Wine every Evening?

[Busymum45]

I love a glass of wine most nights, normally one or two but more at weekends, is this ok or a bad sign ?! Try to have one or 2 wine free nights. I associate it with wind down and relaxation as have a busy life.

Is it unreasonable to want to drink wine every eve?

All would be great if it was only about the fun or relaxation that we get from substances that give us a hit of any sort, but this regular consumption causes damage , risk to your health and physical dependence because of the changes it causes.

tyRotter

1.5 bottles a week is about 14 units which is what the NHS recommends
. Only in MN - the NHS recommends....[drinking]

Its a shame that there are such risks associated with any alcohol consumption, like cancer.

MN most definitely isn't anti-alcohol as this thread is proving!

I don't know anyone in real life who drinks alcohol daily, some have a drink at the weekend but the majority only drink occasionally.

MN world on the other hand seems to actively promote using daily alcohol to de-stress and god forbid anyone suggests any alternative

I'm no alcohol prude, but in my honest opinion drinking every day is not good especially if you have to "try" to have drink free days....

I was drinking a similar amount/pattern a couple of years ago, leaning on alcohol to destress. I've completely cut it out (which wasn't easy to begin with) but feel so much better physically and mentally for it. I thought wine was helping me destress, but it was a bad habit and was actually making anxiety/sleep worse. I felt bloated and got fed up of having headaches in the morning.

I know stopping drinking isn't for everyone, but I think you're prudent to aim to cut down to Fri-Sun. I'd also try to make more of your evenings when you don't drink e.g. reading, exercise, a hobby. For me, this eventually showed me I was having a better time on the days and mornings after not drinking so it helped me drink less.

I do think in many scenarios not drinking is difficult in our society, compared to say continental Europe. I've moved on by finding alternative drinks like non alcohol lager, flavoured Fevertree tonic water (without the gin!) and serve it in a grown up glass to recreate the feeling of having an evening drink.

Admittedly I've had some difficult times recently and have used wine to block it all out

Don't let this become the norm. It's too easy to slip into habits like this especially with alcohol which is such a good release and such a bad enemy in time. Xx

Im happy to admit I may be in a habit and I want to break it.
Already bought my chocolate digestives for my cup of tea tonight whilst watching Hunted..!
I love to walk so will try and do more of that in the evenings Monday to Thursday, it's all too tempting otherwise to slump on the sofa with a glass.

Nothing wrong with that imo.I cant do it as I eat like a horse after half a glass and I'm trying to lose weight.

No one should “need” alcohol every day. I think it’s a slippery slope. Luckily I don’t care for it much so rarely have it.

Honestly, a glass of wine each night, not a big issue, as long as you can happily do without.

I used to have a beer every night. I’ve given up drinking in the week and it hasn’t bothered me one little bit. I do however drink most of the 14 units at the weekend though so probably a good job I don’t drink in the week.

It’s surprising how easily one can reach that 14 units.

@happymummy12345

A bottle a night is 60-70 units a week. Way over what the NHS recommends (14 units a week).

Whilst I think the mumsnet temperance movement - who think that drinking any alcohol at all will give you cancer instantly - are being ridiculous. I also think a bottle a night is exceptionally high and you are putting both your mental and physical health at risk.

I drink but only at weekends and I have no issues quitting for a month for dry January, or if I just feel like going on a health kick. So I’m not a Puritan but I do think you should read up on the damage you may be doing.
There is a good documentary on iPlayer with Adrian Chiles, maybe worth a watch to start with.

I’m really not meaning to sound judgey so please don’t take this the wrong way.

If your asking, then you have a problem. I think drinking every night is rather excessive to be honest... but then I’m not a fan of being tipsy.

Does one glass of wine have much relaxing impact, or is it just the association? I only ask, as it doesn't really for me (although I think it does for my DH).

I don't drink much anymore because any more than 2 glasses, and my sleep turns to crap, my reflux goes crazy, and I feel hungover the next day as a result without the fun of the night before .

I'ma also quite conscious of the hidden calories in a large glass of wine - I fight my sweet tooth all day (especially with a colleague that makes and brings in doughnuts regularly, my weak point!), so get quite cross if I "waste" my calories on wine when I could have had a doughnut .

Some of these posts could have been written by me!
A few yrs ago I would have a drink on a night out but never in the house....that became occasionally in the house at the weekend....then every weekend whether in or out....then started on a Thursday....then Thursday to Monday. It was only a glass a night, and I was having 2 consecutive alcohol free nights so probably all within recommended limits. But you can see the pattern there and it was because life was very stressful and I was relying on it to unwind.
Last year I did dry January, managed it but found it hard, however I realised towards the end of the month how much better I was feeling mentally. As the year went on, the pattern returned and by Christmas was back to where I started!
Fast forward to this year and I haven’t had a drink in the house at all, have had drinks when out socially, 6 occasions I think, and again I feel mentally and physically batter and have lots more energy. The desire to have a wine on the night is still there but after seeing what happened last year I’m resisting as the presence of the desire shows me there is still some dependency there.
So I am not in anyway anti alcohol, and it’s personal choice, but thought my experience might resonate/be helpful

Is it bad? No.

Is it healthy? Probably not. Have two dry nights a week.

I don’t know if you’ve mentioned your age OP (or anyone else who drinks every day / a lot at weekends) but your habits may naturally change when you turn 40 and get the dreaded plus 40 hangover, from one bloody glass of wine!

Dry January has destroyed what remained of my tolerance for alcohol. A couple of drinks now and I struggle to get up in the morning. Not hang over, just tiredness.

I haven’t drunk since last Saturday so I’m contemplating staying dry until my birthday at the end of the month. The fact that I don’t really want to suggests I probably should.

I want to get myself to the point where I just can’t be arsed to drink. My exh is an alcoholic, and while I’m a million miles away from the 180 units per week he’d boast about, I want to not drink at all, or at least very rarely.

Honestly, seeing the absolute state my exh has made of himself through drinking has put me off no end.

Hiya mid forties don't get a hangover at all and nothing on one or two glasses,feel.fine next day x

I think drinking every night, regardless of quantity, is excessive.

You must have a stronger constitution than me @Busymum45

I think those being over dramatic with talk of temperance and instant cancer with insults like ridiculous don't help anyone and should go have a drink.

NHS don't recommend you drink 14 units a week (thats how alcoholics talk!). Its a recommended limit to keep below and often misquoted.

Alcohol has serious health implications physical and psychological.

Very many live very happily without it and are very astute, and highly intelligent people, a growing number of the youngers especially.

I only voted YABU because you won't be doing your liver a favour.

That said OP, a glass or two a day is MUCH better than binge drinking every friday night. Good for you for making the changes :) There are some pretty ok alcohol free wines on the market if that might fill the hole while you break the habit.

I come from a wine-producing culture where it would be almost inconceivable not to have wine with dinner. In my home town nearly all of the restaurants include half a litre of wine with their set lunch - and many of these are places which you can only reach by car!

I have wine with dinner most nights. Sometimes it's as much as half a bottle, others I'll simply decant some into a quarter-litre carafe from a bag-in-box. That 250ml will give three small glasses. To me it's deeply ingrained that this is an integral part of a meal, in the same way you wouldn't really eat toast without butter.

That said, while I might have a beer or something while cooking, it's actually quite rare that I drink apart from mealtimes; I certainly wouldn't sit in a pub for hours knocking them back on a night out. I've also read anecdotally that alcoholism is rife amongst SAHDs - I've been very aware of watching what I drink, and I've never once thought of reaching for the gin mid-afternoon if DD has been causing chaos.

I'll have a dry night perhaps three or four times a month, often when I'm at evening meetings as part of my voluntary work. I'm quite comfortable with my drinking levels, although according to the guidance I'm probably at or beyond the upper end of what's considered tolerable.

I have wine or gin every evening. I'm single so I drink alone. If I open a bottle of wine I'll happily drink half. I know I should drink less but it's my way of chilling out.

I like your plan. Not sure what to vote but I think your idea is the right one.

Thoroughly enjoyed my tea and biscuits this evening!

I love fizzy drinks, I can't cope with caffeine after aboit 3pm though. So I have sparkling water to hand with a dash of cordial and lots of ice, in a gin balloon glass.

This evening I accompanied it with a packet of foam bananas and shrimps that I'd squirrelled away from my marauding hoardes of 2 children.

Chin chin!