Becoming Teetotal
Did you know that these days alcohol has become the new cigarettes in some circles.
The same way smoking became a lot less glamorous, more studies are coming out about the long-term health implications of drinking, and it’s becoming harder to justify the habit.
A 2019 study by the Office for National Statistics showed that young Britons were more likely to be teetotalers than their parents. This is a huge shift and according to the Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health, published by World Health Organisation, close to half of the world's adult population (45 per cent) are also now life-time abstainers.
Giving up alcohol might be a new trend, but it’s backed up by solid evidence of its health benefits. “The safest level of drinking is none,” was the message in The Lancet medical journal. This study reported that alcohol led to 2.8 million global deaths in 2016 and was the leading risk factor for death and disability in the 15-49 age group.
Reducing the amount you drink, or having several drink-free days, will immediately lower your risk of serious diseases such as cancer, liver disease and stroke, and improve your overall health.
There is no guarantee that you will suffer with cancer if you drink alcohol but it has been shown to be linked with a number of different types of cancers including breast, mouth and throat.
There are plenty of people in the public eye putting this advice to become teetotal into practice too, many famous faces including Bradley Cooper, Zak Efron, Brad Pitt and Lily Allen to name just a handful. These celebrities have taken sobriety into their lives and claim many health benefits.
Some of which include, improved sleep, better mental health, healthier weight and better mental agility compared to drinkers.
Alcohol abuse and poor sleep are really closely linked. This is because alcohol interferes with your sleep-wake cycles, making it more difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night.
Alcohol also robs your body of essential nutrients and it derails your metabolism. It’s filled with sugars and empty calories. If you binge drink, you can easily consume 600 calories or more in just one night.
Should you choose to opt for a reduction in alcohol, soon after it leaves your system and you start to establish some healthy habits, you will begin to feel better. Perhaps better than you have in years. Especially after you get past any temporary discomfort of alcohol withdrawal symptoms, you'll notice increasing improvements in your physical and mental health.
It’s been reported that there is also a huge rise in the sale of non alcohol drinks. The Financial Times reported recently that global sales of no/low alcohol are forecast to grow by 34 per cent between now and 2025, compared with about 6 per cent for the total alcohol market. It seems the tide is really turning and people are making healthier choices. It’s good news and will help us all feel better in the long run. I admit I do love a glass of bubbles myself but am enjoying a couple of noseccos during my week alongside the real thing and I feel great for it.
I am helping clients improve their health in this area and if you would like support and coaching around giving up or reducing alcohol please reach out at sarah.stannard.com