A new study conducted by the University of Pittsburgh proved there is a link between alcohol and weather. The research revealed people tend to drink more when the weather gets colder and the days are shorter.
The study published in the journal "Hepatology" showed the number of people drinking and affected with liver disease increase as the temperature falls and the sun shines little. The deaths from liver cirrhosis even rise among 25 to 34-year-old adults, per the South China Morning Post.
University of Pittsburgh Medical Centre senior author and chief of hepatology Ramon Bataller said that people who live in colder places tend to drink more alcohol because it makes them feel warm. People living in hot places, on the other hand, may feel uncomfortable or easily feel light-headed when drinking alcohol.
Shorter days and longer nights can also make depression worse that may increase the temptation to drink more, though alcohol is said to be a depressant. Now that the correlation between drinking and weather is confirmed, Bataller suggested officials may direct resources to the regions at the highest risk to reduce the damage. He also added that people with a family history of alcoholism who have an option to move in a place should opt to live in a warmer country to avoid the temptation to drink.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that almost 6 percent of deaths recorded worldwide have something to do with the wrong consumption of alcohol. Bustle added environment is not the only thing to blame when it comes to heavy drinking.
Religion and socioeconomic status also play a role in how people tend to drink. As the study only showed correlations, it didn't reveal the causations.
So if the individuals find themselves drinking more when the weather is cold, they have the options to save themselves. They can talk to a mental health counselor to ask how they can avoid alcohol when the condition is freezing - especially if they have a history of substance abuse.
They can also try to create a new exercise routine to avoid the winter's "mood-lowering effects" or "seasonal affective disorder." University of Michigan Depression Center noted that seeing and feeling the sunlight by keeping your blinds or windows open can help people deal with the seasonal affective disorder.
It is fine to drink a glass or two of wine on holidays and special occasions. But if people find themselves tend to drink more and it gets uncontrollable, they should ask for professional help.
