Why You Should Consider Doing A Sober October

Photo by Taylor Simpson on Unsplash

2020 has been a ROUGH year. I don’t even have to explain. It’s literally felt like a lifetime these past 10 months. And I don’t know about you but I’ve been feeling a little too comfortable having a glass (or two, or three….) of wine every night. I went from having a drink on the weekend to drinking just about every night. Honestly, it’s more of a habit now than anything else.

So when I saw one of my friends post on Instagram that she was going to do a Sober October I knew it was something I should do.

What is a Sober October? It’s pretty straight forward: No drinking during the month of October. Unbeknownst to be was that Sober October started with Joe Rogan. Now I’m sure there were people doing it before him but it was popularized it in 2017 when Joe, Tom Segura, and Ari Shaffir help their buddy Bert Kreischer lay off the sauce and lose some weight.

What A Month Off Of Drinking Can Do For You

1. First off- No hangovers! That’s a big win in my book. How many days have you wasted by feeling like crap from too many drinks the night before?
2. Your sleep will improve -Let’s be honest, while a drink may help you go to sleep (pass out?) how restful is that sleep? When I drink I find myself tossing and turning, and not being well rested the next day.
3. You will be better hydrated -No surprise that booze dehydrates you.When you drink alcohol, you lose around four times as much liquid as what you actually drank. Salt and potassium levels also reduce, which can impact nerve and proper muscle function while also causing headaches, fatigue and nausea. source
4. You can lose some weight -All alcohol is is empty calories. Plus, think about all those tipsy snacks you eat. There’s around 130 calories in a glass of wine. Times that by 2–3 glasses, 5–6 nights a week that’s around 1300 to 2340 calories a week you will save.
5. Save some money -Even the cheapest drinks add up over the course of a month. Maybe instead of shelling out cash for booze find a charity and give what you spend to them.
6. Better looking skin- When you are hydrated and you are getting some quality shut eye your skin will reap the benefits. It can even help with dandruff and eczema.
7. Your liver will thank you -You will improve your liver function by cutting out alcohol.

I live in Brooklyn so the bars aren’t open so there’s no temptation to go out. But what else can you do instead of drinking at night to wind down?

I’m going to be winding down with a book at night. Drinking and reading aren’t a great pair so I’m looking forward to giving my full attention to a good book.

Looking for other ways to wind down?

Try a bath, try out Duolingo and learn that second language, knit, take a long after dinner walk, start a home project, exercise, or even experiment with some mocktails.

I’m upping ante by adding a 30 day fitness challenge. I’m combining my Sober October with Ally Love’s Boss October fitness challenge on Peloton.

Instead of looking at Sober October as a month where I’m giving up something I am looking at it as a way to get stronger. I’m using the month as a chance to reset, recharge and get ready to finish up the rest of the year.