Drinkers in England have been urged to make September the new January and go dry for the month.
The idea is being floated by the Department of Health after new research by the Know Your Limits campaign revealed that over a quarter of holidaymakers (27%) drunk three times or more than usual while on holiday.
On a typical 10-day summer holiday that equates to 80 alcoholic drinks, which could be 80 pints of beer (227 units), 80 large glasses of wine (240 units). The NHS recommends not to exceed 2-3 units a day.
The survey showed that 19% have pledged to take two days off a week from drinking in September, 16% have vowed to stop drinking between Monday and Thursday and 12% plan to go completely dry for the month. A further 22% said they are going out less generally because of the economic climate/.
"It's all too easy to slip into the habit of drinking too much on holiday," said Public Health Minister Gillian Merron. "And it's always hard to get back into a normal routine. But we should try to use September as the new January and make a pledge to be a little more healthy.
"Sticking within the NHS's recommended daily limits means you reduce your risk of serious conditions such as liver disease, cancer and stroke."
Dr Chris Steele MBE added: "Most of us want to let our hair down on holiday and tend to drink more, as we socialise most nights without worrying about how we'll cope with work the next morning.
"But, it's worth taking a moment on your return to think about what you've been drinking in terms of your health. Take advantage of feeling relaxed post-holiday and commit to take care of yourself a bit more."