Already failed at doing Sober October? That’s OK.
NHS recommends
“For example, if you often skip workouts after a hangover or eat poorly during and after drinking and are able to see and feel the benefits of not drinking during October, this could lead you to review your drinking habits in subsequent months.” “Short-term resolutions can be great opportunities for someone to experiment with a different lifestyle and appreciate the benefits of a different routine they might not know is possible for them. But they also come with potential risks,” explains“When we embrace a challenge, we tend to attach lots of value to the outcome, ie making it to the end. To do that, we often force drastic changes, like completely banishing specific foods/drinks.
“Exercise can also help people feel more motivated to reduce their alcohol intake. For example doing exercise such as an evening run can be a powerful deterrent to drinking alcohol later on. Reason being, not only does exercise offer an alternative high to drinking alcohol, but after a good sweat, the majority of us would rather treat ourselves to a refreshing alcohol-free drink rather than reaching for a dehydrating glass of wine.” , advises planning ahead and writing down your targets.
So, instead of cutting alcohol out completely for a month, I’ll be setting a goal of only drinking three drinks on my Saturday night at the pub. This will allow me to spend more time running, as I can still set my alarm for a Sunday morning jog after a few drinks, but after seven? Forget it. Most of us have our vices, and alcohol is a common one. However, simply replacing one vice with another for a month may not be the smartest move if that vice is used as a coping mechanism.