Let’s be honest, in the days before our official lockdown was implemented, along with toilet paper, tinned tomatoes, long-life milk and pet food, there was one other crucial ingredient we were frantically adding to our trolleys. And, perhaps it was in fact the most important addition. When faced with 21 uninterrupted days of at-home isolation, what was it that we knew could make this tricky time more bearable? Booze.
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And, the first few days of lockdown started off a bit like this…
After a few days of drinking during lockdown, it started to look more like this…
But, however you decide to stay sane during this isolation period, it’s important to keep some level of normalcy. Perhaps, save that delicious bottle of red for the weekend. And stick to fresh juice during the week? Or, limit yourself to the recommended single glass of wine a day? It’ll be hard but, after 21 days, your body will thank you for it.
Is it okay to break the regular rules when drinking during lockdown?
The general guideline says not to exceed 14 units of alcohol a week. And, if we consider that a single measure of spirits is equivalent to one unit of alcohol, while a small glass of wine is 1.5 units and a bottle of beer is 1.7 units, you’ll see just how quickly those 14 units get used up. Especially if you’re drinking during lockdown.
While we know these aren’t normal circumstances, it’s better for your overall health and well-being to stay within these guidelines as far as possible. You’ll find useful tips on how to make better drinking choices from The Heart And Stroke Foundation.
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What are some of the risks associated with drinking too much?
Admittedly, this makes for pretty grim reading, but these are useful facts to know.
Alcohol can have a wide variety of negative effects on your body, especially as you get older. It’s tougher for our bodies to process alcohol as we get older, and it increases the risk of things like breast cancer, bowel cancer, mouth and oesophageal cancer. Drinking heavily or binge drinking can also increase the risk of developing dementia.
It’s also been know to interfere with the normal sleep process and dehydrate your body as well as your skin. It’s thought to deprive your skin of vital vitamins and nutrients.
If you think you sometimes go too far, perhaps it’s time to ask yourself some of the following questions…
Is this you?
- Look at your glass recycling. Are you surprised by the number of empty wine bottles in there?
- Do you wake up most mornings feeling dehydrated?
- Is there always at least one bottle of wine in the fridge – just in case?
- Do you count down the minutes to wine o’clock and struggle to name your favourite soft drink?
Then, it may be time to think before you drink…
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By Features Editor Stephanie van der Plank
