Ahh summer. Longer days, warmth on our skin, a lighter, brighter mood, whiling away the evenings with a perfectly chilled pale rosé.
Maybe just another… And another…
Waking up feeling tired, despite falling into a deep slumber, a headache, an upset stomach, feelings of hangover regret…
It’s easily done, isn’t it? Especially when the evenings are warm and light and sitting outside feels like a long-forgotten treat. We’re not here to demonise alcohol. After all, there’s nothing wrong with drinking in moderation. (And here at Necta & Hive, we’re rather partial to a glass of mead, or honey wine.)
But if you’re making a regular habit of waking up with a fuzzy head after one or two too many, then perhaps it’s time to think about cutting back on alcohol. Here’s our top tips…
- Be accountable – there’s absolutely no shame in telling friends and loved ones that you’re not up for a heavy drinking session. Being upfront at the beginning of the night will also help you listen to your own voice, because who wants to be told they haven’t stuck to their goals by inebriated drinking buddies?
- Be firm – we all know people who are the first (and last) ones at the bar, buying rounds and not taking no for an answer. But as in our first point above, being firm from the outset, and actually asking friends to help you by not encouraging you, can be more helpful than you may think.
- Go small – if you drink wine, opt for a small, rather than a large, and top it up with soda or lemonade for a refreshing spritzer. You can do the same with lager and lemonade to make a shandy, or opt for bottles over pints. It’s not so easy if you drink red wine (red wine and cola?) so try to swap to white or rosé which is more palatable in the warmer months anyway!
- Alcohol light and free – supermarkets are full of low and no alcohol options in today’s health-conscious world. Many pubs, bars and restaurants are also getting in on the sobriety act. It’s no longer just boring tap water, sugary lemonades or caffeine-fuelled colas on offer. Low and no alcohol options have come on a long way since the early days and are really very palatable.
- Feel the fizz – kombucha is a type of fermented tea drink, and has multiple benefits for our gut and heart health and blood sugar levels. Since it has a fizz, it can feel like you’re joining in, minus the alcohol and hangover. Buy it readymade, or why not have a go at making your own honey kombucha?
- Celebrate faking it – talking of homemade, make your own mocktail, anyone?
- Monitor your intake – use an app such as Reframe that allows you to track your drinks. Simply take a few seconds to add each drink as you take the first sip, and you’ll be able to easily see patterns and where you might need to cut back. It can be as discreet as you like and Reframe provides very positive and informative daily reading, support, facts and dry and “damp” challenges that will support your cutback journey.
Cutting down and reducing your alcohol intake might feel like you’re taking the fun out of a night out or having friends over to enjoy your garden this summer. But taking things slowly and reflecting on how good it feels to wake up without regrets and memory loss really can help you make healthier choices around alcohol. Good luck!
