Don’t worry that this article is about the dangers of drinking — we’ve already covered that here in Further. (Although if you want to be scared straight, listen to neuroscientist Andrew Huberman’s excellent podcast about what alcohol does to your brain, body, and health… even if you’re a low-to-moderate drinker.)
But if you’re like me, after decades of social drinking, perhaps you’re starting to wonder what life would be like without alcohol. (I started at 15 with peach schnapps in the parking lot before a J. Geils Band concert 🤮— how about you?) From sweaty, sleepless nights to weight gain, mood swings, and brain fog, we don’t need alcohol to enhance our bodies’ natural mid-life propensities.
Enter mindful drinking.
The Secret Sauce
“Mindful drinking” is an oxymoron — alcohol dulls our senses, not enhances them. So, the key is to become intentional about imbibing. As psychiatrist Kenneth Stoller notes, like cognitive behavioral therapy, this works for habituated (not disordered or severe) drinkers because it brings awareness to the stories your mind tells you so you can make better choices.
By encouraging people to identify the impact alcohol has on their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, mindful drinking can be an effective tool for people interested in reducing their alcohol consumption.
Even the word “reducing” gives you a clue about this approach; it’s not about going cold turkey, but it does encourage you to consider your triggers and habits when changing your relationship with alcohol.
Setting the Bar
While you could wait for “Drynuary” when around 41% of adults say they’ll abstain from booze (although only 16% actually do it), why not get started today? That’s what I told myself a couple of months ago after listening to the Huberman Lab podcast and learning alcohol increases stress (not just when you drink, but for days afterward), is linked to breast cancer (even when small amounts are consumed), and ruins your sleep after just one drink.
Here are a few ideas and benefits from Tiny Buddha to spark your sober curiosity:
- Keep the barware, and replace the toxins with a delicious mocktail (like these cider-based gems).
- Eliminate hangovers for a more pleasant, productive season.
- Treat yourself with the money you save.
- Get a boost of confidence from having a month of sobriety as you head into the New Year.
- Reframe and reclaim December: make ditching excess alcohol an act of rebellion.
So, go ahead, join me — give mindful drinking a shot. After all, the present is a gift, so might as well enjoy it more clear-headed, physically and emotionally stable, and with a fuller wallet to boot.
10 Reasons and Helpful Tips to Make It a Dry December (Tiny Buddha)
‘Sober Curious’? How to Embrace Mindful Drinking (New York Times, gift article)
