You’ve heard of Dry January, but what about Sober September? After a big summer that’s full of opportunities to drink on patios, vacation, and at barbeques, many people feel like they need a reset from all the partying and alcoholic beverages.
There’s a growing movement of celebrity trendsetters rethinking the amount of alcohol they put into their bodies. Like them, you might be so amazed at the benefits of a single month without alcohol that you find yourself wanting to extend your sobriety!
Sober or not, it’s never good to show up at a party empty-handed! Thankfully, we’ve got you covered all Sober September long with our non-alcoholic wines. They have all the flavor wine lovers crave without breaking your sobriety streak!
Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Rosé
$24.99
Award-winning non-alcoholic California sparkling rosé with crisp, light notes of strawberry, peach & raspberry. Rosé all day without the hangover.TASTING NOTES: Flavors of soft strawberry, peach, and raspberry notes are balanced with a light acid for a full finish.FOOD PAIRINGS:… Read More
From improved health to tasty alternatives, there are many reasons to try this one-month sobriety challenge. We’ve compiled some compelling benefits and the best tips to get started.
Table of Contents
7 Benefits of Not Drinking Alcohol
6 Tips For Sober September Success
7 Benefits of Not Drinking Alcohol
For Sober September participants, reevaluating drinking habits can yield surprising benefits that include weight loss and discovering delicious new non-alcoholic drinks.
Here are the top 7 benefits of not drinking alcohol during your month-long hiatus:
Feeling Refreshed
There’s no avoiding the fact that alcohol is a toxin. When you give your body a month to detox, you might be surprised at just how good you feel without the effects of alcohol.
This is partially true since alcohol has seriously negative effects on your sleep. When you skip it for a month, you’ll likely feel more rested.
Some Sober September participants also report feeling less cravings for caffeine and better performance during workouts.
Creating a New Normal
Let’s face it: At some point, going out to happy hour after work or having a glass of wine with your friends becomes a habit, not a conscious decision. A month without alcohol can give you the reset you need to reevaluate how and if you want to return to drinking.
Whether you’ve been drinking a lot habitually for a decade or started binge drinking during the pandemic, now is a great time to reset those unhealthy habits.
Finding New Favorites
Most people have a go-to order at the bar. But when was the last time you branched out into the world of refreshing, non-alcoholic drinks? There are so many options these days, including alcohol-free sparkling wines, innovative mocktails, and delicious non-alcoholic beers.
You may just find your new favorite hangover-free beverage while you’re participating in Sober September!
Losing Weight
There are many reasons why cutting out alcohol helps you lose weight, including reduced caloric intake, less sugar consumption, and more energy for workouts.
Let’s be clear: All bodies are beautiful. However, if you’re looking for ways to manage your weight for personal reasons or for health reasons, Sober September can help.
Overall Health Benefits
In addition to weight loss, you’ll see other positive impacts on your health and well-being. Some of the best aspects of cutting out booze include:
- Better sleep (not drinking is good for your sleep)
- Lower cholesterol levels (in general, drinking excessively isn’t good for your heart)
- Regulated blood sugar (alcohol and diabetes have a complicated relationship)
- Improved mental health (drinking significantly affects your emotions)
- No hangovers the next day or scary blackouts from alcohol abuse
- Lowered levels of inflammation throughout the body
The University of Sussex recently conducted a study on being sober for a month. The results were impressive — 70% of participants reported improvements in their overall health.
What’s more, 72% of participants did not drink over recommended amounts for at least 6 months following their month of not drinking. Those are some amazing long-term effects on wellness.
A Sense Of Accomplishment
There’s nothing like the feeling you get when you take on a challenge and succeed. In the same University of Sussex study, a whopping 82% of participants reported feeling accomplished at the end of their month-long journey.
Who doesn’t love (slash need) a self-confidence boost?
Serious Savings
It’s no secret that drinking is an expensive habit.
Participating in Sober September can give back the money you put towards drinking. One survey estimates that millennials spend $300 a month on alcohol purchases.
Even if you switch to tasty non-alcoholic alternatives, odds are that you’ll still save some cash during the month.
6 Tips For Sober September Success
Sober September is a chance for new beginnings, but like any other change, mindfulness is key. We’ve compiled some tips to keep you motivated, grateful, and getting the most out of your sobriety if it’s your first time participating. We believe in you!
Begin Sober September by:
- Finding your reason for a sober month
- Listening to yourself and your needs
- Keeping a list of the positive changes
- Making use of your extra time and money
- Inviting friends to join you in the challenge
- Discovering tasty, healthy alternatives to alcohol
Find Your Reason
Psychologists know that people who have a why behind their behavior are more likely to be successful.
It’s human nature to rally behind a cause. So what’s your cause for Sober September? Better health, more money, less hangovers, or even a more intentional life? Be clear with yourself.
Listen To Yourself
Many times, a break from drinking — whether temporary or permanent — can teach you about yourself.
Practice being mindful about why you want a drink. Are you dehydrated? Avoiding your emotions? Do you need some sleep? This is an opportunity to take great care of yourself.
Keep a List
Once you commit, start writing down all the positive aspects of your month without drinking.
What beneficial changes are you noticing? Spend your time celebrating what you have in front of you instead of thinking about what you don’t.
Enjoy Your Extra Time
Odds are, you’ve got more time on your hands now that you’re not spending as many nights out or being slowed down by next-day hangovers.
What have you been wanting to do that you can use your extra time and cash towards? Be intentional. Make a Sober September bucket list!
Bring A Friend Along
With the compelling results for your health and well-being, who wouldn’t want to be a part of Sober September? Consider inviting some friends to join you in your journey. You’ll gain accountability, motivation, community, and an even stronger bond with your favorite people.
If no one is up for the challenge, research other people’s stories of sobriety online and join support groups! There’s a whole community out there to support you. You just have to find your people.
Stock up on Delicious Alternatives
You know what they say: A failure to plan is a plan to fail.
Spend the month looking for a delicious tea, mocktail, or non-alcoholic wine that you love to drink. Keep great alternatives around the house for the times when you want a satisfying sip.
Downsides To Sober September
Okay, hear us out. There are actually a few downsides to this month-long sobriety, though most of them kick in when you go back to drinking after abstaining. We’re all about full disclosure.
- Sober September only lasts for a month, which may not give you enough time to see some of the long-term benefits of sobriety you were hoping for.
- The weight you lose during Sober September may come back once you return to your former drinking habits.
- You may feel isolated or struggle with feelings of FOMO (fear of missing out) if your social life revolves around alcohol and your friends aren’t participating in the challenge with you. However, these feelings might be a good wake-up call to expand your interests and friend group.
- Sober September is not for people struggling with alcohol use disorder. Some individuals who live with alcoholism might think one sober month is enough to heal them when they really need to pursue long-term sobriety.
For all of these reasons and more, many people choose to go teetotal after an amazing month of sobriety. (Teetotal means completely abstinent from alcohol.)
How Did Sober September Begin?
Sober September is when you abstain from alcohol for the month of September to give your body a break from drinking, improve your health, and reevaluate your relationship with alcohol.
More and more people are sober curious, meaning they’re interested in what an alcohol-free lifestyle could mean. The term was first coined by Ruby Warrington in her book of the same name. Sober curious people are not in recovery but are interested in the benefits of sobriety just the same.
The history of Sober September has a bit more mystery behind it than Dry January — experts aren’t sure when it started. Worn out by winter festivities, people have been skipping alcohol around the new year for centuries, but Sober September is a relatively new phenomenon.
It seems we Americans can thank the British for this idea. Some believe that it may have traveled across the pond from England. Cancer Research UK, a charity, is often credited with starting the trend that’s caught fire with Dry January participants.
What’s not debatable is that Sober September is a social media phenomenon, gaining popularity across the internet, with young professionals tired after a summer of parties and among students looking to start their semester off on the right foot.
This period of abstaining gives students considering sobriety a chance to experience a month without alcohol use.
Healthier Alternatives To Alcohol
Sobriety doesn’t mean depriving yourself! You can still treat yourself without the alcohol content — your future self will thank you.
- Non-alcoholic wine by Surely. We work with top-tier California winemakers to create a beautiful, flavorful non-alcoholic product that tastes just like the real thing. Plus, with only 25 calories a glass, you can enjoy a sparkling white wine or perfectly balanced rosé while keeping your health benefits intact.
- Mocktails. These days, many restaurants and bars are catering to the sober curious with mocktails on the menu. Staying home? Try your hand at a little mocktail mixology with our roundup of the best recipes.
- Sober bars. You aren’t the only one staying sober! Check out a sober bar in your area, or take a fun fall trip to visit a place full of like-minded people.
Who knows? Maybe you’ll like Sober September so much, you’ll keep it going for Sober October. If you do, Surely has your back! Try our delicious non-alcoholic white wines to start. For even less sugar, make it bubbly with our canned non-alcoholic Brut.
Non-Alcoholic Brut Can 4-Pack
$24.99
Dry non-alcoholic bubbly white. Hints of apple, pear, honey and citrus notes. Better than champagne.TASTING NOTES: The vibrant combination of apple, pear, honey and citrus notes intertwined with a crisp backbone. The acid and sweet notes of the fruit pair beautifully… Read More
Sources
- Alcohol and toxicity.
- Alcohol Consumption during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Survey of US Adults.
- The Effects of Alcohol on Quality of Sleep.
- Influence of alcohol intake on risk for increased low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in middle-aged Japanese men.
- The association between levels of alcohol consumption and mental health problems and academic performance among young university students.
- Alcohol and inflammatory responses: Highlights of the 2015 Alcohol and Immunology Research Interest Group (AIRG) meeting.
- What is Dry January?
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