After a challenging day, it's common for people to reach for a drink to help them relax. After all, it's called "happy hour," right?
But alcohol isn't a great way to cope with stress. It can actually make anxiety and depression worse. And sometimes one drink leads to another … and another.
Have you found yourself drinking more lately? Do you wonder if maybe you're drinking too much?
Just what is "too much"?
Experts don't know if alcohol is safe in any amount. If you choose to drink alcohol, the key is to keep your drinking at low to moderate levels.
It may be hard to know if you are drinking too much. Because of things like age, sex, weight, and health history, alcohol affects people differently. But here's what experts say:
- If you don't drink, it's best not to start.
- If you do drink, limit how much you drink. A standard drink is 12 fl oz (355 mL) of beer, 5 fl oz (148 mL) of wine, or 1.5 fl oz (44 mL) of hard liquor.
- If you are 65 years and older, you may want to be more cautious about the amount of alcohol you drink. Or you may not want to drink at all. This is because alcohol affects older adults differently.
- Experts consider excessive alcohol use to be high-risk drinking. This includes:
- Having more than 4 drinks in a day or more than 8 drinks a week if you are a woman.
- Having more than 5 drinks in a day or more than 15 drinks a week if you are a man.
- Binge drinking. This means drinking more than 4 drinks within 2 hours if you are a woman or more than 5 drinks within 2 hours if you are a man.
Is it time to cut back?
To help you decide if you're drinking more than you want to, ask yourself:
- Have you ever felt that you should cut down on your drinking?
- Have people annoyed you by criticizing your drinking?
- Have you ever felt bad or guilty about your drinking?
- Have you ever had a drink first thing in the morning to steady your nerves or to get rid of a hangover (eye-opener)?
If you answered "yes" to any of those questions, it might be time to think about cutting back.
If you do decide to drink less, there are lots of ways to do it. For example, substitute a no-alcohol drink that you enjoy, like flavored seltzer water or tonic with a lemon wedge. Or have a large glass of water with each drink.
You may also want to explore healthier ways to cope with stress, like walking, yoga, or meditation. These are strategies you can use now or anytime your stress level goes up.
If it's harder to cut back than you expected, reach out for help. Call your doctor or therapist, or look for an online support group.
