Are you ready to cut down on alcohol and lead a healthier life? Making this change can bring about huge benefits, especially for men over 50. Let’s take a look at why reducing alcohol is so important, as is answering the question “how do you stop drinking in practical ways?”.
“Worldwide, 2.6 million deaths were attributable to alcohol consumption in 2019, of which 2 million were among men and 0.6 million among women.”[1] |
Why You Should Cut Down on Alcohol
1. Protect Your Heart and Blood Vessels
If you drink too much it can harm your heart, which leads to high blood pressure and an irregular heartbeat. As time passes, it increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes [2]. However, by cutting back, you can help your heart stay strong and your blood vessels flexible.
2. Boost Your Brain Health
Too much alcohol can shrink brain cells and impact neurotransmitters, the chemicals that transmit signals in your brain. This disruption affects memory, coordination, and mood. By drinking less you can keep your mind sharp by preserving your brain function [3].
3. Improve Liver Function
Alcohol is among many toxins your liver processes. With heavy drinking these toxins can lead to fatty liver disease, hepatitis, or cirrhosis [4]. By reducing alcohol intake your liver cells are able to regenerate and function properly.
4. Strengthen Your Immune System
Alcohol interferes with the production of white blood cells which makes it more difficult to fend off infections [5]. By not drinking alcohol or drinking less than you do, you can improve your body’s defenses against viruses and bacteria.
5. Enhance Gut Health
Drinking alcohol can disrupt the balance of good bacteria in your gut. This imbalance affects digestion and can even affect your physical and mental health [6]. Reducing alcohol consumption can provide for a healthy gut microbiome and improve your overall health.
6. Maintain Hormonal Balance
Testosterone in men over 50 naturally declines with age. Alcohol can cause greater decline by affecting hormone-producing glands [7]. By drinking less you can better maintain muscle mass, energy levels and youthfulness.
7. Better Sleep Quality
You may think drinking alcohol before will help you sleep since it often makes you feel sleepy but you would be wrong. Alcohol actually interrupts the REM stage of sleep leading to poor quality sleep [8]. This, in turn, leaves you feeling tired the next day. If you want a good night’s sleep, reducing alcohol will improve your sleep pattern.
8. Achieve a Healthy Weight
It is easy to gain weight while drinking alcohol as it is loaded with empty calories and sugars. By reducing consumption you can cut calorie intake, lose weight and decrease fat levels. This can also reduce your chance of getting type 2 diabetes.
9. Improve Mental Health
Drinking alcohol can increase feelings of anxiety and depression [9]. So, by drinking less you improve your mood and are better able to handle stress.
“In 2019, 52% of men were current drinkers, while only 35% of women had been drinking alcohol in the last 12 months” [10]. |
How Do You Stop Drinking? Practical Tips
Set Clear and Realistic Goals
You need to decide how important alcohol is to you and how much you want to reduce drinking. This can involve limiting the number of drinks per week or avoiding alcohol during the weekdays. Set a goal that you feel you can reach.
Keep a Drinking Diary
Like any goal you should track when and how much you drink as well as the circumstance for drinking. This helps you understand your patterns of drinking and what triggers you to fall off track.
Find Healthy Alternatives
When out with your friends, replace alcohol with non-alcoholic drinks you may enjoy. Try sparkling water with fruit juice, an alcohol free cocktail (mocktail), or even a soda instead. To keep yourself honest, volunteer to be the designated driver so that you know others depend on you.
Stay Active and Engaged
Exercise boosts endorphins, which improves your mood and decreases alcohol cravings. Try working out, go jogging or even take your dog for a walk.
Seek Support from Friends and Family
Let your friends and family know about your decision. The encouragement you get from them can make a huge difference. You may even find others are interested in reducing or eliminating alcohol and can share your journey.
Avoid High-Risk Situations
Understand the situations where you are likely to drink too much and plan how you will handle them. This could mean not going to certain events or finding ways to enjoy them without alcohol.
Try Mindfulness and Stress Reduction Exercises
Practice techniques like deep breathing, meditation or even recording your thoughts in a journal to help manage stress without relying on alcohol. Visualising optimum scenarios without alcohol may also help.
Celebrate Your Successes
Reinforce success in reaching your milestone by telling yourself you can do anything. Reward yourself with something that matters to you. This can help keep you motivated and provides positive reinforcement.
“Compared to beer consumption, liquor had an approximately two and a half times greater effect on biological aging. Daily consumption of liquor for five years was associated with a four-month acceleration in biological aging, so if you drink liquor daily for 15 years, your biological age will be one year older” [11]. |
Little-Known Fact: Alcohol and Neuroplasticity
Too much drinking can reduce your brain’s neuroplasticity, which is the brain’s ability to create new neural connections. This has a large impact on learning and memory. By cutting down on alcohol you can keep your brain’s ability to adapt and grow intact.
The Impact of Alcohol on Men Over 50
As we get older we process alcohol differently. If you are a guy over 50 you may have greater effects from drinking, which may increase the risk of accidents and health issues. You benefit from improved energy, greater concentration and more reliable health with reduced alcohol consumption.
Start Today to Cut Down on Alcohol
The choice to cut down on alcohol is yours but can provide a healthier happier you as a result. In addition, the benefits of doing so are immense, from protecting your heart, to boosting your brain. Review the benefits of and techniques to cutting down on alcohol in this article and experience positive change in your life.
If you are ready to begin taking control of your health, begin by setting goals, starting today. Also you should strongly consider joining a support group such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or speak with a healthcare profession for suggestions. Remember, small steps compound towards a better life for you and those around you.
Why wait? Begin your journey now and feel the difference.
Check out Benefits of Drinking Water For Better Health.
…
The content does not substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the support and guidance of your physician when you are unsure about any health issues.