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?
Alcohol affects ability to study
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.
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.
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.
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.
You can assess your alcohol consumption by taking this test on alcohol use or this AUDIT test (Päihdelinkki.fi) on the risks of alcohol. The tests can help you determine whether your drinking is adversely affecting you.
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 (in Finnish) or contact the FSHS so that we can assess your need for treatment.
May Day festivities with the FSHS
The FSHS will be participating in various May Day events around the country. May Day will have a visible presence on our digital channels, on some campuses and at some service units.
Check out the FSHS’s May Day presence here:
Espoo, Aalto university
Otakaari 24, Tue 30 April from 11 am to 12 pm.
Joensuu, Karelia UAS campus
Tikkarinne 9, Tue 30 April from 11 am to 12.30 pm.
Jyväskylä, JAMK campus
Rajakatu 35, Thu 25 April from 12 pm to 1.30 pm.
Kajaani, KAMK
Kaffe Tauko, Tieto 1, Mon 29 April from 12.15 pm to 1.45 pm.
Kemi, Lapland UAS
Kauppakatu 58, kampuskierros, Mon 22 April.
Kouvola, XAMK Kouvola campus
Paraatikenttä 7, Tue 23 April from 10.30 am to 1 pm.
Kuopio, UEF Kuopio campus
Yliopistonranta 8, Wed 17 April.
Lahti, LAB Mukkula campus
Mukkulankatu 19, Tue 16 April from 12 pm to 2 pm.
Lappeenranta, LUT campus
Marathon Monday, Yliopistonkatu 34, Mon 22 April from 1 pm to 3.30 pm.
Mikkeli, XAMK Mikkeli campus
Patteristonkatu 3 D, Tue 23 April from 10.30 am to 1 pm.
Oulu, University of Oulu
Waaton aatto, Pentti Kaiteran katu 1, Mon 29. April from 12 pm to 2 pm.
Oulu, Oulu UAS
O´Diakos May Day appro, Yliopistokatu 9, Mon 29 April from 4 pm to 5 pm.
Rovaniemi, University of Lapland
Yliopistonkatu 8, Wed 17. April from 11 am to 1 pm.
Rovaniemi, Lapland UAS
May Day Market, Jokiväylä 11, Thur 18 April from 11 am to 2 pm.
Pori, Wapprobatur-event
Kirjurinluoto, Wed 24 April from 2 pm to 4 pm.
Seinäjoki, SeAMK campus
Kalevankatu 35, Tue 30 April from 10 am to 1 pm.
Tampere, Hervanta campus
Korkeakoulunkatu 7, Tue 30 April from 9 am to 12 pm.
Turku, Institute od Dentistry
Lemminkäisenkatu 2, Thu 11 April from 10 am to 1 pm.
Vaasa, Novia UAS, Alere
Wolffintie 31, Mon 29 April.
The celebration of May Day is a part of FSHS’ anniversary celebration
This year, FSHS turns 70 years. The May Day celebrations are part of our anniversary events.
Promoting the health of students in higher education has always been the FSHS’s key task. We address a range of health topics in our webinars and campaigns, and this time we encourage one to think of the affects of alcohol use.
