Our opinions and attitudes towards alcohol and drinking are often formed from a young age. Watching our parents and relatives’ relationships to alcohol often shapes how we think about, and interact with it throughout our own lives. It may fall anywhere along the spectrum; a casual, occasional drink after work, to extreme party mode where one drink leads to another, then…beyond. Before you know it, some bad decisions are made, followed by deep regret, an Advil, an ice pack, and a solemn pledge to ‘NEVER drink again’ (an oath always made in the harsh light of a hangover).

Society itself has placed drinking in two very clear categories: a main ingredient in having a good time or the potential for serious trouble.

But it doesn’t have to be this extreme.

We know about Dry January & Sober October challenges, which are solid ways to reset after holiday fun, food and drinks. But do we have to go completely dry? It depends…

Mindful drinking takes us to a more meditative place. A place where we can stop and think about not only what we’re drinking but how we’re drinking.

Often drinking becomes almost a default action; one drink tastes like one more and then one more. Mindful drinking allows us to take a breath and a moment to reevaluate our relationship with alcohol; recognizing the reasons for, and consequences of our drinking behavior.

So What Exactly is Mindful Drinking?

Mindful drinking is a shift in consciousness centered between a proactive choice to pursue a healthier lifestyle without having to completely give up drinking. Sober curiosity is another term meaning actively tracking and managing your drinking behavior. More and more attention is being paid to this on social media creating a groundswell of participation and activity. Each sober curious influencer has a story to share. The beer, wine & spirits industry is paying attention: they’re creating more and more lo-alcohol products, and sponsoring a steadily increasing number of dry events. Join the buzz without getting a buzz!

But rather than going cold turkey, mindful drinking is the ability to create space for real change – physically, mentally and financially. It helps pull focus to health and wellness rather than deprivation.

Benefits of Mindful Drinking:

Improved sleep – alcohol can disrupt deep sleep, causing you to wake unrested, and tired. Cutting back, and stopping drinking at least two hours before bedtime can improve your quality of sleep.

Anxiety Reduction – High alcohol consumption causes hormonal imbalances that can increase anxiety. Decreasing about 30% drinking within 30 days can lead to reduced anxiety, and better sleep.

Lower blood pressure – Cutting back to a per day total of 1 drink (for women) and 2 drinks (for men) can help decrease both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

Healthier liver, healthier brain – modest lower alcohol intake can lower fat build up in the liver, and increase focus and clarity in mental energy, higher cognitive performance and greater motivation.

Weight Management – With an average of 125 calories per drink, a small reduction in alcohol intake can make a big impact.

How to Begin:

Often we find ourselves in social situations where we want to cut back drinking but old habits can die hard. Here are some tips to help keep you on track.

Be kind, yet decline – have a plan and stay with it.Even if you’re offered another drink, politely decline. If you get lots of questions from friends, (and, at first, you will) thank them and redirect the conversation. Drinking is a personal choice, no one should feel ashamed of refusing a drink, even with close friends or family. Keep your goals a priority.

Be aware of triggers for unhealthy drinking – sometimes social or family events can bring on unsettled feelings triggering the need to overindulge. Mindful drinking can help us recognize those triggers so we an be empowered to make conscious choices about our drinking habits even in sticky situations.

Alternate with water – 1:1 ratio – this can become a consistent, positive habit; always having a large glass of water between drinks.

Taste the drink – often, we don’t slow down to truly enjoy what’s in our glass. Take a moment to really see how it looks, smells and tastes. Sip slowly, considering the flavors and nuances of what you are drinking, and enjoy the experience.

Aim for small wins – focus on what you can do. Setting a goal of cutting back one drink per event is attainable rather than setting an unrealistic goal, and then feeling overwhelmed. Slow and steady wins this race. And you might occasionally indulge a bit more than you wanted. It happens. Just be kind to yourself, set your goal for the next event, and don’t give up.

As you head into party season, being mindful of how you drink can help make your holiday celebrations (and the morning after) a little brighter.

Cheers!

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