Alcohol and sun can be a dangerous cocktail

Whilst enjoying ourselves outdoors is great for our health and wellbeing it is important to stay aware of the dangers of mixing too much alcohol with hot and sunny weather.

Dr Amanda Jones, NHS Suffolk Deputy Director of Public Health said:
“Enjoying a drink outdoors is a great summer treat for many of us, however it’s important to recognise that alcohol has a dehydrating effect, meaning it makes you thirsty and encourages you to drink even more alcohol. Drinking too much can leave you feeling woozy and sick and ready to pass out, or even cause a heart attack.

It’s easy to make summer 2010 more enjoyable by:

– Keeping a close eye on how much alcohol you drink. Don’t be tempted to drink more alcohol to quench your thirst
– Staying alert to hefty home measures
– Drinking soft drinks such as fruit juice or water
– Making time to eat – food will slow down the effects of any alcohol you drink
– Alternating alcoholic drinks with water

Dr Jones added: “Those long summertime alcoholic drinks with plenty of ice may look tempting – just be careful of how much alcohol they contain as you could be drinking a lot more than you think. And if you’ve had a drink, be careful you don’t fall asleep in the sun as you could end up with sunburn. Remember the sunscreen..”

For more information about NHS Suffolk visit www.suffolk.nhs.uk