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At uni, there are lots of reasons you might find yourself partying. Birthdays, holidays, end of term, just-becase... the list is endless. Barring Christmas, Halloween may be one of the most widely celebrated days in Western culture - and it isn’t diminishing any time soon.
As Halloween grew, it collided with western drinking culture. It’s a time of chilly nights, imaginative costumes, tricks, treats - and it’s also a time when people, particularly young people, like to party and drink alcohol.
With this in mind, the team at Treated.com have designed a poster to show the effects of drinking on the body. Here's they gory details...
Eeek! And don't make the mistake of thinking these things only apply at Halloween - these are things you should be aware of all year round. Whatuni spoke to GP clinical lead at Treated.com, Dr Daniel Atkinson, for advice on safe drinking, so that you can enjoy yourself and avoid the evil hangover…
Know your limits
“We shouldn’t be consuming more than 14 alcohol units per week, and it should be spread out across the week with ‘off’ days in between. This is what’s known as ‘low-risk drinking."
Stay hydrated
"Drinking as much water as possible. As a guide, have a glass of water in between each alcoholic drink.
While this won’t fully protect against the effects of drunkenness or cancel out the negative risks to health associated with alcohol consumption, it will keep you hydrated and certainly lessen the risks of such a taxing hangover the following day.”
Eat before you drink
“Before venturing to a Halloween party,” says Daniel, “eat beforehand. A meal that is inclusive of carbohydrates or fats may be of added benefit. This helps reduce the speed at which the body absorbs alcohol.”
Avoid dark-coloured drinks
“Some people may be ‘sensitive’ to dark-coloured alcoholic drinks. This is largely because they contain congeners - which is a naturally occurring chemical in some alcohol, more so dark-coloured alcohol. Evidence shows that congeners can, in some, irritate the blood vessels and brain. This can increase the likelihood of a severe hangover.”
Don’t be tempted by hair of the dog
“As I mentioned earlier, we should spread our 14 units of alcohol consumption across the week with breaks in between. Drinking alcohol to alleviate the symptoms of a hangover is a dangerous game to play, and will only serve to delay them.
If people do this a lot over a long period of time, they are risking their health to a dangerous extent. Common long term health effects as a consequence of consuming too much alcohol include liver damage, heart complications such as cardiovascular disease, permanent damage to the immune system and it can also interfere with fertility and the ability to reproduce.”
Avoid sugary drinks and mixers
“If you find yourself consuming a lot of sugar alcohol drinks and mixers and you’re doing it over a long period of time, you’re potentially setting your future self up for failure. Too much sugar can contribute towards weight gain and may escalate the risk of developing conditions like Type 2 diabetes or even heart disease. This is without thinking about what sugar can do to the teeth.”
Drink slowly
“Our livers are the only organs which have fascinating, regenerative qualities. They’re also the organ of detoxification, sifting through everything we consume and doing its best to remove what may be harmful.
In relation to alcohol, our livers can filter at a rate of roughly one alcoholic unit per hour. Anything in excess of this will stay in the bloodstream and brain (which is where the effects of drunkenness come from). So, give your liver a chance to catch up!”
Avoid drinking games and shots
“Try not to incorporate too much alcohol consumption into your drinking games. Not only will this make counting your units a lot harder, as you’re more likely to lose track, but may also increase the risks of drunk-related accidents.”
Conclusion
By no means are we saying to not go out and have fun. However, if you are going to be drinking, if you follow the tips outlined by Dr Atkinson above, you'll stay safe and avoid your night turning into a horror story.
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