In the ultimate kick -off to Dry JanuaryThe outgoing American surgeon, General Vivek Murthy, announced a link between alcohol consumption and seven types of cancer at the start of the year. Although the congress can never act on its recommendation to add new warning labels on bottles, the message lands at a time when Americans’ opinions have already changed.
A Gallup survey in 2024 revealed that 65% of adults between 18 and 34 said that alcohol consumption was bad for your health, an increase of 35 points since 2001. food directives suggesting women to limit themselves to one drink per day and men to two, and American centers for the control and prevention of diseases warn that drinking more can cause liver and heart disease; THE World Health Organization Even said: “There is no sure level of alcohol consumption.” And for many people, alcohol remains a serious problem. In the United States, nearly 29 million people have declared an alcohol consumption disorder in the past year, according to the 2023 national survey on drug use and health.
No wonder the “sober curious” movement arouses interest. An increasing number of young Americans participated in the dry in January 2025 by abstaining or reducing their alcohol consumption to see if they could suffer advantages such as better sleep quality and improved energy levels. Even for those who did not stay sober during the full month, research has shown that a dryer often means lower alcohol consumption in the following months. A study in 2024 revealed that half of the 18 to 29 years who participated in a challenge of abstinence reportedly reported a lower subsequent alcohol consumption; 15% said they stopped drinking completely.
While a monthly challenge like January Dry provides a healthy start of the year, the maintenance of this momentum can be intimidating given the omnipresence of alcohol in modern life during after-work gatherings, happy hours, Weddings, sports games and social events. If you succeeded in January and want to stay dry or drink a little less in the future, here is a modest guide for a more sober lifestyle.
Having a sober stick is consistency
Traditional drug treatment programs may not be adapted to the sober curious. Judson Brewer, professor and director of research and innovation at the Mindfulness Center at Brown University, recommends a different approach.
Change how you think of alcohol in three key ways, said Brewer. First of all, recognize how your alcohol consumption has a negative impact, whether due to physical symptoms or dynamics of your relationship. Then think about what triggers your desire to drink, like feeling annoying in social environments or the desire to relax. Finally, find something else that is pleasant you can make, like ordering a non -alcoholic drink in a bar, walk after work or savor another indulgence.
Rehearsal is the real key to success, said Wendy Wood, Southern California professor and author of the Book of Behavior Behavior Good Habits, Bad Habits; Resisting desires also requires determination, desire and mental energy, added Robert Schlauch, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Florida in the South. Schlauch said that motivation can focus on future positive scenarios, such as the amount of money you save or how sharper you feel at work. People with alcohol consumption disorders that have imagined positive positive events to drink approximately two less than a control group, according to a 2022 study. In another study, a group of students who were Invited to think of their future academic objectives have also moderately slowed down their alcohol consumption.
Alcohol -free socialization does not have to feel annoying
Socializing without alcohol may seem intimidating to new sober, especially in contexts where you traditionally drink, such as meeting friends in a bar.
For sober-priest individuals, feeling different from others around you can make sobriety difficult. Humans are social creatures that “fear the judgment of others,” said Brewer, and this fear can cause distress. According to Schlauch.
Ordering a non -alcoholic drink can greatly make you comfortable in a bar, as it will help you blend in with the crowd and, at the very least, give you something to hold. As Brewer likes to emphasize, Seltzer looks like a vodka soda.
Boredom can be another mental obstacle which sometimes brings back to alcohol consumption, as many people have lived during the pandemic. And the will alone will not necessarily pass you. Schlauch recommends joining a social network that supports your priorities, such as a racing club or the Sobre Daybreaker dance group. This will help you fill your free time while you stick to your goals.
Alcohol alternatives are everywhere
Although Seltzer is certainly an option, there is an expanding universe of non -alcoholic drinks to explore. Products such as non -alcoholic beers from Athletic Brewing Co. and non -alcoholic GHIA aperitif has become household names. Even the big brands of alcohol such as Budweiser, Heineken and Guinness jostle to embark on the growing non -alcoholic beer market.
The bars are increasingly offering the dedicated “NA” menus and some are entirely alcohol, like without a bar in Austin, Texas, and Mockingbird in Brooklyn, New York. Unsurprisingly, better -taste drinks mean that you are more likely to order them again, according to Wood.
You can also follow the DIY route. The safe influencer based in Australia Natalie Battaglia suggests mixing in sparkling water, apple cider vinegar and kombucha or tea to replace the signature bite of a cocktail. Recipe books and publications on social networks are also filled with ideas, such as the “somnolent somnaliers” trend infused with magnesium which took off in 2024.
For people who simply seek to reduce their consumption of alcohol but do not abandon it entirely, there are approaches such as “zebra scratches” (alternating between an alcoholic and non -alcoholic drink while drinking) or by making Alcohol only for the weekend. Some even look at the “California Sober” lifestyle, exchanging alcohol with cannabis (sometimes in the form of a drink), which varies in legality depending on where you live and are accompanied by its own risks for health. Keep in mind that Wood said that it was not aware of evidence that alcohol consumption only on weekends, “zebras” or California’s sober will help reduce your consumption of alcohol alcohol in the long term. And obviously, from the point of view of health, the completely elimination of the supply of alcohol is the most daring movement of all.