You have likely heard of Dry January when people choose to cut out alcohol after a month of excess in December and throughout Christmas and New Year. But, increasing trends are towards cutting back before a period of excess rather than after – hence Sober October.
Increasingly, younger generations are consuming less alcohol; it is thought, that Gen-Z drink, on average 20% less than Millenials, and they drink less than the previous generation. This behaviour may be because of economics, but the driving factor is likely an increased awareness of health, and the impact lifestyle factors have on mental and physical wellbeing.
But, with the above said, there are more than 600,000 dependent drinkers in the UK, and 24% of adults regularly drink over the government guidelines of alcohol units.
So, how do you go about Sober October?
- You might find an accountability app useful; the NHS has one, or you could try My Drinkaware or Dry Days. They often include info on how much cash you have saved – which can be a great motivator.
- You might find it helpful to chart your successes; people often find many of the below benefits from reducing/cutting out alcohol for some time:
Clear skin.
Weight loss.
Stable mood.
More money in the bank.
Better sleep, and it is easier to get up in the morning.
More energy in general; and for exercise and pastimes.
More present and willing to spend time with family and friends.
Clearer mind. An ability to keep up at work and embark on complicated tasks.
More tips:
- You may find it helpful to look at the month and see if you have any functions or events, that you want to attend, that may feel difficult whilst embarking on a ‘dry’ month. Then, make a plan to navigate them. You might tell people you are off alcohol, or you may prefer to go under the radar with soft or low-alcohol drinks.
- If your summer has been punctuated by BBQs, lazy pub lunches, weddings/events and ‘all you can eat/drink’ holidays, then you may find easing into autumn a somewhat dull affair. So, once again, it is back to the calendar to see what fun things you can add, that you’ve been meaning to get to that don’t require alcohol to be part of the mix.
If you don’t feel ready to commit to a completely dry month, you could still receive many wellness benefits from cutting down. In modern terms, this is often referred to; as being ‘sober-curious’. Many people achieve this by being pickier about when they choose to drink. So, if you went out for a nice meal on a ‘date night’ with your partner – you might have a glass of wine. But you might skip the few drinks on a random Wednesday at home on the sofa… In other words, make the drink ‘count’, and have it be more celebratory – rather than just a routine part of your day.
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