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Health
Mindful drinking: how to do it
Research suggests that mindful drinking – a conscious approach to alcohol – will help you cut back on booze without cutting it out completely. Here’s how.
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1. Examine your relationship with alcohol and picture the benefits of cutting down, from waking up feeling alert, rested and healthy, to shedding that morning-after anxiety.
2. Use a tracking system like the free Drinkaware app to tot up your consumption over a week or two, then aim to have at least a couple of alcohol-free days a week.
3. Pay attention to your emotions before knocking back a glass of wine. Listen to a podcast if you’re bored; call a friend if you’re lonely; go for a run if you’re stressed.
4. Avoid drinking out of habit. Just because someone else is having one, or because 7pm is G&T time, doesn’t mean you need a drink.
5. When you do indulge, enjoy it. Sip and savour your drink; focus on how it looks, tastes, and what memories or sensations it evokes. Make it special.