Many sober-curious, or soberish, people decide to go sober for October – and not just because the two words rhyme. In the interim between summer and the festive period, October provides the perfect opportunity to dabble in sobriety. You yourself may be going sober for October, or you may know someone who has!
Whether you’re knocking back G&Ts and pints of lager or lime sodas and diet cokes this October, we’re not here to judge. Sobriety – temporary or long-term – is an individual choice.
That being said, more and more people (especially younger generations) are choosing to abstain from boozy lifestyles, opting for antioxidants and healthy livers instead. To see what the hype is about, we did a little digging on the potential side-effects of sobriety.
A boost in your mood
It’s a well known fact that alcohol is, in fact, a depressant. Whilst we tend to feel a pleasant warm fuzziness within those first few sips of wine, that mood-boost tends to be fleeting. The majority of people who drink will have, at some point or another, endured “hangxiety” – an uncontrollable worry that we may have said or done something antisocial and embarrassing whilst under the influence.
Without alcohol, we can enjoy an hangxiety free life – one with fewer worries and less unnecessary stress!
Better skin
As well as dulling your sparkle internally, alcohol has a tendency to dull your complexion too. Consuming alcohol can dry your skin out (through dehydration), cause broken capillaries and inflammation across the face and reduce your collagen levels (resulting in loose or saggy skin).
When you stop drinking, your skin gets more elastic and the redness and discoloration on your face will slowly fade.
Weight management
Many alcoholic beverages – especially pub-favourites like beer and wine – contain high levels of sugar and “empty calories.” By cutting down on the booze, you’re likely to see some more favourable numbers on the scales too.
Improved sleep quality
Alcohol interferes with our sleep-wake cycles, leading to poor quality sleep which will leave you feeling far from refreshing when you wake-up. Even if you do manage to pack in an 8 hour’s night of rest after having a couple down at the pub, you are still likely to wake up feeling groggy.
Anecdotally, one of the key benefits we’ve heard sober people cite time and time again with regards to sobriety is the absence of hangovers. Without alcohol, you can truly embrace a get-up-and-go attitude to life.
Extra cash
There is no doubt that, in this economy, every little helps. Whilst our clubcards aren’t getting us very far in terms of savings, giving up alcohol may well result in a little extra spare cash to get you through the month. Switching pints of lager for lime-and-sodas over an extended period of time is bound to add up!
Of course, your relationship with alcohol is entirely personal; for some, short-term sobriety feels so good they end up adopting a sober lifestyle long-term. For others, they may only just make it to the end of October, before they return, gasping, to their familiar watering-holes (read: local pub).