5 days ago
Sober curious? 5 simple ways to cut down on alcohol this summer
Sarah Kiely Lavelle shares her tips for embracing a sober curious summer.
Summer in Ireland is a fleeting, sticky, and oftentimes chaotic experience. Appearing out of nowhere, it escalates at random, leaving us frantic to make the most of that long stretch in the evening.
Instinctively, we find ourselves planning BBQs, flocking to festivals, and joining the masses in beer gardens at any opportunity.
As a country that suffers long winters, we feel that these days of sunshine must be celebrated with such urgency, we simply cannot say no to anything. As such, it's easy to lose the run of ourselves.
While fun in the sun is a wonderful thing, especially shared with friends, excessive mid-week meet-ups in the heat can leave even the most seasoned partiers feeling worse for wear.
There is no completely safe level of alcohol use, but you can reduce your risk by drinking less. The HSE says that no more than six standard drinks should be had on any one occasion. Over the space of a week, low-risk alcohol guidelines are 11 standard drinks for women and 17 standard drinks for men.
Given that a standard drink equates to just half a pint of beer, those units quickly add up and can result in binge drinking.
So what can you do if you're craving craic with your mates but want to avoid or minimise your alcohol intake?
Here are our top five tips for a sober curious summer:
1. Intention setting
If you're thinking about reframing your relationship with alcohol, there's likely a reason why. Try to remind yourself of why you want to limit or abstain completely.
This could be anything from trying to conceive to improving your mental or physical health, to saving money for something important.
According to the HSE, one in three Irish people spends between €30 to €75 a week on alcohol, so depending on how much you drink, you could save a lot by cutting back.
Having a reminder/labelled alarm on your phone or a photo of your ''why'' you can open discreetly throughout an evening. This can really help ground you in your decision to abstain or reduce your consumption and ward off the impulse to overdo it when festivities are high and the drinks are flowing.
2. Tell a friend
Deciding to cut back on your drinking is a commendable decision, and you'll likely find support from those who love and care about you. When socialising in a group, having a pal who is looking out for you and checking in with you subtly is an enormous support.
If you find yourself about to succumb to peer pressure to drink, they can remind you of why you're not drinking right now and also help side-step any potentially awkward questions.
3. Delay a drink
If you're going to drink but want to consume less, try starting with a non-alcoholic alternative like a 0.0 beer or mocktail. You'll still feel like you're in on the fun, and by the time it comes to ordering again, you may not have the same impulse to drink alcohol once you're in the swing of things.
Sometimes, just finding a non-alcoholic drink that feels a little more exciting than water or a soft drink can make such a difference in your enjoyment of it.
Remember, the less you drink, the lower the risk to your health. Short-term benefits of taking a break or cutting down can include lower blood sugar, lower blood pressure, better sleep, weight loss, and better absorption of nutrients like vitamins B1 and B12, folic acid and zinc.
4. Preparation is key
Always remember to stay hydrated with lots of water during a long event, particularly if you are drinking alcohol.
Eating a protein-rich meal with some healthy fats pre-drinks is also wise as it will help to avoid sugar spikes, and staying as hydrated as possible throughout the night will all help stablise the impact of the alcohol on your system.
The Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute recommends avoiding exercise the morning after the night before due to the added stress it puts on the body. During exercise, our muscles burn glucose for energy, producing lactic acid. Too much of this causes cramping, and if you exercise after drinking, it adds further pressure to the liver to eliminate the toxins from alcohol alongside lactic acid.
5. Exit strategy
Not to be confused with an 'Irish goodbye', planning when you're going to leave and, more importantly, sticking to it, is key to sticking to a plan.
This can look like anything from driving yourself to the party, or making plans with a loved one for later that evening. Try booking and paying for an activity the morning after to give you an extra boost of motivation!
Whether you're cutting back or ditching the drink this summer, there's still plenty of enjoyment to be had. Embrace the clarity of a sober curious summer, you never know how you'll look and feel by Autumn.
