Alcohol fact checker - busting some common myths

It's a common misconception that alcohol helps us sleep. The truth is it doesn't.

Although we might drop off to sleep more quickly after drinking alcohol, we spend less time in the deep sleep we need to feel well-rested.

The sedative effects of alcohol soon wear off, meaning we find ourselves waking up more often. Alcohol also relaxes the muscles in our upper airways, making us more likely to snore.

Disrupted sleep can also lead to overly relying on stimulants such as coffee to stay alert the next day. This can make it difficult to fall asleep the following night, leading to a cycle of sleep disturbance.

Reducing our alcohol intake and refraining from drinking before bedtime will likely mean improved sleep, higher energy levels and generally feeling better.

Red wine sometimes receives good press in terms of its potential health benefits, such as containing antioxidants, like resveratrol, that protect against heart disease. But no research has definitively shown a cause-and-effect link between drinking alcohol and better heart health. And scientists tend to agree that, overall, red wine is not good for us as the risks far outweigh any benefits.

Drinking even moderate quantities of red wine, just like any other type of alcoholic drink, increases our chance of developing health conditions like high blood pressure, stroke and cancer. If we want to improve our health and well-being, limiting our alcohol intake - as well as eating lots of fresh fruit and vegetables and taking regular exercise - has been shown to be the best approach.

Although it might come as a surprise to some, alcohol can negatively impact our sexual performance, and long-term heavy drinking can in fact negatively impact our sexual health.

While alcohol can help us to feel more relaxed, reduce our inhibitions, and can sometimes increase sexual desire, drinking too much alcohol can also cloud our judgement, and do things that we might later regret, like having unsafe sex.

What’s more, drinking too much alcohol can result in temporary impotence and problems ejaculating, vaginal dryness and loss of libido. Longer term heavy drinking can have further effects including shrinking of the sex organs, reduced sperm formation, failure to ovulate and general menstrual problems.

Whereas, not drinking alcohol can increase sensation and impact on the quality of your communication, leading to a more fulfilling sex life and intimate relationship.

The truth is alcohol harm can affect any one of us, regardless of our age, background or location.

It can impact our health and wellbeing in all sorts of ways, sometimes on a daily basis - from the quality of the sleep we’re getting to our relationships with those we love.

And each year, thousands of us experience longer-term health problems as a result of the alcohol we drink and which, tragically, can even result in early death.

The good news is that ending alcohol harm is totally possible! But it will require bold changes that address things like how alcohol is sold and marketed to us; making sure we are properly informed about our own risks from drinking alcohol; and tackling the stigma associated with seeking help for drinking issues – giving us all a better chance of living in a society where alcohol takes less of a centre-stage role.

None of us are immune from the impacts of drinking. While moderate alcohol use as part of a healthy lifestyle is not usually a problem, drinking regularly or heavily can leave us with low energy, poor sleep, headaches, and hangovers.

It can also put us at real risk of experiencing long-term health problems including, liver disease, high blood pressure, stroke, depression and cancer.

Making even small changes can reduce our risk of experiencing harm. A useful approach is to find ways to manage our drinking – things like keeping track of when and how much we’re drinking, choosing lower strength drinks when we are drinking and remembering that we don’t have to join in every time someone else decides to crack open a bottle!

Around 10 million of us are drinking in ways that are harming our health. And it’s no-one’s fault if we do find ourselves struggling.

The truth is we live in a society where alcohol is all around us, everywhere we go. It’s promoted as we watch our favourite sports, advertised as we travel to work, prominently displayed in our supermarkets, and strategically placed in our favourite films and TV shows.

But it doesn’t need to be this way. Instead, we can create an environment in which alcohol takes less of a centre-stage role in our society and lives. And where those of us who experience problems with alcohol, are met with empathy and kindness - not blame - allowing us to get the support we need and deserve.

Some mistakenly believe that alcohol harm doesn't affect people from some ethnic groups who typically don't drink. But like many things, it’s not that simple. While drinking alcohol may not be accepted as part of the culture or traditions of some particular faiths, it doesn’t mean people living within those communities aren’t drinking alcohol or experiencing problems with their drinking.

In fact, research shows that certain ethnic groups are more likely to experience problems with alcohol than people from white British backgrounds, particularly those from mixed, multiple ethnic groups and Asian, Asian British backgrounds.

But by moving away from the stereotypes about what people with alcohol problems look like and finding ways to talk about alcohol in all communities, we can reduce stigma and help people get the support they deserve.

Talking has actually been shown to be one of the most important ways to help someone who is struggling with alcohol. Whilst you can’t, and don’t have the right to, make them change, you can build a shared understanding of what they’re going through and the impact that their drinking might be having on you.

For any of us who are concerned about a friend or loved one’s drinking, knowing how and when to broach such a potentially difficult topic isn’t straightforward. There may never be the perfect time and it’s possible that, when we do talk with them about their alcohol use, there will be a lot of resistance and denial from them, especially at first. But by approaching the conversation with empathy, and using positive and supportive language, this could be a turning point in them developing a healthier relationship with alcohol going forward.

It’s true that research consistently shows us that the more alcohol we consume, the more harm we experience – not just those of us who drink, but also our children, partners, parents – in fact, our entire communities and our whole society.

It’s also the case that over 10 million of us are drinking alcohol in a way that can cause problems, affecting our health and impacting the people around us.

But it doesn’t have to be this way - we can change the centre-stage role that alcohol plays in our society and lives. By taking some time to learn more about the harms of alcohol and by supporting better national regulations to prevent these harms, we can make life better for us all.