What are the long-term effects of alcohol?

A man drinking a bottle of beer in his living room


Published June 2025
Expert contributor: Professor Nicole Lee, psychologist, CEO of Hello Sunday Morning, and Professor at the National Drug Research Institute Curtin University
Words by Donnay Torr

Drinking to unwind? Here are some of the long-term effects of alcohol on your body, mood, sleep and more – plus some simple ways to reduce your intake.


After a long day at work, it can be tempting to reach for a cold one to wind down. But many of us do that a bit too often. More than one in four adult Aussies and one in three young adults (aged 18 to 24) drink more than they should, and many don’t realise the long-term effects of alcohol on their health.

According to Professor Nicole Lee from the National Drug Research Institute Curtin University, there are various reasons for this habit. “There’s a whole culture and ritual built around drinking. It’s deeply woven into how we relax, connect with each other and cope. It’s kind of sold to us as a reward for a hard day’s work, and it’s also a social signal: ‘hey, we should catch up for a drink!’ All of which can make it hard to go without, even if you’re a light drinker,” she explains.

While enjoying a drink occasionally isn’t necessarily a problem, regular drinking can affect your physical and mental health in the long run. Whether you’re a tradie, shift worker or juggling a family, it’s worth knowing how to reduce alcohol intake for long-term wellbeing.

How much alcohol is too much?

When does a couple of drinks become one too many? According to Australian guidelines, healthy men and women should have:

  • no more than 10 standard drinks per week, and
  • no more than 4 standard drinks on any one day.

The truth is, there’s no such thing as a ‘safe’ level of drinking, but if the idea of going cold turkey seems daunting, even just cutting down can help you feel the benefits.

The benefits of quitting alcohol

Drinking can be a tough habit to break, says Prof Lee. “If your body’s gotten used to having alcohol on board every day, when you try to stop, it kind of goes ‘hang on, what’s going on here, give me some alcohol’, because that’s what it’s used to.”

But there are plenty of benefits to cutting back or quitting. “When people cut back or stop drinking, the first thing they notice is that they sleep much better and wake up fresher,” she says. “You’re also more hydrated, which improves your energy levels while going about your day, especially if you’re doing hard manual labour.”

You may even shed some kilos, since alcohol slows down your metabolism, impacts your gut health and is loaded with calories.  “I don’t think people realise that having two to three drinks is a whole meal’s worth of calories!”

The long-term effects of alcohol use

Over time, regular drinking takes a toll on your body and mind. It can:

It’s not just your body that feels the effects of drinking, the social impacts of alcohol are real, too. Regular or heavy drinking can cause risky behaviour and strain relationships with family and friends.

Knowing when it’s time to cut back

Drinking every day, finding it hard to stop or drinking more than planned are all signals that alcohol’s managing you, rather than you managing it, says Prof Lee. “Also, if you’re feeling tired, anxious or depressed – because alcohol can affect all of those things – or a drink’s the first thing you reach for to cope when you feel stressed, you probably want to take a look at your lifestyle and try to develop some other coping skills under those circumstances.”

Watch out for signs like:

  • trouble falling or staying asleep
  • constant tiredness
  • feeling more anxious or low than usual
  • strained relationships or missing out on things you used to enjoy
  • others (your family, friends or colleagues) being worried about how much you drink
  • feeling out of control with your drinking.

“If you’re worried about your drinking, then there’s probably something there to be worried about,” says Prof Lee. Check in with your GP to assess your drinking habits and figure out your next steps.

Tips for cutting back on your drinking

Ready to make changes to your drinking habits? Here are some tips on how to reduce alcohol intake.

  • ‘Zebra striping’: Alternating alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks can cut your alcohol intake by half.
  • Zero-alcohol beers and spirits: These can be good options if you’re trying to cut back and are easy to find at most bottle shops and some supermarkets. However, for some people, they may trigger cravings – so it’s best to avoid them if that’s the case.
  • Know your triggers: “If you know you’re going to have a stressful week or day, and you know that’s something that triggers you to reach for a beer, then plan something relaxing – that’s not alcohol – ahead of time,” suggests Prof Lee.
  • Keep it social, not boozy: Catch up for a surf session or a hike instead of beers at the pub.
  • Set rules: Count your drinks and commit to alcohol-free days.
  • Find support: Apps like Daybreak offer resources to help change your habits and likeminded communities to chat with, 24/7.

Many people find it helpful to take part in the “dry months”, says Prof Lee. Febfast or Dry July can be helpful to remove some of the social pressure to drink. “Often people will say, ‘I’m not drinking this month because it’s Febfast’, which is an external excuse everyone understands, and often approves of. By the end of it, many people feel so much better that they decide to keep going – and by then everybody is kind of used to you not drinking, and they stop bothering you.”

Looking for more health info?

Check out the latest articles on our Stay Well hub – your go-to place for all things health and wellbeing.


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