Alcohol consumption has risen during the lockdown and if you feel like you can’t face dry January, there are some tips you should definitely take into account.
Alcohol is commonly used as a coping mechanism for anxiety, loneliness and boredom, so no wonder why we drank more than ever in 2020. The problem is that although alcohol might temporarily numb negative feelings, it is actually a depressant that depletes the levels of dopamine and then you’d need more alcohol and more often to get the same effect. As a result of dopamine depletion symptoms such as tiredness, anxiety, insomnia and depression can appear –and this is the last thing we need. This is why you should embark on Mindful drinking and take the pressure off:
Establish limits
Decide when you are going to allow yourself to drink, for example, I only drink Fridays and Saturdays –five dry days is a good place to start.
Find your motivation
Why would you like to drink less? Maybe you want to improve your health, lose some weight or get glowing skin. Having in mind exactly why you’d like to reduce your alcohol intake will keep you motivated.
Get to know yourself
Identify the reason why you drink, some people drink only in social situations, some others to distract themselves from loneliness or just because it is your ritual after turning off your computer to open a bottle of wine.
Find some alcohol-free distractions
Put your favorite record on, call a friend to talk about your worries. If you are feeling overwhelmed with uncertainty, remember that we cannot control the pandemic –but you can control your plans: do some exercise, have a relaxing bath, read a book and watch a film.
Don’t keep alcohol at home
Make it difficult for you to drink. This sounds too simple, but it makes a difference –because we are lazy.
Make better choices
If you choose to drink only champagne, it will make it easier to drink less, it would be too expensive to drink champagne every day.
Be your best friend
Understand that you might not succeed every day, there will be some days that you will overdrink. Try seeing this as an opportunity to learn about what triggered it and how you can tackle it better next time.
The bottom line is that you should take the pressure off, aim at drinking less and do it because you want to feel better about yourself.
You may also like this article!