Chargin' up too much with friends?

Have you ever been out with friends and felt pressured to keep up with the heavy drinkers?

Professor Steve Allsop, director of the National Drug Research Institute at Curtin University, says that's peer pressure or influence at work.

"Peer influence is the most subtle and the hardest," he says.

"If you go out with heavy drinkers you tend to drink at their pace – and it’s not necessarily anybody putting your arm up your back."

This influence leads to people drinking more alcohol than they planned to and they're not always aware it's happening.  

"Excessive drinking can damage your health."  Read more here.

Professor Allsop says some people may find it hard to say no under these circumstances.  He does offer up this advice.

Seek help from your doctor

There are medications that can help you reduce your drinking, this is for people who become dependent.

Tell people that you can’t drink for health reasons.

Sometimes people find they can say ‘look I’ve got health problems and I can’t drink so much’  and that can be helpful.

Seek support

Look for support from Alcoholics Anonymous, friends who don’t drink or family members to help you deal with peer influence.    

Image: iStock.com/kzenon

Struck down by a summer cold or flu? Last thing you want is to feel sick again right?  

Did you know exposure to a viral infection increases your risk of pneumonia?  

There are other factors too, as explained in this pneumonia message from Professor Anne Chang at the Royal Children's Hospital in Brisbane.

Image:  iStock.com/icyimage

Do you find yourself drifting off to sleep at work or within the first few minutes of slouching on the couch?  

It may be a sign that your quality of sleep is poor.

Jade Pittard, a sleep specialist, says it may be linked a sedentary lifestyle as he explained here.   

Image:  iStock.com/blnd

The Stayin' Strong project is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health.

Read more here.