Alcohol and your heart

Whether it's a barbecue with friends or a night at the pub, drinking is woven into Australian life. But, while the occasional drink is usually considered low risk, alcohol may be impacting your heart in ways you don't expect.

Drinking is a big part of Australian culture and an accepted norm. But when it comes to heart health, it's important to be aware of the risks.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD), which includes conditions like coronary heart disease, is the leading cause of death worldwide.¹ It can impact not only your heart, but your overall health and wellbeing.

Alcohol can damage your heart muscle and increase your risk of things like heart attack and stroke.

Drinking can also lead to heart disease by raising your risk for other connected conditions, like obesity, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure.

Other factors, like genetics, come into play too. If you have a heart condition or you're at risk of one, talk to your doctor about how alcohol may affect you.

According to the Heart Foundation, there's no safe amount of alcohol consumption for heart health.²

If you live with a heart condition and choose to drink, you should always follow Australian guidelines for alcohol consumption (which applies to all adults) as an absolute maximum. This includes:

• no more than 4 standard drinks in any one day
• no more than 10 standard drinks per week in total.³

That said, if you're living with a condition like atrial fibrillation or alcohol-related cardiomyopathy, your doctor will most likely advise you to cut out alcohol entirely.

People with heart conditions need to be extra-vigilant of how much alcohol they consume. Often, this comes down to understanding what one 'standard drink' is, as a single beverage can have more alcohol content that you realise.

A 425ml glass of full-strength beer (a schooner in most states), is usually equivalent to about 1.6 standard drinks, while your typical pour of wine often adds up to 1.5 standard drinks.

You may have been told that a glass of red wine each night can strengthen your heart, or that alcohol before bed can help you sleep.

The truth is, while red wine contains some heart-healthy properties (like antioxidants and polyphenols), the harm of alcohol outweighs any benefits it provides. You'll get far more nutritional benefit by maintaining a heart healthy diet that's rich in fruit, vegetables, protein and healthy fats.

Likewise, while alcohol can help you fall asleep, it's only a short-term effect. In reality, drinking leads to increased wakefulness at night, which means you won't properly rest and recover.

Instead of going to the pub to meet friends, mix things up with a coffee and a walk or an alcohol-free picnic. If you know there'll be alcohol at an event, try to have a plan in place that caps the amount you're going to drink, if any at all.

You might also tell your family and friends about your journey, which can help you stay accountable. If you're not ready to have those conversations, though, that's okay. Remember, you can always ask for a soda and lime at the bar, and nobody's going to be the wiser!

As well as reducing your intake, alcohol-free days can help to break habits that may have crept in over the years.

For instance, if you know you've got a stressful day coming up and you'd typically go home and open a bottle of wine after, interrupt that pattern by making this day one of your alcohol-free days. If you're struggling with stress, go for a walk or decompress in another way that doesn't involve drinking.

When it comes to maintaining a healthy heart, alcohol is only one part of the story. It's important to prioritise your overall physical health through exercise, balanced nutrition and proper rest.

Mental wellness looks different for everyone, but tried-and-true activities like meditation, breathwork or yoga might be just the ticket for you.

And remember, alcohol isn't cheap. By cutting back you'll be saving money, which you could even put towards another activity, like a monthly massage or trips to the sauna!

The Heart Foundation offers information, tools and support to help you reduce your risk and prevent or manage heart disease. They also provide information on the range of heart health checks available, guidelines on monitoring your cholesterol and blood pressure, and healthy living advice.

DrinkWise offers information, advice and tools to help you reduce your alcohol intake, including a standard drinks calculator so you can see how much you’re really drinking.