Sober September: What Is It?
Dry January helps many people recover from the holidays and get a fresh start to the new year. A newer concept, Sober September, offers a chance to join others in your local community and social media to reset and evaluate your relationship with alcohol. For those who have turned to a life of sobriety, Sober September provides an opportunity to reflect on past successes and recommit to their journey.
The Sanctuary Recovery Foundation offers a residential experience to help you rebuild a sober and purpose-driven life. Contact us to learn how our clean and safe residence can help you or a loved one.
What Is Sober September?
No one knows how it started, but Sober September has become a popular one-month commitment to not drink alcohol. These thirty days allow you to see how alcohol affects the various aspects of your life. You get an opportunity to examine how alcohol impacts you physically, socially, and mentally. You may be surprised at some of the improvements in your sleep, appetite, and energy levels.
What Are The Benefits Of Avoiding Alcohol?
In one month, you will get to partially see the many long-term health benefits of alcohol abstention, such as:
- Improved hydration. Alcohol is a diuretic that can lead to excess fluid loss. It also diminishes the kidney’s production of a vital hormone in regulating our body’s fluid levels.
- Improved brain health. For one month, you will not experience the harmful effects of alcohol on your brain, such as slurred speech and memory loss. Additionally, you will be on your way to what research has shown to be possible, complete healing of alcohol’s damage to your brain.
- Decreased dementia risk. After one five-year study, researchers in France concluded that almost 40% of early-onset dementia cases were alcohol-related.
- Decreased body weight. Alcohol is loaded with calories, more than twice that of carbohydrates, yet totally lacking in nutrition. Alcohol’s high calorie density causes it to be a contributor to abdominal obesity.
- Decreased liver fat. Alcohol heavily taxes the liver for its metabolism. This heavy workload leads to liver problems, such as cirrhosis. Drinking alcohol causes fat accumulation that impairs liver function. Fortunately, this is reversible when you abstain from alcohol consumption.
- Lowered blood pressure. A major factor in having a healthy heart is not drinking alcohol. Alcohol contributes to hypertension and other conditions that promote heart disease and stroke.
- Fewer gastrointestinal problems. Gastritis and other stomach issues are common among those who drink alcohol. Most of these are due to alcohol’s irritation of the stomach lining.
From Sober September To A Sober Lifestyle
After thirty days of no alcohol, you may discover that you no longer want or need alcohol’s effects. However, you may find turning your sober month into a sober lifestyle quite challenging. Here are some tips to make the transition easier.
- Plan your social life. Proactively seek alcohol-free activities.
- Plan for temptation. Have ways to manage awkward times when you face temptation.
- Find new friends. If your old friends are uncomfortable with your change, find others who accept your alcohol avoidance.
- Find new ways to relax. Many people drink to relieve stress. Find healthy and more productive ways, such as meditation or yoga, to relax without the adverse side effects of alcohol.
- Remember the benefits. Keep the long-term health benefits of not drinking in mind to motivate you to stay on track with sobriety.
Sanctuary Recovery Foundation
The Sanctuary Foundation can help people at all places on their journey to a sober life. Contact us and learn more about the safe, clean, and encouraging residential environment, we offer to support your pursuit of a meaningful and confident life.
