The holiday season is a time when some of us go overboard and enjoy too much of a good thing. If you drink alcohol, it’s important to know your limits.
On special occasions, like the holidays, reduce your risk of injury and harm by drinking no more than three drinks (for women) or four drinks (for men) on any single occasion.
Keep in mind that a safe amount of alcohol for one person may be too much for another. Things like age, sex, weight, and health history, means alcohol can affect people differently. If you’re an adult who doesn’t weigh a lot, is younger than 25 or older than 65, or isn’t used to drinking, you need to be even more careful about how much alcohol you drink.
Reduce your long-term health risks by drinking no more than:
- 10 drinks a week for women, with no more than two drinks a day most days.
- 15 drinks a week for men, with no more than three drinks a day most days.
- Plan non-drinking days every week to avoid developing a habit.
If you choose to drink, here are some things you can do to reduce your risk of getting sick or injured:
- Set limits for yourself and stick to it.
- Drink slowly and have no more than two drinks in a three hour period.
- For every alcoholic drink have one non-alcoholic drink.
- Eat before and while you are drinking.
Drinking is a personal choice. If you choose to drink know your limits and remember there are times when there is a zero limit. Do not drink when you are driving, taking medicine or others drugs that interact with alcohol, doing any kid of dangerous physical activity, living with mental or physical health problems, living with alcohol dependence, pregnant or planning to be pregnant, responsible for the safety of others or when making an important decision.