On the eve of the last day of Dry January, I’d like to share my experience. I had planned on drinking (moderately) at a few events this month, so my goal was less dry January than damp January. Nonetheless, this healthy reset was a win.
Here are a few things I learned this month while abstaining from alcohol.
First, the desire to drink was a hard thing to shake after heavy drinking in December. Nonetheless, I felt comfortable in social settings without alcohol at the end of week one.
Second, I immediately dropped weight. I saw 5-7lbs fall off the scale in the second week of sobriety. I googled alcohol-related bloating after feeling lighter in the second week. Alcohol is an inflammatory substance, and if you’re like me, you drink hard seltzers, making alcohol-related bloating substantially worse.
Lastly, I did surprisingly well in social situations while sober. I attribute this to my age and the age of my peer group. Many of my friends and peers only drink moderately. This discovery was not the case in my 20s and early 30s, yet it was a refreshing surprise and one that I will note for the future.
I have no interest in complete sobriety.
Speaking of the future, I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it here again: I have no interest in complete sobriety. However, I do feel healthier by going 95% sober in January. I got so much more sleep this month, I made healthy decisions about food and exercise, and I didn’t have to experience a hangover this month. That was nice.
I’m finally at the age and stage when things like sleep, health, and clear mindedness have become priorities. I’m grateful and here for it. I’m going to go into February with the same goal as in January – 95% sobriety.
Comment below and let me know how you did this month.
