Are you tired of the brain fog and sluggishness that follows a night of drinking with friends? If so, then maybe the “sometimes sober” movement is for you.
Through the sober curiosity movement and initiatives like “Dry January,” many people are reconsidering alcohol’s impact on their health. Cutting back on alcohol consumption — even for one month — can have many positive health impacts.
Learn more about sober curiosity and its potential health benefits.
What Is Sober Curiosity?
The term sober curious is flexible and inclusive. Unlike a strict sober lifestyle, many dabbling in sober curiosity simply scale back their alcohol consumption. Others abstain completely.
Mild and moderate drinkers may commit to full-time sobriety, touting health benefits, weight loss, and better interpersonal relationships. Others may give up a glass of wine at dinner to sleep better or participate in an initiative like “Dry January.”
What is ‘Dry January’?
Dry January®️ is a public health challenge created by Alcohol Change U.K. in 2012. Participants commit to abstaining from alcohol for the entire month of January.
The goal of Dry January is for people to see the health benefits of lower alcohol consumption. Alcohol Change U.K. says many people may start seeing those benefits within the month of Dry January.
Movements similar to Dry January have also emerged, such as “Dry July,” “Sober September,” and “Sober October.” These initiatives have the same purpose — encouraging people to eliminate alcohol for a month to see how it helps their health.
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What Are the Benefits of Limiting Alcohol?
Limiting or abstaining from alcohol — even for one month — can offer many health short-term and long-term benefits.
A 2020 analysis in Alcohol and Alcoholism looked into the health benefits of Dry January.
The study analyzed the health of Dry January participants compared to nonparticipants in the general population. According to the results, people who participated in and completed Dry January experienced physiological and psychological health benefits. Nonparticipants and people who started but didn’t complete the challenge didn’t experience the same health benefits.
The potential health benefits of Dry January and/or the sober curious movement include:
- Better sleep — Dry January participants have self-reported sleeping better and having more energy and concentration.
- Cardiovascular benefits — Abstaining from alcohol can lower blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure levels. This can help improve your cardiovascular health.
- Lower cancer risk — Reducing or eliminating alcohol may help reduce the risk of oral and esophageal cancer, according to a 2021 New England Journal of Medicine study. It also may help reduce your risk of other cancers because alcohol consumption is a risk factor for several cancers.
- Liver benefits — Alcohol use can cause a buildup of fat in your liver, which can lead to inflammation and liver disease. Abstaining from alcohol for a month can reduce liver fat, lower inflammation, and improve liver function.
- Mental health benefits — Alcohol misuse may result in anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions. Eliminating or scaling back alcohol consumption can lead to better mood and other health benefits.
- Weight loss — Reducing or eliminating alcohol can lead to weight loss, preventing obesity and other weight-related health conditions like cardiovascular disease.
In addition, research has linked Dry January completion to reduced alcohol consumption in the future. Half of young adults who reported participating in a “temporary alcohol abstinence challenge” said they drank less alcohol after the challenge. That’s according to a study supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).
Does ‘Sober Curious’ Mean I Have to Stop Drinking?
No! The sober curious lifestyle is a spectrum. It ranges from people who want to drink less to those who hope to abstain from alcohol entirely.
Many social drinkers in the sober curious movement have never struggled with alcohol use disorder. Instead, they may want to improve their health, relationships, and finances by drinking less.
However, some moderate drinkers do find they’re more dependent on alcohol than they originally thought after cutting down.
How Does Drinking Affect Your Health?
Drinking too much or too often can interfere with your body’s ability to work properly, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. It can harm multiple organs and your immune system at large.
Here’s how alcohol can affect your body:
- Brain problems — Drinking can lead to mood and behavioral changes and disrupt communication pathways. This can concentration and coordination harder.
- Cancer risk — Alcohol can cause multiple types of cancers, according to the National Cancer Institute. This includes liver cancer, head and neck cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, and esophageal cancer.
- Heart damage — Too much alcohol can damage the heart. This can cause issues like high blood pressure, stroke, and cardiomyopathy.
- Liver problems — The more heavily you drink, the more likely you are to develop liver diseases like fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis, fibrosis, and cirrhosis.
- Pancreatic problems — Drinking often or in high amounts can increase the risk of developing pancreatitis. This is an inflammation of the pancreas, which can cause a great deal of pain and lead to digestive problems.
- Weakened immune system — Chronic drinkers are more likely to get sick because of a weakened immune system. This can make them more susceptible to serious illnesses like pneumonia.
Long-term effects of drinking
Drinking heavily and often can lead to long-term damage to the body and mind, including liver damage and cardiovascular disease. Even drinking one alcoholic beverage a day can slightly increase your risk of some cancers.
Other risks include:
- Alcohol dependence.
- Alcoholic hepatitis.
- Cancers of the throat, mouth, liver, colon, and esophagus.
- Family- and job-related problems.
- High blood pressure.
- Learning problems.
- Liver fibrosis.
- Memory loss or trouble concentrating, even when not actively drinking.
- Mental health issues like depression and anxiety.
- A weakened immune system.
Warning Signs of Alcohol Use Disorder
Alcohol misuse and alcohol use disorder — or excessive daily consumption — put a person at increased risk of health and social consequences. That’s according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
In the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)’s 2023 annual report:
- Almost half of respondents 12 years old and older — 47.5% — said they drank in the past month. The percentages were highest among people 26 and older (51.9%) and people 18 to 25 (49.6%).
- More than one-quarter of people 18 to 25 years old — 28.7% — reported binge drinking in the previous month. The figure was 22.7% for people 26 and up. In this report, binge drinking referred to having five or more drinks for males or four or more drinks for females on at least one occasion.
Some signs that you’ve developed (or may have started developing) an alcohol use disorder include:
- You feel like you need alcohol to function.
- You can’t stop drinking once you start.
- Your social life, professional life, or personal life is suffering due to your alcohol use.
- Others are telling you that you have a misuse problem.
- You’ve lost interest in hobbies or relationships that don’t involve drinking.
- You’re hiding how much you drink from loved ones.
- You’re engaging in risky behaviors like drunk driving.
- You can’t cut back on drinking even though you want to.
- Your behavior and personality have changed due to your drinking.
- You’re regularly embarrassing yourself or resorting to physical violence when drinking.
- You’ve developed a higher tolerance for alcohol or experienced withdrawal symptoms like cravings, shaking, and sweating when abstaining from alcohol.
- You’re in legal or financial trouble because of your drinking.
These signs may underscore a more serious problem and could require the help of a skilled professional. Remember, alcohol use disorder is a chronic disease touching millions throughout the United States.
How to Cut Back on Drinking and Keep Your Social Life
Reducing your alcohol intake can create challenges in a society that focuses heavily on casual drinking (think happy hours, cocktail parties, and bar crawls). But there are a number of ways to cut back without getting overwhelmed.
- Create personal goals — Set your own limits on alcohol consumption, whether that’s drinks per week or month. Then, tell yourself where and when you’ll choose to drink. This could be big preplanned events, like a friend’s celebration or family wedding, or a broader boundary. Let your loved ones know so they can help hold you accountable. You can also set a few “off-limits” days each week during which you won’t drink at all.
- Have (nonalcoholic) fun — Plan events and outings that don’t involve drinking, like hiking, shopping, coffee dates, or movies. Surround yourself with friends who drink less. Learn mocktail recipes you can sip at parties so you don’t feel left out.
- Know what to say — When people ask why you’re not drinking, know how you’ll respond to avoid uncomfortable interactions. This can include anything from “I have an early day tomorrow” to “I’m trying to cut back” to “Not right now, thanks.”
- Make a budget — Tell yourself how much money you’re willing to spend on alcoholic drinks and stick to it.
- Scale down — Reduce your portion sizes when you do drink and choose beverages with lower alcohol content.
- Take it one day at a time — Phase in your new drinking habits slowly to ensure success.
Editor's Note: This article was originally published on , and was last reviewed on .