Updated on January 19th, 2024
AD – Sponsored | If you are wanting to drink less in the New Year, I will be sharing a list of ways to reduce alcohol intake along with the benefits of doing so in this post.
Benefits of Reducing Alcohol Intake
Improved Physical Health
Reducing alcohol intake has both short-term and long-term health benefits. First of all, if you stop drinking alcohol or you do not drink too much, you will not experience hangovers and headaches, nausea, and fatigue commonly associated with them. Quick hangover relief can also be achieved by staying hydrated and replenishing electrolytes, allowing your body to recover more efficiently. Also, alcohol dehydrates the skin and can make it appear dull and grey. Within a few days of not drinking alcohol, your skin can appear better. You can also have better memory and concentration if you drink less. Furthermore, alcohol can cause problems with the stomach and digestive system, and by reducing your alcohol, your stomach will be happier. Some of the long-term benefits of drinking less include lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol levels, improved immune system, and lower risk of cancer, heart disease, and liver disease.
Improved Mental Health
Along with physical health, drinking alcohol can have a negative impact on mental health. A drink can briefly make you feel relaxed, but drinking more alcohol can lead to aggression and angry outbursts. If you have anxiety, you might have a drink to feel relaxed and less anxious, but as your alcohol tolerance grows, you will have to drink more to feel the same feeling of relaxation, which can make anxiety symptoms worse. Furthermore, regular heavy drinking is linked to symptoms of depression, and if you drink to manage the symptoms, excessive drinking can make the symptoms worse. Also, drinking can lead to a low mood after the initial relaxed feeling wears off and you can feel worse and more stressed than when you started drinking.
Better Sleep
Alcohol affects sleep, and it can be more difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep. Furthermore, when you drink alcohol, you spend less time in the latter restorative stages of sleep. You can also wake up too early and not be able to fall back asleep, leaving you feeling tired and sluggish in the morning. Cutting down on alcohol can help you have better quality sleep. You can also feel better in the mornings and have more energy to take on the day.
Brighter Mood
By sleeping better, you are more likely to have a brighter mood. Also, alcohol can make anxiety, depression, aggression, and stress worse, but by reducing alcohol, you could feel happier.
Ways to Reduce Alcohol Intake
Make a Plan
One of the first steps to reducing your alcohol intake is to make a plan. It would help if you determined why you want to reduce your alcohol intake and also identify triggers that make you want to drink alcohol. For example, there could be certain situations or with certain people such as during happy hour at a pub with friends where you are more likely to drink. Identifying your triggers will help you avoid those situations where you would want to drink. Furthermore, you can set a drinking goal of the number of drinks per day or week you do not want to exceed and establish alcohol-free days.
Find Support
When you are wanting to reduce your alcohol intake, you can let your friends and family know about your plan. During visits with them, they will hopefully be supportive and will offer alternatives to alcohol, and they will not encourage you to drink. If you are going out with friends, instead of visiting a pub or bar, you can suggest visiting a coffee shop or cafe where alcohol is not as prominent. You can also go to the movies, visit a park, or the beach. You can also seek professional help from your doctor, a counselor, or a therapist who may be able to help you reach your goals.
Switch to Alcohol-Free Alternatives
It can be challenging to cut down on alcohol, but you can help reduce your alcohol intake by switching to an alcohol-free alternative. Many alcohol-free alternatives have the same or similar taste as their counterparts, but there is no alcohol content. You can still enjoy healthy non alcoholic drinks without the negative effects that come with drinking alcohol. Furthermore, you can reduce the amount of alcohol in your home, so you are more likely to reach your goals.
Start a New Hobby
The last suggestion I have is that you can start a new hobby. Instead of coming home from work and reaching for an alcoholic drink, you can use this time towards a hobby. Some hobbies you can start including painting, drawing, writing, soap making, and other creative activities as well as reading, playing board games or video games, or learning a musical instrument or a new language. You can also go for a walk, go biking, join a sports club or dance class, or practice yoga and meditation. A hobby can help keep your mind and body active and help you follow your plan.
Some great tips for those who want to drop their alcohol intake. I don’t really drink – just a Bucks Fizz at Christmas, occasional pimms in the summer if we’re at a bbq, so I’d be perfectly fine not drinking at all.
Thank you and that’s great you already don’t drink much and only on certain occassions.
I’ve cut back on my wine consumption (I don’t drink anything else) a lot since Christmas. Now I only have 4-5 glasses a week and I have to say, my skin is better and so is my sleep – good tips, Karalee, thank you.
That’s fantastic you cut back on your wine consumption and you have already noticed differences in your skin and sleep!
I probably drink too much but I do recognize the benefits of not drinking. I like 0% IPA as an alternative to actual beer. Especially in the summer when it’s too hot to drink but you’d like something else than just water or soda.
That’s great you do recognize the benefits of not drinking and you do like drinking 0% IPA!
This is a really great post. It’s important to take care of yourself and make changes if you’re not treating your body.
Thank you and I completely agree. We only have 1 body so we should take care of it.
in the middle of 2022- i gave up alcohol completely [ maybe i’ll share a post about it one day ] & it has made me feel so much more healthy & in control of myself. i’m never looking back.
That’s amazing you gave up alcohol completely and that’s fantastic you feel healthier and more in control! You should definitely share your experience on your blog!
My dad is doing a dry January – I also haven’t drunk anything in 4 years – but he seems to be doing really well with it!
Great read!
That’s fantastic that your dad did dry January and he did well with it! Also that’s wonderful you haven’t had alcohol in 4 years!
This is a really thought-provoking post and an important topic. I know many people who do dry January and really find it helpful. I don’t drink so much in general so I haven’t tried it. I work a lot and don’t go out much so I’m not around alcohol on a regular basis. However, this definitely would have been super helpful when I had a vibrant social life :D.
Thank you. It is great that there are many people who do dry January, and that’s good you don’t drink much. It is beneficial to not go out much because then you’re not around a lot of people drinking like when you were younger
good post. I wish people didn’t drink. You logo is so cute.
Thanks!
We’re not doing dry Jan but we’re certainly not drinking as much as we did in December. My sister got engaged so we had to make an effort at the weekend but now it’s back to nothing until March!
That’s fantastic you’re not drinking as much now!
These are great tips. I’ve dramatically reduced my alcohol intake so far this year and I’m loving how much better I feel within myself. I’ve definitely got more energy in the mornings. I have tried some non-alcoholic cider and to be honest, I could barely notice the difference.
Thank you! That’s fantastic you’ve reduced your alcohol intake and you feel better and noticed positive changes! Yes, I’ve had non-alcoholic beer before, and it does taste very much like regular beer.
I’m not a regular drinker (in fact, it’s quite rare that I have alcohol) but I can see how cutting down for some or trying out a ‘dry January’ would be a good thing to do for various health reasons. Really useful info — thanks!
That’s great you rarely drink. There are a lot of benefits to cutting down on alcohol or even doing dry January.
I am not a drinker myself, I barely grab a glass every so often (maybe once or twice a year!) but these are great tips nonetheless!
That’s great you barely drink alcohol!
This year I decided to do Dry January and I really don’t miss alcohol at all. I notice in the UK, you have more options for non-alcoholic drinks like ciders and the sparking tea you linked to in your post. I hope we see more of that in Canada soon. We only have non-alcoholic beer and wine here. Honestly, though, those drinks are so expensive, I think I’ll stick to sparkling water.
That’s fantastic you’re doing Dry January and you don’t miss alcohol!
In Denmark we’re limited too and I’ve only seen alcohol-free beer for sale in stores, which is at least around the same price as regular beer. It would be great if there were more non-alcoholic drinks worldwide.
I don’t drink that much anymore, only on special occasions and sometimes not even then. But this will be really helpful if people are wanting to reduce your alcohol. It is crazy how many benefits you can get from reducing alcohol in your life. Thank you for sharing.
That’s wonderful you don’t drink that much and you don’t always drink on special occassions either. Yes there are so many benefits to reducing alcohol!
I do dry January every year and every year after it I find I drink less. My habits have really changed as a result. For me I notice I do sleep miles better, have more energy and my skin is a lot brighter. Great post
That’s wonderful you dry January and you have been drinking less! That’s also fantastic you’ve noticed positive changes in your sleep, energy levels, and your skin!