I gave up alcohol ten months ago and here’s what’s happened since
By Scott Pearson on
I used to wake up with a feeling of dread. You know, that feeling that you’ve said or done the wrong thing in a drunken stupor? Sometimes I’d have to do my best Poirot and piece the night together from stories others told me of my behaviour, along with Uber email receipts and transactions on my banking apps. After too many years of making the same mistakes, and realising I only had myself to blame for my rising anxiety, poor fitness, and debt levels to challenge those of a small country, I knew something had to give.
In October 2018 I woke up one morning with the worst hangover of my life, and from that point on I knew my relationship with alcohol was over. The important thing to mention is, that even when I was drinking, my life wasn’t...
7 Tips For Getting Through a Wedding Sober
By Millie Gooch on
Despite the fact that weddings are supposed to be the happiest day of some people’s lives, if it’s a) not yours and b) you have to do it sober, you can begin to think that, in fact, quite the opposite is true.
There are two main reasons why weddings are notoriously difficult to navigate without a drink. The first is that nuptials are a kind of an ‘all in’ package deal. With a lot of social events, you can simply leave if you’re feeling horrifically bored or out of sorts, it’s simply much harder to stand up during your second course or in the middle of the Best Man speech and declare that you’ve actually just had enough. There’s a certain level of expectation as a wedding guest that you’re more or less locked in for the duration and that...
A Sober Night's Sleep
By Clare Pooley on
It's Saturday morning, and I've bounced out of bed, leaving the children still slumbering away happily. One of the very best things about being sober, the one I never tire of (please excuse the pun!), is sleep.
For at least a decade, I was a terrible sleeper. I would look at the rest of my family, who'd be happily out for the count for hours, and think how do you DO that? I would get to sleep easily enough, but then I'd wake up at around 3am tossing and turning and unable to drop off again until about ten minutes before my alarm went off.
I blamed my insomnia on the inevitable stresses and strains of modern life. I tried everything to cure my lack of sleep – relaxation and meditation, exercise, aromatherapy pillows and various...
What Your Body Does After One Month Off Alcohol
By Chloe Mcleod on
We all love to indulge in alcohol every now and then, but a night out with friends brings social pressures in regards to frequent drinking. It can feel impossible to dodge having a drink when you want to be part of the group vibe - and before you know it, you’re waking up with a dry mouth and a nasty hangover again.
Go Sober is a great way to reassess your relationship with alcohol consumption and see the health benefits of taking a month off. If you’re signing up to raise money, you’ll also be helping people with cancer.
Here are a few ways the human body can benefit from abstaining from alcohol for a whole month.
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#1 Improvements to mental health
Alcohol may seem like a mood elevator when you’re dancing and having a great time with your...
10 Hacks to get you through Go Sober for October
By Juliet Hodges, Bupa UK on
Bupa UK’s behaviour change advisor Juliet Hodges shares her top ten hacks to help all those who are going booze-free this October.
Believe in yourself
You might be feeling apprehensive about a whole month without alcohol and wondering if you have the willpower to last a full 31 days. Research shows that yes, you do – as long as you believe you do. People who believe that willpower is unlimited tend to be better at dealing with tasks that require self-control, and also tend to be happier. Tell yourself that you can do it, and it’s more likely that you will!
Get your friends on board
Our friends and family are vital to our success with this kind of thing , – they can either be your biggest supporters, or biggest liability if they’re...
How to avoid the sweet-tooth when giving up alcohol
By Juliet Hodges, Bupa UK on
‘Go Sober for October’ 2017 is well underway and Bupa UK’s behaviour change advisor Juliet Hodges has shared her top tips to how avoid sweet treats during a booze free month.
Overindulging with sugary treats is a really common antidote to giving up alcohol or taking a break. Sugar is a particularly potent replacement because it has a similar effect on the brain as alcohol, releasing dopamine which gives us a feeling of pleasure. So how can you beat the odds and avoid sugar while you Go Sober for October?
Try “if-then” planning
If you’re determined to keep the sweet treats at a minimum during October, one technique you could try is “if-then” planning, which has been shown to be an effective tool for changing behaviour. For example, you...
Eat well to make the most of your Go Sober
By Anne Finch on
Taking a break from booze is absolutely one of the best things you can do for your health. Not only are you giving your liver (and other organs!) a break, but you can expect these benefits:
- Better sleep – alcohol might help us fall asleep, but it leads to poorer quality sleep
- Less bar snacks – drinking stirs hunger, and can also lead to sub-optimal food choices (I’m looking at you late-night fried chicken)
- Less hangover remedies – greasy fry-ups, sugary drinks and fast food are pretty common on Sunday morning, meaning the effects of your weekend drag on
- More movement – not being glued to the couch recovering means more opportunities to get out and about
If you’re looking for even more ways to treat your body right, we’ve got some...
How to prepare for your sober October
By Go Sober Team on
No one said that being a Soberhero was easy. Only the bravest and most fearless heroes will see it through to November without any alcohol touching their lips. You’re doing something amazing – and we salute you.
In preparation for your Go Sober:
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In September try to slow down your alcohol intake to half of what you would normally consume. - Plan your social calendar. If you have an event that you really want to drink at, ask someone to buy you a Golden Ticket.
- Have a substitute for your usual weekend drinks. Try a mocktail or juice instead.
- Plan your meals and your shopping list.
- Remove all temptation from your house. Ask a friend or family member to mind your alcohol for you during October.
- Prepare your mind as well as your body...
Managing Sugar Cravings This Sober October
By Peter Rule on
We all seek the taste of sweet foods naturally in our diet, however it can be easy to crave excess high sugar foods for many varied reasons.
We have 5 basic recognised tastes – sweet, sour, bitter, salty and umami (savoury) however we can become imbalanced in our food choices due to stress, low energy, eating on the run, looking for psychological reward or treat or nutritional deficiencies, just to name a few.
Refined sugar is addictive due to the release of dopamine from the brain. Dopamine is one of the principal neurotransmitters involved in creating substance dependence on things like alcohol. The excess dopamine that is produced gives rise to powerful feelings of pleasure; however these excess levels also take a long-term toll on...
