per week, spread out over three or more days. Anything more than that is considered binge drinking, and can have harmful consequences for our health.
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If you're trying to work out what 14 units works out as for your usual drink order, it's 6 medium (175ml) glasses of wine or 6 pints of 4% beer or 10 small glasses of low-strength wine.
Whilst heading to the pub or pouring a glass of wine here and there might not seem too bad, the health warnings are severe.
In fact, Fatmata Kamara, Mental Health Nurse Global Case Manager for Bupa, has explained: "In the short term, you may feel more relaxed. But, in reality, having a drink is often used as a distraction from dealing with what’s causing you stress or anxiety."
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Alcohol, which is a depressant, actually affects your brain’s chemistry and increases the risk of feeling anxious or depressed so whilst in the short term you might feel better, it's not going to feel like that all the time.
Kamara added: "Alcohol lowers your inhibitions, so when you drink you may say and do things more freely than when you’re sober. If you’re feeling nervous or anxious at a party, you might use alcohol to help you feel more confident and less afraid.
"This might seem helpful in the short term, as you may feel more relaxed. But overall, it’s a temporary solution that can be harmful to your health.
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"Alcohol alters your perceptions – you may miss cues, misinterpret how you’re feeling, or become upset. That’s why people may argue with their partners, friends, or even strangers when they’ve had too much to drink. It can also increase the risk of your social anxiety carrying on over time."
Aside from how alcohol affects our brains and mood, it can also have severe consequences for our body in the long term too.
According to the NHS, If you’re regularly drinking more than the recommended limit of 14 units per week, you’re putting yourself at an increased risk of problems with your heart, liver, and digestive system, and it also increases your risk of cancer.
Niamh Spence