Although it can help some people fall asleep quickly, it can disrupt your sleep patterns and stop you sleeping deeply. So cutting down on alcohol should help you feel more rested when you wake up. There’s a strong link between heavy drinking and depression, and hangovers often make you feel anxious and low. If you already feel anxious or sad, drinking can make this worse, so cutting down may put you in a better mood generally. Have a glass of water before you have alcohol and alternate alcoholic drinks with water or other non-alcoholic drinks. Using behavioral self-control training, the book provides specific, proven alternatives to the abstinence-only approach.

• You can become conditioned to reach for a drink when your environment offers up certain cues.
• Reducing the sodium in your diet can be difficult because many foods that you don’t think of as salty actually contain a lot of sodium.
• For those who’ve decided it’s time to quit, there are rising numbers of Britons making that same decision.
• They may notice they drink more often when in the company of certain people or at certain times of day.
• Keep in mind that you should not use grapefruit juice with a number of other medications, including calcium channel blockers used to treat blood pressure and statin drugs to lower cholesterol.
• If you think you may be estimating to avoiding actually counting because you feel ashamed or regretful about the count, try to be accurate anyway and congratulate yourself for increasing your awareness at all.
• If you tend to drink too much whenever there is any alcohol in the house, get rid of it altogether,  the NIAAA recommends.

Discover Healthy Alternatives

It’s normal for certain stimuli to cause a reaction in your mind and body without even being aware of it. You may also consider joining an online support group to help you feel less alone. It might also be worth checking out a 12-step program in your area, like Alcoholics Anonymous or SMART Recovery, to see if it feels like something that might be useful for you. Letting others know about your choice to stop drinking may help motivate you to stick with your decision.

Expert Tips For Reducing Your Alcohol Consumption

Although it is a good idea to think about reducing your alcohol intake, check whether you are a suitable candidate for controlled drinking. Some people shouldn’t drink at all, especially if you have a history of addiction problems or a close relative with an addiction or mental health issue. Belinda Gordon-Battle is a licensed clinical therapist and life consultant based in Miami while providing therapeutic services across the globe. BGB, as her clients and colleagues call her, is an advocate of “removing the stigma” and normalizing the therapeutic process. She incorporates cultural relevance and non-traditional interventions and strategies to strengthen her clients’ steps towards goals of behavioral, emotional, social and mental wellness.

Make a plan.

• People who are still drinking are not prescribed acamprosate.
• PLUS, the latest news on medical advances and breakthroughs from Harvard Medical School experts.
• More time to meet new people, catch up with old friends and try new things.
• Cutting back has many benefits—to your health, your career, and your personal life.
• The words “urge” and “craving” refer to a broad range of thoughts, physical sensations, or emotions that tempt you to drink, even though you have at least some desire not to.

If there are any people who encourage you to drink too much, try to avoid them for the first month or so while you get used to your new style of drinking. If you are constantly surrounded by peer pressure to how to control drinking drink, start seeking out new friends or family members who don’t drink as much. Also write down any negative effects or situations that arose that you would like to avoid in the future.

• Eating simple carbohydrates and processed foods may induce cravings.
• You may behave irrationally or aggressively when you’re drunk.
• Remember, you are more aware that you are not drinking your normal amount or that you have reduced your consumption, and others probably aren’t even aware that you made any changes.
• Soluble fiber is a type of fiber that is abundant in plants and whole grains.
• These thoughts, feelings, sensations, and beliefs are not necessarily negative.

But speak with a healthcare professional before starting or changing your supplement regimen. Having excess weight or obesity can increase your risk of developing high cholesterol levels. Losing weight, if you have excess weight, can help lower your cholesterol levels.

What causes alcohol cravings?

If you regularly drink more than 14 units of alcohol a week, try these simple tips to help you cut down. There are other self-help resources to help you control your drinking. The most straightforward way to figure out if your drinking is problematic is to know how much you drink. Every evening, or in the morning, jot down how much you drank, when, where, and with whom. You can also note if your drinking led to any issues, such as fighting or blacking out. This practice will give you a better idea of whether your drinking has become excessive or problematic.

Get online support.

Jeremy Frank PhD CAC Addiction Psychologist