The average Brit hits the bottle at 7.11pm on a weekday night, a study found today.
Research revealed a stressful day at work leaves the typical adult reaching into the fridge for a cold alcoholic beverage just an hour and 25 minutes after arriving home.
Almost three quarters of us believe we need a drink to 'unwind'. Incredibly one in five people admitted they drink 'too much'. And wine has now taken over from lager as our favourite evening tipple.
Incredibly, one in five people admitted they drink 'too much'
Lawrence Christensen, Head of Communications for leading mutual healthcare provider Benenden Healthcare Society, which commissioned the study among 3,000 Brits, said: "Whilst we are seeing a positive change in British drinking habits, it is still clear from these results that alcohol forms a major part of routine daily behaviour.
Health concerns
"Current government guidelines recommend a maximum of three to four units of alcohol per day for men and two to three units per day for women. But it can often be forgotten that just one large glass of wine can place you at this maximum in one go, and successive drinks on a regular basis can give rise to health concerns.
"It can be worrying if regular alcohol consumption forms a routine habit, which then becomes hard to break out of. With three quarters of Brits believing that they need a drink in order to unwind, we should encourage alternatives.
"There are many activities that we can undertake at the end of a long hard day's work - including taking on a new fitness or health regime, having a relaxing bath or reading a good book. This can be cheaper and definitely more beneficial to longer-term health.
"But Brits need to keep a careful eye on themselves to ensure that they are not reliant on alcoholic drinks as part of a day-to-day routine."
The report found four out of 10 adults regularly crack open a bottle of alcohol on a workday evening. It also revealed the extent to which pubs are no longer seen as the ideal venue for a pint or two, with just 6% heading to their local boozer after work.
Worryingly, one in six said they drink alcohol in the evening 'out of habit', while a similar number said it was 'escapism'.
One in six also said they opened a bottle 'to help them forget their day'. Almost one in 10 said they needed one to help them 'get to sleep'.
Thursday and Friday nights emerged as the booziest nights of the week, with one in four drinking on a Thursday and almost seven out of 10 boozing on a Friday night.
One in six said they found themselves reaching for a refreshing beverage on a Monday night, while one in five drink on a Wednesday. One in four said they struggled to go a week without a drink. One in 10 said they wouldn't last three days.
The study also found the average adult consumes around 11 alcoholic units - the equivalent of 11 small glasses of wine or just over five pints - per week.
Alarmingly, one in 20 said they knock back more than 20 units at the weekend alone. And while the average Brit has downed 11 units in one sitting, a quarter have had 20 or more.
No fun
The magnitude of Brits' drinking habits also came to light. A quarter have had to cut back on the amount they drank because they realised it was becoming too much, while 4% said they 'can't have fun if they don't drink'.
Another 13% said they 'drink to get drunk' rather than have a tipple because they enjoy it. One in six reckon their partner downs too much alcohol, but after approaching them about it, ended in a row for three in 10. One in 10 would keep quiet for fear of their reaction.
Dr. Tony Williams, Occupational Health Physician at Benenden Hospital in Cranbrook, Kent commented on the results of the study and the health implications of consuming too much alcohol.
He said, "While the majority of the population drink sensibly, a large number consume hazardous levels of alcohol leading to 30,000 to 40,000 excess deaths a year in UK. In many cases they are entirely unaware that their drinking is causing substantial harm, particularly binge drinkers who limit their consumption to weekends.
"Hazardous drinking leads to 863,300 hospital admissions a year, and costs the country £22bn tp £55bn a year.
"Drinking more than an average of three to four units a day for men, and two to three units a day for women can cause significant harm, and binge drinking is classed as over around six units in a day for women and eight for men.
''Many wine glasses hold three units of alcohol, so a single large glass a night can be harmful for women. Excess alcohol does not lead to good sleep, and alcohol is a depressant, so regular excessive drinking prevents refreshing sleep and causes low mood and clinical depression.
"Twenty-first century lifestyles can be stressful, but there are much better ways to ease stress after a hard day's work. Going for a run, training in the gym or walking the dog will ease stress and bring major health benefits.
"Drinking at home has increased substantially, and this encourages children to drink and gives them easy access to alcohol. Hospital admissions and alcoholic liver damage in children has seen a worrying increase in recent years."
