Stress makes Brits break New Year’s resolutions

Stress has forced more than a third of Britons to abandon their New Year’s resolutions to drink less alcohol by the second week of January.

More than a third of Britons have broken their New Year’s resolutions to drink less alcohol by week two due to stress

New research conducted for alcohol awareness charity Drinkaware by ICM Unlimited revealed that more than a fifth (22%) of people in the UK made a New Year’s resolution to consume less booze, but more than a third (35%) had already broken their pledge – or abandoned it completely – by week two.

The data highlighted the significant impact stress has on everyday life, suggesting that maybe some people use alcohol as a “crutch to cope”.

A total of 68% of women questioned reported feeling stressed on some, most or every day, compared to 58% of men, while more than half (57%) admitted to drinking to relax and unwind.

Meanwhile, 31% of women said they broke their resolution because it was too difficult to socialise without drinking.

“Although you may think alcohol helps relieve stress, regularly drinking above the guidelines could actually make you feel worse,” said Elaine Hindal, CEO of Drinkaware. “Even a couple of drinks can affect your sleep, leading to irritability and mood swings.

“We encourage people who do ‘take a break’ or cut down, to sue this as an opportunity to change their behaviour and, where necessary, moderate their drinking over the longer term.”

Earlier this week, experts warned alcohol adverts are “effectively” convincing consumers that alcohol is “essential to relaxation”.