Should You Try Mindful Drinking?
If you have ever woken up at 3 a.m. (then again at 4:30 and 5:47 a.m.) with anxiety – this is the psychological state after intoxication, to sobriety, fear-filled uncertainty when you question all your life choices – then you I was probably wondering if you should cut back on your alcohol intake. You may not want to or need to give it up entirely, but you may be ripe to start a new relationship with adult drinks.
And you would not be alone. Poll Nielsen IQ 2019 the year showed that 47% of consumers in the United States over 21 years making efforts to reduce the consumption of alcohol (among millenialov this number rose to 66%). There is a lot of room between sobriety and the problem of alcohol, and this is where mindful drinking comes in.
What is mindful drinking?
So what is mindful drinking besides thinking while drinking ? Drew Jager, co-founder of Club Soda , a UK-based organization of more than 50,000 members that offers courses and activities for people looking to change their drinking habits, says she “pays attention to your drinking habits, notices what is happening and around you when you drink ”and put alcohol in its place so that it does not take so much of your time and energy.
This isn’t necessarily about quitting smoking altogether (although this may be your end result), but rather taking the time to evaluate your drinking habits and consciously change the ones that no longer work for you.
Is “mindful drinking” the same as “sober curiosity”?
Like. You may have heard the buzzword “sober curious” since as a writer Ruby Warrington published her book of the same name in 2018 year . While the two ideas are related, Laura Willoughby, who co-founded Club Soda with Jaeger, told Cosmopolitan that “sober curiosity” was “almost like a harbinger of being actively involved in mindful drinking.” While the sober curious begin to reflect on their relationship to alcohol: “Those who are mindful of alcohol actively do so or take action after a period of contemplation.”
How to start mindful drinking
If you think it’s time to reevaluate your drinking relationship, the first step is to observe your drinking habits. Where are you (and with whom) when you drink? Does your home and public spaces make drinking almost easy? What and when do you usually drink the most? What types of drinking don’t add value to your life? It may be that a casual party with friends leaves you feeling connected, while drinking alone at home has the opposite effect (and is more difficult to control). Keep an eye out for templates that tell you which behavior you should work on first.
According to Jager, the title of the game doesn’t fix everything at once, but “starts with achievable changes like regular drinking breaks” or replacing non-alcoholic versions with alcoholic drinks (labeled 0.5% ABV or less). Willoughby adds that abstaining from alcohol for an initial period of one to three months can give people the clarity they need to re-interact with alcohol.
A few tips for sticking to mindful drinking
If you’ve decided to take a different approach to drinking and have taken small steps to get started, one of the best ways to reinforce those positive habits is to set rules. Things like I will only drink on weekends; I will no longer drink alcohol alone; when i go out i will start with two soft drinks before deciding if i want to drink; I will be alternating alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and the point is no longer gin .
Make specific plans and exit strategies for situations you know can be difficult. (And get ready to answer some of the most common curious questions that teetotallers ask .)
By telling friends and building a support network for accountability, you will also stay awake. Reach out and connect with others for support, join a community or online group to talk about resources, support your goals, and remind you that you are not alone.
Finally, list all the positives you’ve enjoyed since stopping alcohol, such as uninterrupted sleep, a clear head, and relief from being able to exercise, do errands, and clean up your home. rather than just treating nausea. and a headache splitting brains on a Sunday afternoon.
(Jager notes that for some who are physically dependent on alcohol, a sudden stop can be dangerous. But most people can gradually taper off without medical supervision. If you are concerned about drinking or the effects of a change in your habits, talk to your doctor.)