Simple ways to lower your health risks from drinking this summer

For many of us, summertime is the season for getting outside, enjoying the sun and spending time sharing food and drinks with friends and family at afternoon barbecues, on a well-earned holiday or in a pub garden.

While the warmer, lighter evenings and increased opportunities to get out and about are part of what makes us all look forward to summer, it is also a time when we see a rise in unplanned hospital admissions related to alcohol.

We have just experienced the hottest June on record in the UK and drinking beyond recommended limits in combination with extreme heat can make you more susceptible to accidents, injuries and dehydration. When you are dehydrated, you are more likely to feel the effects of alcohol more quickly, and if the fluids in the body are not replaced when lost, such as by drinking plenty of water, you are more at risk of suffering a serious heat-related illness, like heat stroke.

There are plenty of simple ways to keep mindful of alcohol consumption over the summer and enjoy your favourite warm weather tipple responsibly, as well as many local resources available to you and your loved ones if you need extra support.

Tips for keeping health risks from alcohol to a low level:

• Try to drink in moderation and stay within recommended weekly limits, which is 14 units of alcohol per week. While there is no ‘safe’ level of drinking, less than 14 units per week is considered 'low risk'
• Visit the DrinkChecker website and take a quick Drink Test to better understand your drinking habits, set achievable goals for yourself and find practical tips to help you cut down. This website can also help you understand how much money and calories you can save by reducing your drinking. Read their latest blog on how to stay safe whilst drinking over the summer
• Try to delay drinking until later in the day to avoid drinking all day, as well as during the hottest part of the day
• Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated – try drinking a glass of water between alcoholic drinks, and make sure you’re reaching for water, rather than alcohol, to quench your thirst
• Or, as an alternative, why not try mixing it up by alternating with zero-alcohol drinks throughout the day? Plenty of pubs, restaurants and shops offer zero alcohol alternatives, without losing any of the flavour you are after

Local support available

If you are concerned about your drinking, you can contact Richmond Community Drug and Alcohol Service (RCDAS), a confidential service for anyone over the age of 18. Call the free support service on 020 3228 3020.

If there is a young person in your life who might need support, the Young People's Substance Misuse Service aims to provide specialist substance misuse treatment to young people aged 13 to 19 years and their families. You can contact the service by emailing smsreferrals@achievingforchildren.org.uk or calling 020 8547 6920.

Alcohol consumption can have negative effects on our minds as well as our body. If you feel down, stressed or have problems sleeping, check out the local mental health resources available to you below, as well as the Good Thinking website for further help and support.

Local and confidential Addiction Counselling services are available through the Addiction Support Care Agency, for those who would like to seek additional support.

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