Middle-aged drinkers should have alcohol-free days, urges Public Health England

Days of abstinence each week would improve sleep and reduce risk of heart disease and cancers

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Middle-aged drinkers are being urged to have alcohol-free days as part of a new drive to improve health.

People aged between 45 and 65 are more likely than any other group to consume more than the recommended 14 units a week.

Public Health England says introducing regular days off – preferably two consecutively – will improve sleep while reducing the risk of heart disease, liver problems, cancers and high blood pressure.

Julia Verne, the body’s spokeswoman on liver disease, said: "Having a day off drinking gives you a chance to clean your system and give your liver a rest. It also has an immediate impact on your sleep and calorie consumption.

"People have also told us that the idea of a drink-free day is much easier to manage than cutting down, say, from one large glass of wine to a small glass of wine."

The Drink Free Days campaign – being run with the charity Drinkaware –has seen the development of an app to give people "practical daily support" to stick to a planned routine.

Duncan Selbie, chief executive of Public Health England said: "Many of u enjoy a drink - but whether it's a few in the pub after work a couple of times a week, some beers on the sofa watching the football or regular wine with our dinner - it's all too easy to let our drinking creep up on us.

"Setting yourself a target of having more drink-free days every week is an easy way to drink less and reduce the risks to your health.

"Our best evidence says try to make it consecutive two days if you can. It's not a target, it's not to go mad on the other five days, it's an achievable way of thinking about how to manage your levels of drink."

A previous poll of nearly 9,000 adults by YouGov suggested people would find cutting down on their drinking harder than improving their diet, exercising more or cutting down on smoking.

Elaine Hindal, chief executive with Drinkaware, said: "An increasing number of people, particularly middle-aged drinkers, are drinking in ways that are putting them at risk of serious and potentially life-limiting conditions such as heart disease, liver disease and some types of cancer."

The guidance of not exceeding 14 units of alcohol a week comes from the UK's chief medical officer - with a unit equivalent to a single measure of spirits or half a pint of average strength lager.