{"id":25812,"date":"2020-03-31T11:37:54","date_gmt":"2020-03-31T07:37:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mauritiustimes.com\/mt\/?p=25812"},"modified":"2020-03-31T11:37:54","modified_gmt":"2020-03-31T07:37:54","slug":"coronavirus-its-tempting-to-drink-your-worries-away-but-there-are-healthier-ways-to-manage-stress-and-keep-your-drinking-in-check","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mauritiustimes.com\/mt\/coronavirus-its-tempting-to-drink-your-worries-away-but-there-are-healthier-ways-to-manage-stress-and-keep-your-drinking-in-check\/","title":{"rendered":"Coronavirus: it\u2019s tempting to drink your worries away but there are healthier ways to manage stress and keep your drinking in check"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Stress and boredom might see us drinking more alcohol at home in the coming weeks and months. But there are alternatives<\/span><\/h4>\n

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In these difficult times, it\u2019s not surprising some people are looking to alcohol for a little stress reduction. But there are healthier ways of coping with the challenges we currently face.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why do we drink more in a crisis?<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

People who feel stressed tend to\u00a0drink more\u00a0than people who are less stressed. In fact, we often see increases in people\u2019s alcohol consumption after\u00a0catastrophes\u00a0and\u00a0natural disasters.<\/span><\/p>\n

Although alcohol initially helps us relax, after drinking, you can feel even more anxious. Alcohol releases\u00a0chemicals\u00a0in the brain that block anxiety. But our brain likes to be in balance. So after drinking, it reduces the amount of these chemicals to try to get back into pre-drinking balance, increasing feelings of anxiety.<\/span><\/p>\n

People may also be drinking more alcohol to\u00a0relieve the boredom\u00a0that may come with staying at home without much to do.<\/span><\/p>\n

What happens when we drink more?<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

Alcohol affects your ability to fight disease<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Alcohol impacts the immune system, increasing the\u00a0risk of illness and infections.<\/span><\/p>\n

Although the coronavirus is too new for us to know its exact interaction with alcohol, we know from\u00a0other virus outbreaks\u00a0drinking affects how your immune system works, making us more susceptible to virus infection.<\/span><\/p>\n

So, if you have the coronavirus, or are at risk of contracting it, you should limit your alcohol intake to give your immune system the best chance of fighting it off. The same applies if you have influenza or the common cold this winter.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/span>It\u2019s easy to think, \u2018another won\u2019t hurt\u2019 when we\u2019ve already had a drink or two.<\/span>\u00a0Shutterstock<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

 <\/p>\n

Alcohol affects your mood<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

Drinking can\u00a0affect your mood, making you prone to symptoms of depression and anxiety.<\/span><\/p>\n

This is because alcohol has a depressant effect on your central nervous system. But when you stop drinking and the level of alcohol in your blood returns to zero, your nervous system becomes overactive. That can leave you\u00a0feeling agitated.<\/span><\/p>\n

Alcohol affects your sleep<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

Alcohol can disrupt\u00a0sleep. You may fall asleep more quickly from the sedating effects of alcohol, but as your body processes alcohol, the sedative effects wear off.<\/span><\/p>\n

You might wake up through the night and find it hard to fall back to sleep (not to mention the potential for snoring or extra nocturnal bathroom trips).<\/span><\/p>\n

The next day, you can be left feeling increasingly anxious, which can kickstart the process all over again.<\/span><\/p>\n

Alcohol affects your thoughts and feelings<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

Alcohol reduces our capacity to monitor and regulate our\u00a0thoughts and feelings.<\/span><\/p>\n

Once we start drinking, it\u2019s hard to know when we\u2019re relaxed enough. After one or two drinks, it\u2019s easy to think \u201canother won\u2019t hurt\u201d, \u201cI deserve it\u201d, or \u201cI\u2019ve had a huge day managing the kids and working from home, so why not?\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

But by increasing alcohol consumption over time, eventually it takes more alcohol to get to the same point of relaxation. Developing this kind of tolerance to alcohol can lead to dependence.<\/span><\/p>\n

Alcohol ties up the health system<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

Alcohol related problems also take up a lot of health resources, including\u00a0ambulances\u00a0and\u00a0emergency departments. People have more\u00a0accidents\u00a0when they are drinking. And drinking can increase the risk of\u00a0domestic and family violence.<\/span><\/p>\n

So an increase in drinking risks unnecessarily tying up emergency services and hospitals, which are needed to respond to the coronavirus.<\/span><\/p>\n

How to manage your alcohol consumption<\/span><\/h4>\n

Don\u2019t stock up on alcohol. The more you have in the house, the more likely you are to drink. Increased access to alcohol also increases the risk of\u00a0young people drinking.<\/span><\/p>\n

Monitor your drinking. If you are getting on board with the new\u00a0virtual happy hour\u00a0trend, the same rules apply if you were at your favourite bar.<\/span><\/p>\n

Try to stay within the draft\u00a0Australian guidelines\u00a0of no more than four\u00a0standard drinks\u00a0in any one day and no more than ten a week.<\/span><\/p>\n

Monitor your thinking. It\u2019s easy to think \u201cWhat does it matter if I have an extra one or two?\u201d. Any changes to your drinking habits now can become a pattern in the future.<\/span><\/p>\n

How to manage stress without alcohol<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

If you are feeling anxious, stressed, down or bored, you\u2019re not alone. But there are other healthier ways to manage those feelings.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you catch yourself worrying, try to remind yourself this is a temporary situation. Do some mindfulness meditation or slow your breathing, distract yourself with something\u00a0enjoyable, or practise\u00a0gratitude.<\/span><\/p>\n

Get as much exercise as you can. Exercise\u00a0releases brain chemicals\u00a0that make you feel good. Even if you can\u2019t get into your normal exercise routine, go outside for a walk or run. Walk to your local shops to pick up supplies instead of driving.<\/span><\/p>\n

Maintain a good diet. We know\u00a0good nutrition\u00a0is important to maintain\u00a0good mental health.<\/span><\/p>\n

Try to get as much\u00a0sleep\u00a0as you can. Worry can disrupt sleep and lack of sleep can\u00a0worsen mental health.<\/span><\/p>\n

Build in pleasant activities to your day. Even if you can\u2019t do the usual activities that bring a smile to your face, think about some new things you might enjoy and make sure you do one of those things every day.<\/span><\/p>\n

Remember, change doesn\u2019t have to be negative. Novelty activates the dopamine system, our pleasure centre, so it\u2019s a great time to\u00a0try something new.<\/span><\/p>\n

So enjoy a drink or two, but try not to go overboard and monitor your stress levels to give you the best chance to stay healthy.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Nicole Lee\u00a0<\/span>
\n<\/strong>Curtin University\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Genevieve Dingle
\n<\/strong><\/span>The University of Queensland\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Sonja Pohlman
\n<\/strong><\/span>University of Newcastle<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

* Published in print edition on <\/em>30 March 2020<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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