Alcohol

Excessive consumption of alcohol can affect many aspects of life, including health, finances, social relationships and ability to study. Alcohol affects the central nervous system and impairs concentration, memory, fine motor skills and sleep quality among others. All this has a negative impact on learning and ability to study. Long-term or heavy alcohol consumption can also cause serious health problems and lead to addiction. 

Alcohol affects health and ability to study 

You should be aware of the fact that even if you only drink on the weekends, your drinking may still affect your studies. The mental and physical tiredness that follows can still affect your ability to concentrate during the week. This in turn impairs your ability to study.  

When we’re hung over, alcohol metabolites – substances that are formed when alcohol breaks down in our body – impair our brain function. Being hung over causes most people to be more irritable, less flexible and less alert, making it difficult to concentrate on studying and taking care of ourselves. The headache that often comes with a hangover also has a negative effect on our ability to perform normal daily tasks. 

How much is too much? 

Some people are more affected by alcohol than others, and factors such as body weight influence alcohol absorption and how strongly it affects you. The moderate risk limit is 2 servings per day or 14 servings per week for a healthy mid-sized man, and 1 serving per day or 7 servings per week for a healthy mid-sized woman. One serving equals 0.33 litres of medium strength beer or cider, 12 cl of wine or 4 cl of hard liquor. 

It’s good for everyone to occasionally reflect on their alcohol consumption. You can assess your alcohol consumption by taking this test on alcohol use (Päihdelinkki.fi) or this AUDIT test (Päihdelinkki.fi) on the risks of alcohol. The tests can help you determine whether your drinking is adversely affecting you. 

Would you like to reduce your alcohol consumption?

Would you like to cut down on your drinking? Take a break, or maybe quit drinking entirely? Or are you perhaps wondering how alcohol might be affecting your ability to study? 

If you’re concerned about your drinking or notice it’s interfering with your studies, try these tips for cutting down or quitting: 

• Keep track – write down how often and how much you drink 
• Set limits – make a pact with yourself that you won’t drink before 6 p.m. / more than three servings during one outing / if you have studying to do the next day 
• Stick to the limits you set 
• Slow down – make it a habit to alternate alcoholic drinks with non-alcoholic ones 
• Be prepared for high-risk situations and temptations – plan how you can avoid drinking at a party or at the bar on the weekend if you don’t wish to drink 
• Remind yourself that there are other things you can spend your time doing

These tips are intended to help you cut alcohol consumption by yourself. 

If you’re concerned about your alcohol consumption, try Mentalhub’s self-help program to reduce alcohol consumption (Mielenterveystalo.fi) (in Finnish) or contact the FSHS so that we can assess your need for treatment.