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► Snow Your Units

Snow Your Units

Do you know your units? If you drink alcohol then you’re drinking “units”, but you might not know how many there are in your favourite tipple. 

 Understanding units

The alcoholic content of drinks is measured in units – 1 unit of alcohol is 10ml of ethanol. The number of units in a drink depends on the size of the drink and its strength, which is measured in alcohol by volume (ABV) or %

Lower risk drinking is 2-3 units a day for women and 3-4 units a day for men. Everyone should aim for 2 alcohol-free days a week.

Try keeping track of how much you drink on nights out – you could use a drink diary

These drinks contain 1 unit of alcohol:
• Half a pint of ‘regular’ beer, cider or lager
• 1 small glass of wine (9%)
• 1 single measure of spirits
• 1 single measure of aperitifs

And these drinks contain more:
• A pint of ‘regular’ beer, cider or lager – 2 units
• A pint of ‘strong’ beer, cider or lager – 3 units
• Alcopop or a 275ml bottle of ‘regular’ lager – 1.5 units
• 440ml can of ‘regular’ lager or cider – 2 units
• 440ml can of ‘super strength’ lager – 4 units
• 250ml glass of wine (14%) – 3.5 units
• Bottle of wine (14%) – 10.5 units

Understanding Risk Levels

Lower risk :
• 2-3 units a day for women
• 3-4 units a day for men
Everyone should aim for 2 alcohol-free days a week

Increasing risk:
Drinking over the recommended (lower risk) levels, where damage is not necessarily obvious but you are at increasing risk of problems in the future.

Higher risk:
Drinking over the recommended levels and experiencing health difficulties as a result

Binge drinking:
Drinking twice the recommended daily limit (6 or more units in one session for women or 8 or more for men). Binge drinking can be either increasing or higher risk.

Dependent drinking:
When alcohol is important to functioning. Withdrawal can be physical psychological. Severely dependant drinkers need medical supervision if reducing consumption.

Benefits of cutting down

There are loads of benefits to cutting down on alcohol consumption. These include:
• Improved mood
• Saving money
• Improved sleep
• More energy
• Losing weight
• Avoiding hangovers
• Less risk of injuries
• Improved memory
• Reduced risk of cancer
• Reduced risk of liver disease
• Reduced risk of high blood pressure

Tips for cutting down

If you want to reduce your drinking a bit, here are a few tips that can help:
• Opt for lower strength drinks
• Alternate alcoholic and soft drinks
• Increase the number of days a week when you don’t drink alcohol
• Cut down on “pre-drinking” or start drinking later in the night
• Avoid drinking in rounds – it’s expensive and you end up drinking at the pace of the fastest drinker
• Try finding pastimes and activities that don’t involve alcohol – maybe sports, the cinema or even bingo!

Sources of information and support

www.thinkdrinkdrugs.co.uk

Brighton & Hove

• CRI Alcohol Brief Intervention Service – ABIS offers free information and advice on drinking at safer levels. 01273 823026. bis@sussexpartnership.nhs.uk
• The GOAL group - GOAL is an independent service offering information, support and advice to anyone concerned about their alcohol consumption. 07977591291 http://www.thegoalgroup.co.uk/
• Patched (CRI) – offers free and confidential advice to friends, family and carers of substance users in Brighton and Hove. 08000854450. patchedbrighton@cri.org.uk

Eastbourne

• Action For Change - This service provided advice, information and treatment for anyone experiencing difficulties with alcohol or anyone affected by someone else's drinking. Eastbourne, Wealden and Lewes district areas. Telephone 01323 419696

Hastings

• Action For Change - This service provided advice, information and treatment for anyone experiencing difficulties with alcohol or anyone affected by someone else's drinking. Hastings and Rother. Telephone 01424 460066