WORK HARD, PLAY HARD is the motto many Hong Kong professionals live by. But is it all it's cracked up to be? Nursing the mother of all hangovers after an indulgent weekend isn't much fun on a Monday, and it's not an unfamiliar malady on weekdays during the festive season.
Despite the fact that most people know the price of too much booze, we may not always know what's too much - or how to best deal with the after-effects.
According to Hong Kong government guidelines, the daily alcohol limit for men is three to four units, and, for women, two to three units.
One unit is equal to eight grams of pure alcohol or, in pub speak, about half a pint of ordinary strength lager, beer or cider. Some lagers and pilsners such as Stella Artois are often stronger, and contain around three units per pint.
Wine is nearer 12 per cent alcohol, making a glass of wine closer to two units rather than one.
And don't be sucked in by the 'one glass of wine a day prevents disease' reports, says Ben Cheung, founder and senior medical officer of Kwai Chung Hospital's Alcohol and Substance Abuse Clinic. These findings aren't medically supported and are more likely to be the wine industry's attempt to cash in, he says.