I don’t like the way I feel when I drink alcohol anymore,” says Ellen Albertson, 60, a psychologist and registered dietitian in North Hero, Vermont. She is currently in remission from breast cancer and is kicking vices that could put her health at risk. She also wants to do more to practice what she preaches as a health and wellness professional. While drinking used to be fun, Albertson has found that the side effects no longer justify her drinking as much. “It doesn’t do anything for me now except feel lazy and tired,” she says. So Albertson limits her alcoholic drinks to just a few a month when she goes out with friends or her fiancé. “I’d like to get completely sober. That’s my goal,
A year and a half ago, Curtis Matthews, 56, decided to cut back on alcohol. “I used to be a heavy social drinker and would often consume several beers or strong drinks in one sitting,” he tells us. After overindulging one Christmas, he suffered a terrible hangover and vowed never to drink like that again. Since then, he has averaged about ten alcoholic drinks a year and has only had three so far in 2024. “Overall, I feel much healthier and happier,” says Matthews. “I used to rely on alcohol to stimulate me, but now I can enjoy social gatherings without feeling the need to drink excessively.
And Violette de Ayala, who just turned 51, hasn’t consumed alcohol since January. “I started limiting it at the end of 2024 because my coach explained to me the effects it can have on people who suffer from Hashimoto’s disease, like me, and on menopausal women,” she says. She had initially committed to not drinking in January but has gone ahead with it. “I also considered the possibility of only having sips of champagne on special occasions, like my birthday, but I like the feeling of being sober,” she says. “My birthday is so close, and I don’t feel like celebrating it with a glass of champagne.”
A trend towards sobriety
These are just a few examples of the many who consider themselves sober curious, a movement aimed at developing a healthier relationship with alcohol by drinking more mindfully, limiting it, and perhaps even quitting altogether, and it’s a trend that’s been growing in recent years. In 2024, Alcohol Change UK created the Dry January movement, in which people pledged to stop drinking for January. Since then, cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks have grown in popularity.
Nielsen notes that between 2024, sales of non-alcoholic beverages reached $395 million in the United States, up 20.6% from the previous year. People who turned to alcohol to cope with the pandemic are now trying to prioritize other, healthier habits. Meanwhile, recent studies on the harmful effects of alcohol on health have also fueled the movement, with the World Health Organization stating that “when it comes to alcohol consumption, there is no safe amount that does not affect health.”
Interested in sobriety? Here are nine expert-backed tips to get you started.
1. Take the first step
“I would say the first thing people should do is start educating themselves,” says Greg Hobelmann, co-executive director of Ashley Addiction Treatment and a part-time faculty member at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Start gathering information whenever you can, whether it’s by reading an article about the sobriety-curious movement, doing an internet search, or watching videos on YouTube. The more information you read about the benefits of cutting back on alcohol and other people’s advice on the subject, the more motivated you’ll be to embark on the process.
2. Think about your reasons
Take a moment to understand why you want to stop drinking. “Be completely honest with yourself,” suggests Kristin Hankins, director of the outpatient program at Mountainside Treatment Center. Ask yourself, “What interests you about a sober lifestyle? Is it better health, clarity and focus, improved interpersonal relationships, or just trying a different lifestyle?” Knowing what drives you to make this change can help you stay motivated and focused, Hankins explains. It’s also a good idea to take note of the times you drink and try to be more mindful of them, Hobelmann adds. For example, do you drink when you go out with friends after work, or do you pour yourself a glass of wine while making dinner each night out of habit?
3. Create a community
Talk about your curiosity about sobriety with your friends and loved ones, as creating a community with others on the same path can help you achieve your goal. “I think there are more people than you realize who consider it and think about doing it,” says Hobelmann. “You don’t know how many times I say I don’t drink and people are like, ‘Wow, I should do that or take a break. ’” So sharing your desire to cut back on alcohol with others can be a simple way to find friends to hold you accountable. And whether or not they’re also curious about sobriety, reach out to those around you for support. According to Albertson, that’s been instrumental in achieving her goal.
4. Create a plan
Hobelmann notes that changing a behavior can be difficult. And when it comes to alcohol, people are often quick to adopt an “all or nothing” attitude. “What we typically see is someone saying, ‘Hey, I’m going to stay sober for this period. ’ And then when they have one drink, that goes away and they go back to their old habits,” she explains. For this reason, it’s good to start with a strategic plan, whether that’s cutting back on the number of drinks you consume each week to X amount, drinking only every other day at first, or drinking only on the weekends. Then, once you feel good at that level, you can reevaluate and go from there.
“Think more about moderating or reducing your alcohol consumption than about abstinence,” adds clinical director and licensed counselor Jenni Busse of Gratitude Lodge Recovery Center in Southern California. If a person is focused on abstinence and slips up, she says, they may give up and feel like they’ve failed. “But if you focus on moderation, it allows you to reduce your drinking in small, manageable steps rather than eliminating it from your life overnight.”
5. Keep track of the benefits
Taking note of how drinking less has a positive effect on your life can help you stay motivated in your sobriety journey. Use a journal to write down the benefits of how you feel after cutting back on alcohol. For example, if you notice that you have more energy, sleep better, have fewer hangovers, or that your complexion has improved, write it down.
“Reducing alcohol consumption can help improve function, cognition, and health,” says Deborah Freeland, an assistant professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Freeland adds that cutting back on alcohol can also help reduce the risk of falls, driving problems, and cognitive decline, which are already high-risk conditions in older adults. “Reducing alcohol consumption can also reduce the risk of other health problems, such as insomnia, high blood pressure, stroke, osteoporosis, obesity, anemia, liver disease, cancer, heart disease, depression, and electrolyte abnormalities,” Freeland adds. She also warns that alcohol can also interfere with various medications, which can be problematic, so you may notice some improvement in the effect of your prescribed medications. For herself, Ayala has noticed that since she quit drinking, she sleeps better, copes better with menopausal symptoms, and has less nasal pressure and fewer colds.
6. Find an alternative habit
Think about what triggers you to drink and find something different to do in situations where you would normally drink. According to Hobelmann, it can be anything from taking a walk to watching a Netflix show. If you find yourself drinking when you’re lonely, call a friend on the phone or make plans to do something social. Albertson found that prioritizing yoga, meditation, and walks on the beach helped her distance herself from drinking. You can also take up an old hobby again, whether it’s playing a musical instrument or creating art. Drinking less will give you more time to pursue these passion projects in general, and can help you find new hobbies and interests.
7. Create a new signature drink
Albertson finds it convenient to buy non-alcoholic drinks to sip on and create mocktails at home. She also likes to go to restaurants and bars that serve non-alcoholic drinks, as almost all do these days. Many bars and restaurants have full mocktail menus, and there are more and more non-alcoholic drinks available for purchase at home. Ayala takes advantage of this opportunity, too. “I now drink sparkling water and add lime and ice, and I even love creating pretty cocktails without alcohol and not so much sugar,” she explains.
You can find mocktail recipes online. Derek Brown, a National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)-certified wellness coach, mindful drinking advocate, and expert bartender, shares one of his favorite recipes below.
8. Don’t get stressed in social situations
When we were younger, socializing consisted of having a few drinks with friends at bars and playing drinking games at college. But Hobelmann says that doesn’t happen as much after middle age. He recommends that the next time you’re out with friends, take a good look at what’s going on around you.
“When you go to a social gathering, you often notice that there are a lot of people who don’t drink or drink very little,” she says. And generally, she adds, other people don’t care whether you drink or not. “A lot of people have this idea that if I don’t have a drink in my hand at a social event, people are going to think I’m weird or strange. That’s not the case,” she says. Hobelmann, who hasn’t had a drink for almost 12 years, says that these days, when she says she doesn’t drink, she’s more likely to be told that she’d like to drink less, too, rather than resisting her decision to stop drinking.
9. Pay attention to signs that you may need help
Wanting to cut back on alcohol for personal or medical reasons is one thing, but it’s also important to pay attention to signs that you may have a more serious addiction that could benefit from.
