Have you heard of Sober October? Cutting back on your drinking or abstaining completely this month can boost your health and bring you clarity.
What is Sober October?
Like Dry January, Sober October has its roots in the UK. It started in 2014 as a challenge to raise money for a cancer charity, and many people still think of it as a fundraising challenge (like the way some men don’t shave in November to raise funds for men’s health). For others, though it’s an opportunity to test the waters of sobriety, to give their drinking a reset before the holiday season begins, or to spend a month focusing on their health and well-being.
What can you get out of Sober October?
Can giving up alcohol for a single month make a positive impact in your life? Yes, actually! Research shows that after just thirty days of stopping drinking, your body can experience benefits such as:
- Supported heart health
- A healthier liver
- Reduced risk of some cancers
- Weight loss
- Clearer focus
- Better sleep
These benefits will be more significant for people who were heavier drinkers before stopping, but even people who are fairly moderate drinkers can notice some benefits of taking a break, including:
- Saving money spent on alcohol. (The NIAAA Rethinking Drinking site has a calculator to help you add up how much you spend on alcohol.)
- Finding healthier coping tools and ways to de-stress.
- Enjoying non-drinking activities with friends and family.
And if you do choose to do Sober October as a fundraising challenge, you will also have the benefit of making community connections with others doing the challenge, and the joy of supporting a worthy cause.
How can you make it through all of October alcohol-free?
Some people find cutting out (or reducing) their alcohol consumption pretty easy, but for others of us, it’s more difficult. Here are some strategies to survive a month without alcohol:
- Talk to your medical team if necessary: If you’re drinking more than 3-4 drinks a day, or over 7-10 drinks a week, talk with your doctor before you quit drinking entirely. Alcohol withdrawal can be unpleasant and even life-threatening. Your healthcare provider can walk you through the best steps to quit drinking (or cut back) safely.
- Find a team: Any lifestyle change is harder alone! Let your friends and family members know you’re participating in Sober October, and ask them not to pressure you to drink. But don’t stop there; find a group of participants to connect with. There are non-drinking mutual support groups all over, and also Sober October communities in person and online.
- Manage stress: If you typically unwind with alcohol in the evening, it’s important to find other ways to relieve stress. Take up meditation, try a new workout, or give yourself permission to watch a favorite show and do nothing else, guilt-free, for an hour.
- Explore alcohol-free beverages: Break your habit of reaching for booze by finding alcohol-free drinks that you enjoy. Luckily, going alcohol-free is gaining in popularity and there are many non-alcoholic beverages out there to try. Try whipping up a mocktail instead of a cocktail.
- Focus on the goal: If you’re reducing or eliminating alcohol in October, that doesn’t mean you have to go on a hardcore health kick. Giving up everything “unhealthy” can make you feel really virtuous (and a little superior) for a little while, but then you may start to feel resentful and deprived … which often leads folks to give up on the challenge. So set your goal around drinking, and make that your priority.
Whether Sober October is a health cleanse, a fundraiser, or an experiment for you, reducing alcohol consumption can increase your physical and mental health. Pay attention to how you feel when you’re alcohol-free. If you go back to your previous levels of alcohol consumption in November, keep paying attention so you can notice how drinking actually affects your mood, health, pocketbook, and relationships. Being self-aware can help you in October, and all year round.