Planning for a weekend bash but worried about overdoing the drinks? Learn how to sip responsibly with these expert-approved tips to avoid the morning-after regrets.
Weekend party on your mind? Here is a quick guide on how to not go extra with the booze.
Do your party nights eventually turn into blurry nights because of excessive drinking? The morning after, you wake up with a brutal hangover and regret the reckless number of shots you downed? Sounds like the story of your every weekend?
“‘First, you take a drink and then the drink takes you.’ Indeed, this is true when individuals indulge in the practice of overdrinking,” says Dr Kiran R Dhake, a Mumbai-based wellness physician.
But there are ways to deal with that. You can drink without overdoing it (remember damp drinking?). You just have to keep certain things in mind.
“Drinking alcohol on social occasions, or occasionally in limited amounts may not be harmful but overdrinking can affect us physiologically, psychologically and socially,” says Dr Trideep Choudhury, psychiatrist, Fortis Escorts Hospital, Faridabad.
The first step to drink without going extra is being aware of this pattern teamed with a desire to work on it. And then? Well, follow these expert-approved tips to keep alcohol consumption in check:
1. Set a limit beforehand: Planning in advance about how many drinks you will have, and sticking to it will help avoid excessive drinking. Preparing your mind is better than going in with a blank slate and simply going with the flow.
2. Track the count of drinks: Track the number of glasses to not lose the count of drinks.
3. Do not rush: Keep a drink for as long as you can. Otherwise, drinking quickly typically leads to a higher (read uncontrolled) consumption. Dr Dhake further suggests taking breaks to allow your body system to process the alcohol.
4. Drink a glass of water after each drink: Make it a point to grab a glass of water after sipping an alcoholic drink.
5. Stay away from the drinking games: It is often the shots downed during those fun party games that lead to overdrinking. Stay away from such games, experts say.
6. Eat before you drink: Eating before drinking can slow down the absorption of alcohol into your bloodstream, reducing the likelihood of drinking. Avoid junk, salted, deep-fried food item consumption.
7. Choose drinking companions wisely: The people you drink can also determine your drinking behaviour. Choose drinking companions wisely who respect your set limits and won’t coax you to drink more than you’re comfortable with.
Revisit this list before heading out to a party. Chances are high that you will forget it all in the party rush.
If you regularly struggle with controlling your drinking, don’t hesitate to speak to a counsellor or get professional help.
“It is essential to recognise, and identify the overdrinking concerns and act early to prevent consequences. Hence, it is necessary to restrict the consumption of alcohol if it’s affecting physical and mental well-being, personal space, and social life,” says Dr Dhake.
Wishing you a regret-free and enjoyable weekend!
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