PEOPLE ARE MORE likely to hit the bottle on days they exercise more, typically Thursday to Sunday, according to research published in Health Psychology.
“Monday through Wednesday, people batten down the hatches and they cut back on alcohol consumption. But once that ‘social weekend’ kicks off on Thursdays, physical activity increases and so does alcohol consumption,” said David Conroy, lead author of the study.
The study used smartphone technology and self-reporting to measure the alcohol intake and physical activity in 150 study participants, ages 18 to 89. Because participants logged data daily, researchers believe their methods may be more accurate than those used in prior studies of alcohol and exercise.
Previous studies, which relied on monthly instead of daily self-reporting, found that physically active people tend to drink more alcohol. Conroy’s research did not support that finding.
The study did not look at what causes people to drink more on the days they exercises, but Conroy hopes to explore that topic in future studies.
“Perhaps people reward themselves for working out by having more to drink, or maybe being physically active leads them to encountering more social situations where alcohol is consumed – we don’t know,” said Conroy.
If your weekend long run coincides with an extra beer or two, remember to rehydrate with non-alcoholic beverages first.
