There’s nothing wrong with enjoying a drink- and I love sampling cocktails and drinks in my favourite local pubs.
However, I think we can all admit that alcohol isn’t good for the body, or the mind. In fact, drinking can affect your whole body, including the brain, heart, liver, pancreas and immune system.
While I never drink very much, there’s nothing worse than wasting a day because you’re hungover or tired after a few drinks the night before.
This week is Alcohol Awareness Week, so I thought I would discuss a few ways to reduce your alcohol consumption this Winter.
Whether you want to look after your health a little bit or you’re trying to have a dry November, I hope these tips can help you reduce your alcohol consumption during the Winter months!
Note: If you need help with addiction, please access help from Alcoholics Anonymous or a similar organisation.
1. Find tasty alternatives!
If you want to avoid alcohol, it’s important to find tasty alternatives!
When heading out with friends or even drinking at home, you need to find something delicious to drink instead of alcohol- otherwise you won’t stick to your goals.
You could buy a few mocktails or pick up some fizzy pop instead of your usual glass of wine.
2. Set goals for yourself
One of the best ways to reduce your alcohol consumption this Winter is to set yourself goals.
If you’re serious about cutting down on alcoholic drinks, give yourself certain parameters or time frames to stick to your new routine.
This doesn’t mean you have to cut out drinking altogether. You could allow yourself a certain number of drinks when you go out with friends, or only drink on weekends.
Or you could aim to stay dry for one month, two months or 6 months.
Setting reasonable, achievable goals for yourself will help you create a plan and stick to it- whether you want to reduce your consumption or cut it out completely.
3. Make alternative plans
It can be hard to reduce your alcohol when a lot of plans centre around it!
When you’re out with family and friends, it might be hard to avoid alcohol- especially when everyone else is drinking, or if you’re going out clubbing.
However, there are lots of activities that don’t necessarily involve drinking, giving you the option to enjoy a drink or not. You could go for a walk, take part in an activity or enjoy a delicious meal.
If you’re cutting down on alcohol, you’re likely to save a bit of money- so you can afford to treat yourself to more meals out, too!
4. Reduce your alcohol with someone else
Just like with any challenge, pairing up with someone else is a great way to keep yourself motivated and stick to your goals.
You and your partner could both reduce your drinking, meaning that date nights are less expensive and both of you feel good in the morning. Or you could reduce your alcohol with a friend or housemate.
These are the people you will be drinking with regularly, so if more than one person has a goal in mind, it might be easier for you to stick to a plan.
5. Don’t drink at home
One of the best ways to reduce your alcohol consumption this Winter is to avoid drinking at home.
While there’s nothing wrong with pouring yourself an occasional glass of wine or making yourself a drink, it can be hard to resist when there’s alcohol so readily available- especially if you’re trying to cut it out.
Try to stop bringing drinks into the home. Drinking in pubs and bars is much more expensive than drinking at home, so you won’t want to buy as many drinks while you’re out too.
Reducing your alcohol consumption this Winter
There are lots of reasons to reduce your alcohol consumption this Winter. It is a great way to look after your mental health, giving your liver a break and improving your overall health.
Cutting down on alcohol has numerous other benefits, including sleep improvement, weight loss, improved memory, hydration and reduced risk of heart disease.
For me, I find that alcohol exacerbates my anxiety– and so I want to reduce my alcohol consumption this Winter to keep it under control and do everything I can to look after my mental health.
However, although it is great to think about your alcohol consumption- it’s also important to avoid putting pressure on yourself. This won’t help you stick to your goals, and you need to understand what works for you.
Do you like to reduce your alcohol consumption at certain times of the year? What is your favourite non-alcoholic drink? Do you enjoy reducing your alcohol consumption?
Let me know all your thoughts in the comments below 🙂
Happy reading x
Not-So-Modern Girl 
Some really good, practical ideas here. I will definitely be cutting back. Not difficult at present as I’m not so well, but I’ll be following your tips when I’m back to full fitness.
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I’m sorry to hear that, but yes, I think it can really help with our overall health and wellbeing 🙂
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Great ideas; especially as the holidays can be a time of eating/drinking extra because we’re celebrating/feel like we can. My husband and I don’t really drink alcohol anyway (it’s a very rare occurrence) but these are good tips to bear in mind anyway. Thanks for sharing!
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Yes! There’s nothing wrong with that, but I think finding a few ways to reduce it down a little can never hurt 🙂 thank you so much Molly x
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One of our favorite holiday drinks is peppermint hot chocolate.
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Ooh that sounds perfect for the cold Winter months then 🙂
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I’m not an alcoholic and my partner and I decided to stay this way. But I like the idea of finding alternatives that tastes really good.
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Thank you!
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Some really good ways to reduce alcohol consumption during Winter. There are always alternatives that taste just as fine as regular alcohol! x
Lucy | http://www.lucymary.co.uk
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Thank you! Yes that’s so true 🙂 x
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Such a great and inspiring post. I’m not a huge drinker, I drank far too much in my teens and 20s, and after having kids, I was always the designated driver! I still like a drink now and again, but I worked in events and bars for years, and it was eye-opening how much people consume. Even someone having one less drink a week can offer so many benefits. Not drinking alcohol doesn’t make you boring, either! Hahaha.
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I completely agree Gemma! I think it can be eye-opening when surrounded with others. Yes, it’s not necessary to completely stop drinking if you don’t want to, it’s more about reducing it so you don’t feel bad and look after yourself 🙂 thank you for commenting!
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This is such an important conversation. Not everyone wants to drink, or drink to the point of an inevitable hangover. Yet, it’s hard when your being surrounded by others pressuring you to do so.
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Thank you! That’s very true 🙂
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These are really helpful suggestions and it’s a good topic for winter. Thanks for bringing it up and sharing this post!
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Thank you Andrea x
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This is such a good idea. I tend to drink at home but have not had a drop for the last ten days or so. It has really changed my sleep and my energy levels. As I suffer from depression, alcohol can be both a friend and an enemy. It gives a boost but the day after can be an extreme of lows. This is a very welcome and handy reminder for me. Thank you.
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Thank you for your kind words Zac 🙂 I’m so happy to hear it has helped your energy levels. Yes, it can be a double-edged sword when it comes to mental health issues- I feel the same about anxiety. Thank you for sharing your experiences
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Such great tips! These days alcohol honestly makes me feel pretty rubbish the next day (even if I have one drink!). I regularly buy alcohol free alternatives.
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That sounds great! I get what you mean, I feel the same x
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Switching to alcohol free drinks can be a good way to help reduce your drinking. I often drink alcohol free beer if I’ve got stuff to do the following day. You could always use low alcohol drinks, such as 2% beer rather than 4-5%
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Yes that’s a great tip! I don’t like beer myself, but that is a fantastic way for people to feel good the day after but still get the taste of beer on a night out 🙂
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I love the no drinking at home rule and goal setting. Because I’m just too tired, I don’t really drink at all, other than weekends now.
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Yes, I tend to only drink on weekends too unless there’s some kind of special occasion. I’m glad you enjoyed the post!
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