Abroad, there are two concepts, the first is Dry January (roughly translated: “dry January”, a public health campaign calling for people to abstain from alcohol in January, carried out in Europe and the United States and the Caucasus…), and Sober October (or Ocsober, roughly translated: “Sober October”, an Australian fundraising initiative to encourage people to give up alcohol in October).
Many people in many countries make January or October of the year an alcohol-free month. Hilary Sheinbaum, author of a book called “The Dry Challenge: How to Lose the Booze for Dry January, Sober October, and Any Other Alcohol-Free Month” has eliminated alcohol from her diet for at least one month of each year since 2017.
She is always on the Dry January campaign, will also participate in the Sober October campaign sometimes, or will choose any month that suits her to stay away from alcohol.
Sheinbaum says not drinking alcohol for a month each year has brought her many benefits, such as better sleep and brighter skin.
Hilary Sheinbaum, author of “The Dry Challenge: How to Lose the Booze for Dry January, Sober October, and Any Other Alcohol-Free Month” (Image: CNBC)
Health benefits of reducing alcohol intake
In 2017, after years of working as a reporter on many red carpets, frequenting VIP events and open bars, Sheinbaum and a close friend made a promise to each other: No alcohol for a month.
The winner will be invited to dinner at the restaurant of their choice, the loser will pay the bill.
Sheinbaum won the bet before the 31 days were up, but the free meal wasn’t the only gift she got.
She told CNBC Make It: “I’ve come to realize how much alcohol has affected my daily life and overall health. Of course, I don’t drink every day, but looking back and realizing it, I don’t drink alcohol every day. That’s really helpful.”
Prior to her first month of abstinence, Sheinbaum attributed her poor sleep to simply odd work hours, tight schedules and stress.
“As a busy New Yorker who still uses adrenaline sometimes, I thought that the lack of sleep was simply because of the nature of work” she said.
However, giving up alcohol has made a very positive change, from sleeping 4 and a half or 5 hours a night in December, Sheinbaum was able to sleep 7 or 8 hours in the first January “sober” of the year.
“The only thing that I’ve changed is drinking less alcohol” Sheinbaum says. “I’m still exercising, still have the same amount of work and obviously the weather is the same.”
She slept well through the night, feeling less irritable in the morning.
She woke up feeling more refreshed than before.
“If you’re exhausted, you’ll be less productive, and of course, you’ll also be less happy. It affects your whole day” she says.
As for general health:
Improved skin health: Within the first 10 days of her first month of sobriety, she noticed a big difference in her skin. She looked more “vibrant”, her skin was less dry when she cut alcohol out of her diet.
Positive mental health for better financial situation: Buying drinks in the city is a very expensive habit to maintain. Sheinbaum was able to save quite a bit by cutting back on drinking.
Better diet: Sheinbaum cuts out some empty calories and excess sugar when not drinking. She also finds herself buying a lot less unhealthy junk food when sober.
“Totally quit drinking for a month doesn’t mean you can’t hang out or hang out with anyone during that time because cocktails and other non-alcoholic drinks are becoming more and more popular in bars. and restaurants”, Sheinbaum said.
If you are someone who is forced to drink regularly, consider choosing a month to quit drinking, maybe January, maybe October, or maybe a month of the year that works best for you.
What matters is how much less alcohol you consume. If you’re not motivated to do it alone, start by asking a friend, like Sheinbaum, to impose a punishment heavy enough that you don’t want to lose. Trust me, you’ll really be surprised at what you “get back” when you say goodbye to alcohol!
Source: CafeBiz
Source: Vietnam Insider