While sunshine and alcohol seem like a match made in heaven to many of us, the combination can have some unexpected, and potentially harmful, effects on your health
We Brits are known for our love of a chilled bevvy as soon as the sun makes an appearance – be it a can in the park or a pint in the pub garden. However, while basking in the sun with a drink in hand may seem like the perfect summer scenario to many, this combination can have some surprising and potentially damaging effects on your health.
From accelerating dehydration to heightening your risk of sunburn and impairing judgement in the heat, the consequences of mixing sunshine and alcohol are more serious than most realise.
In light of Alcohol Awareness Week (July 7–13), the following advice from experts will help you – and us – understand exactly what impact drinking in the sun can have on our bodies, and have compiled some handy tips to help mitigate these risks.
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Dehydration
“Dehydration is the main culprit when it comes to consuming alcohol in the sunshine, leading to unpleasant symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, nausea and fatigue, and in some instances requiring medical intervention,” points out Dr Richard Piper, CEO of Alcohol Change UK.
Dr Ajay Bagga, senior GP leader at Nuffield Health, concurs and elaborates: “This is because alcohol functions as a diuretic, causing you to urinate more and lose vital fluids. Combine this with sweating from the heat, and the risk of dehydration escalates rapidly.”
On particularly hot days, Piper emphasises that the safest course of action is to abstain from alcohol entirely. However, if that’s not feasible, he suggests alternating between alcoholic drinks and water.
“This method, known as zebra striping, slows down our alcohol consumption and keeps us topped up with the fluids we need to prevent the dehydration double whammy of alcohol and hot weather,” explains Piper. “If it’s really hot, consider two glasses of water for one glass of alcohol.”
Bagga also suggests always having a refillable water bottle on hand during the summer months and taking regular sips, even if you’re not feeling parched.
Heat stroke and heat exhaustion
Heatwaves can be perilous in their own right – and adding alcohol into the equation can further heighten your risk of heat exhaustion or heat stroke.
“Alcohol impairs your body’s ability to sense and regulate temperature,” explains Bagga. “Combined with high heat, this can lead to heat exhaustion – or worse, heat stroke, which can be life-threatening.” To help mitigate this risk, try to stay in the shade during peak UV times, when the sun’s rays are at their most potent.
“Minimise this risk by avoiding alcohol during the hottest part of the day (typically 11am–3pm) and sticking to shaded or air-conditioned areas,” advises Bagga. “If you feel dizzy, confused, or nauseous, stop drinking immediately and seek shade, hydration or medical attention if needed.”
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Sleep
Excessive heat and alcohol can adversely affect both the quantity and quality of our sleep. “While the sleep-inducing effect of booze can help us drop off, alcohol suppresses the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) part of our sleep cycle, which makes for a less restful slumber,” says Piper.
“Put all of this together and we can wake up feeling more tired than when we went to bed; and with a sore head to boot. One of the most effective ways to prevent alcohol from wreaking havoc on our sleep is to stop drinking earlier in the day.”
“Stopping drinking earlier in the day and only having water after, say 9pm, can help prevent alcohol from playing too much havoc with our sleep in the hot weather,” said Piper, advising moderation for better Z’s. “We can also keep track of how much alcohol we’re consuming throughout the day using an app like Try Dry.
“By logging our drinks, we can see how many units we’ve consumed and decide to call time on our boozing and rehydrate earlier before we go to bed, hopefully enabling a more restful night’s sleep,” he adds.
Sunburn and skin damage
“Alcohol lowers your awareness, meaning you might forget to reapply sunscreen or stay in the sun too long,” warns Bagga, linking booze to increased risk of sunburn. “It also widens blood vessels, increasing your skin’s sensitivity to UV damage.”
The experts stress the importance of diligent sun protection: “Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher before heading out and reapply every two hours,” Bagga recommends, cautioning against overestimating cloud cover. “Don’t rely on clouds for protection, UV rays can still cause damage on overcast days.”
Impaired judgement and increased injury risk
“Many summer activities can involve physical movement and potential hazards such as water sports or rooftop gatherings,” Bagga points out. “Alcohol impairs coordination and decision-making, increasing the likelihood of accidents or injury.
“Minimise this risk by never mixing alcohol with swimming, boating, or cycling and keep at least one sober person in your group who can assist in case of emergencies.” Moreover, this summer could be the perfect opportunity to explore some non-alcoholic alternatives.
“While booze and hot weather might trigger associations for us, we don’t have to act on those associations like Pavlov’s dogs,” suggests Piper. “Enjoy a cold alcohol-free beer and keep drinking plenty of water, and you’ll feel a whole lot better.”
