3 Subtle Signs You Might Benefit From Taking A Break From Alcohol

Alcohol has (not so quietly) become a cornerstone of celebrations, nights out with friends, and holiday gatherings. For some, it may even be a nightly ritual with dinner. But even if you feel your relationship with alcohol is balanced, it may not always be serving you in the best way. 

“I do think everyone can benefit from a dry month, consuming less alcohol, or breaking up with alcohol for good,” says Hilary Sheinbaum, author of Going Dry: A Practical Guide To Drinking Less and Living More. Taking a break can be a helpful way to recalibrate how alcohol fits into your daily, weekly, or monthly routine. 

There’s no doubt that alcohol messes with your sleep. “Alcohol initially sedates you, but then it causes awakenings in the night,” says Sheinbaum.

How? "As alcohol metabolizes through your body, it can suppress REM sleep, rapid-eye-movement sleep, which is the part of sleep where dreams mostly occur," Wendy M. Troxel, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist and certified behavioral sleep medicine specialist, previously explained to mindbodygreen.

If you sleep in a wearable device, you will likely see your sleep score, readiness score, and HRV take a hit on nights you consume alcohol. 

Editor’s note: Since I started tracking my sleep with an Oura ring this summer, I was shocked to see that even having one alcoholic beverage during the evening threw my body into a physiological frenzy. And oh yeah, I didn’t feel great the next day either. It’s been absolutely motivating me to rethink when I choose to have a beverage. 

Even small amounts of alcohol can quietly affect how you feel day to day. “If your mood sucks—alcohol is a depressant, and so, giving it up for a period of time can elevate your mood,” says Sheinbaum. “Not only might you feel happier, but you will feel less anxious as well.”

Alcohol impacts neurotransmitters like serotonin and GABA, which play a role in regulating mood and stress. When you take a break, your brain gets a chance to reset, which can translate into more stable emotions and a calmer mental state. 

Trying to save money this year? Ditching alcohol is one way to save your wallet. “Alcohol is expensive—$15 cocktails plus tip!—it’s not cheap! And it's rare that people have just one on a night out,” says Sheinbaum. 

Month-long challenges like Dry January (hello!) and Sober October have gained traction for good reason. Sheinbaum agrees that one month is a great starting point. 

“Typically, I don't feel a major difference until 10 days in, but everyone is different,” She says. “It's a good idea to chart the evolution of how you feel (mood, sleep, productivity, financial savings, etc.) over the course of 30 or 31 days.” From there, you can decide to either keep it or decide how to add alcohol back in. 

And if you slip? “It’s ok, not all is lost,” reaffirms Sheinbaum. “Just pick up where you left off. The point of breaking up with alcohol for a period of time isn't necessarily perfection. It's so you can see how booze is impacting your day-to-day life and make changes accordingly.”

Navigating social settings can be one of the more challenging parts of giving up alcohol. It somehow feels awkward to be without a drink in hand and exhausting to explain to people you may or may not know that you’re not drinking—even though you owe no one an explanation. Remember: If someone in your group isn’t drinking alcohol, don’t press them about it! Offer 

Many bars and restaurants now have an extensive mocktail menu, so you can sip something besides club soda alongside your peers. And there are so many options you can have on hand at home. I love Ghia’s canned nonalcoholic apéritif’s (especially the sumac and chili one), and Sheinbaum recommends the Mionetto Alcohol Removed Sparkling Wine for something bubbly. 

“This way, you can still participate in events and get-togethers, and have the same experience, but without a buzz,” she notes.