With St. Paddy’s Day just around the corner, we thought it’s high-time (well, buzzed-time at least) that we talk about booze. Now, we don’t want to be a wet blanket or nothin’, we enjoy a lively and lubricated night out as much as the next person, but as fitness fanatics, we’d be remiss if we didn’t address the inebriated elephant in the room — the health effects of alcohol on the body. 

Now before we crack open this sauce-based study, we want to let you know that all of us at Studio SWEAT onDemand are a lot of things, but we’re never preachy — there are no soapboxes here. We happen to think that a little exploration of our vices from time to time can even be good for us (and sometimes necessary), so long as they’re done in moderation. So with that in mind, let’s talk about the short and long-term effects of alcohol on your body, plus a few tips to help you cut back on the hard stuff. Ok, let’s get into it – cheers! 

How to Know if You’re Over-Consuming

If you’re wondering if your current level of consumption veers closer to Mother Theresa (or the Dean Martin) side of the spectrum, you’ll want to start by looking at averages. But already we’ve hit a little hiccup (no pun intended, well maybe a little), because alcohol affects so many people in so many different ways. Factors like your age, your weight, your gender, your experience, even your ethnicity can impact how your body processes alcohol. But according to health experts, a rule of thumb is that women should have no more than 1 drink per day, or 7 per week, and men double that amount. The size of that “one” drink also depends on what kind of alcohol is being consumed: hard liquor would be 1.5 oz., or a small shot and a half; wine around 5 oz., or a tall pour of a large wine glass; beer comes in around 12 oz., or a standard size can. 

Alcohol’s Impact on Your Health & Well-Being

There are a whole host of health issues that come into play when we over-drink, but let’s take a look at the most common health risks: 

Liver Disease: Your poor-ole liver does most of the heavy lifting when it comes to digesting alcohol, and when it gets pushed to the limit, it can lead to cirrhosis and liver failure. 

Heart Disease: Your ticker can take more than a pounding when you abuse alcohol. Heavy drinking can lead to AFib, which is an irregular heart rhythm, or even the risk of stroke. 

Insomnia: Although alcohol is a relaxant, it can sometimes lead people to develop a dependency connected with their sleeping patterns. That could mean you won’t be able to get those ZZZ’s without drinking the XXX. 

Depression: Mental health has been a huge concern for everyone these past few years, and alcohol is one of the biggest culprits behind it! Cutting back on alcohol can have an amazing effect on your inner happiness, as well as your outer health! 

Tips to Reduce Your Alcohol Consumption Safely

Ok, now that we’ve listed the long-term effects of alcohol on the body, and hopefully given you some food for thought (or some mental club soda to sip on), maybe we can talk to those of y’all that may want to reel it in a bit. It can be tough to figure out how to cut back on alcohol, especially when our society is filled with reminders and temptations. But here are a few strategies to help you reduce, or quit altogether. 

Take Stock

If you’re not sure about how much you typically drink, or have a rough idea, try recording your intake over a month. And be honest with yourself — you may be surprised at the tally at the end of 30 days. 

Lower Your Consumption Over Time

For many, especially those with a long-term love affair with the hard stuff, it can be quite tough on the will and the body to quit cold turkey. Instead, try taking things down a notch or two by drinking in moderation, maybe limiting sip-sessions to weekends alone; or try to stop drinking three hours before bed to help with alcohol metabolization. 

Find Sober Buddies

It’s much easier to cut back on the heavy drinking if you surround yourself with those who don’t imbibe. You surely know a fan of coffee, tea, or kombucha – meet up with them, and discover a whole new kind of (non-sloppy) socialization!

Fill the Gap

When you quit a known and trusted vice, many people find that quitting isn’t the worst part, it’s the boredom you have to worry about. In this case, you’ll want to fill your life with other interesting ways of being, living, adventuring, or exploring, to get your mind off of what you once drank, and what you can now experience. Consider joining a team sport, taking a night class at a community college, learning a new language — the possibilities are endless. And as fitness fanatics, we couldn’t live with ourselves if we didn’t mention our favorite pastime of them all: virtual fitness classes! At Studio SWEAT onDemand, we offer an endless library of streaming fitness classes that you can do from the comfort of home, including Indoor Cycling, Barre, Yoga, HIIT, TRX, Kickboxing, Strength Training, Tread Classes, and tons more! We even offer a 7-Day Free Trial so you can get started with no commitment whatsoever!

We hope this little intoxication exploration serves you well, and helps you enjoy St. Paddy’s, or any other holiday, in the spirit of joy, fun, and health!