Alcohol is a legal substance in the United States, as long as you’re 21 or older and following the rules. However, that doesn’t mean it’s safe. There are a myriad of health problems related to alcohol use, particularly excessive drinking. In fact alcohol is the reason for 88,000 deaths in the United States annually and its use is linked to an increased risk of some of the most deadly forms of cancer.

Alcohol can cause social and legal problems. It’s frequently cited as a reason for divorce, people lose their jobs over, and it can cause people to be arrested for public intoxication, driving under the influence and other charges related to alcohol use.

Even if you’re not at the point where you see significant problems in your life as a result of drinking, is it time to cut down? This is something a lot of people ask themselves, and the following are some things to keep in mind if it’s something you’re weighing.

If You Do Get in Legal Trouble, You’ll Likely Have to Pay a Criminal Defense Lawyer

With drinking-related charges and in particular more serious ones like DUI, you are more than likely going to have to hire a criminal defense attorney. That can cost an average of $2,000 for the retainer, and some lawyers also charge $300 an hour.

The more heavily you drink, the more likely you are to be involved in a legal situation where you’re charged with an offense.

Of course, even if you aren’t facing the high costs of legal charges, drinking can be a significant expense in your life. Saving money might be a good incentive to stop.

Depending on how much someone drinks in a month, it can cost hundreds of dollars a month. That could go toward anything from paying off debt to taking a great vacation.

Increased Productivity

You may not necessarily have a problem with drinking, but could it be affecting your productivity in your daily life, even a little? Drinking even occasionally might lead you to feel less than optimal which can affect things like your work and your health.

You might be able to work harder and be more focused if you were to cut down on drinking or stop altogether, and you might also be able to dedicate more time and energy to work out and take better care of your body.

Think about how much time you actually spend drinking and how much time you spend dealing with the after-effects as you decide whether or not you should stop or cut down.

Are You Experiencing Problems with Sleep or Sexual Dysfunction?

There is a myriad of health problems that can come along with drinking, even a moderate amount. Two that you might not necessarily think about are sleep disturbances and sexual dysfunction.

First, while alcohol might initially make you feel sleepy, it often impedes quality sleep. If you’re sleeping but waking up and not feeling refreshed, or noticing that your sleep isn’t as good quality as it could be, you might want to think about your alcohol intake. So often people are surprised to see the link between alcohol and insomnia—in some cases, severe insomnia.

Sexual dysfunction can also stem from alcohol use, and if it’s something you’ve started noticing happening in your life, evaluate your use of alcohol.

There are many other health conditions linked to alcohol consumption ranging from mild to severe. Some of the milder but still troubling health conditions include vitamin deficiency, IBS and reflux. Many people realize that after they give up drinking, conditions they thought were chronic begin to get better or disappear.

Not Drinking Can Help You Maintain or Repair Relationships

When you’re drinking, even a little, it can lower your inhibitions. This may make you more talkative or lively, but it can also cause problems in relationships that are important to you. You may say or do things that you wouldn’t normally if you weren’t drinking and it can take a huge toll on relationships. You may not even realize how much drinking affects your relationships.

If you feel like a relationship with a friend, a family member or a spouse or partner is facing challenges you might want to evaluate what role alcohol could play in that.

Giving up alcohol isn’t for everyone, but there are plenty of good reasons to reduce or quit alcohol, from financial benefits to interpersonal benefits. If you can cut down or stop altogether, it might improve your entire quality of life.

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