Dry January, Sober Spring, Dry July, Sober September – these seasonal holidays are gaining popularity as individuals choose to abstain from alcohol on a short-term or longer-term basis. The sober curious or sober sometimes movement started as a challenge for those who felt they’d partied a little too hard over New Year’s weekend. The movement has spread across the U.S., with people challenging each other to see what life is like without alcohol and share in that experience. A 2016 British study of about 850 men and women who volunteered to abstain from alcohol during Dry January found that 82 percent of participants felt a sense of achievement, 62 percent cited better sleep, and 49 percent said they lost some weight. This movement is also being fueled by social media. Instagram accounts like Sober Girl Society and Sober Nation have tens of thousands of followers, as does Ruby Warrington, author of the book Sober Curious: The Blissful Sleep, Greater Focus, Limitless Presence, and Deep Connection Awaiting Us All on the Other Side of Alcohol.
Abstaining from alcohol to feel your best every day doesn’t mean avoiding the social atmosphere it brings or missing out on the relaxation you may feel from sipping a special beverage to wind down at the end of the day. Check out some mocktail recipes here or here.
Pictured is a kombucha, ginger, and mint mocktail, yummy!!
