Too much Christmas cheer?

Christmas is a time when the drinks flow freely- there are more parties than usual and the temptation is to overindulge a little.

After all, there are always New Year's resolutions!

Unfortunately, some people drink more than they usually would, and this can lead to problems.

Professor David Kavanagh from The University of Queensland School of Medicine has been studying the treatment of alcohol problems and offered a number of tips on staying in control over the festive season.

“Remember to drink plenty of water and to eat throughout the day- being thirsty or hungry puts you at higher risk of drinking too much alcohol, especially on hot days," Professor Kavanagh said.

“Try alternating alcoholic drinks with non-alcoholic drinks to slow you down, and keep track of how many drinks you are having so you won't overindulge by ‘accident'.

“If drinking over lunch and dinner, have a break for several hours in the afternoon”.

Professor Kavanagh and other researchers from The University of Queensland are currently offering treatment programs for people who have problems with alcohol use, including people who are depressed and drinking too much.

“These programs are free, because we want to test which treatments are going to work best,” Professor Kavanagh said.

“We are particularly excited about our program to help people deal with cravings, and we think it is likely to be a significant advance on the methods being used at present.”

Source: University of Queensland