Taking a Break from Alcohol Can be Good for Your Health

February 1, 2021

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It’s always a good idea to periodically examine your relationship with alcohol. A popular way to do this is to participate in a sober month like Dry January or Sober October, which are health and wellness trends that emphasizes taking a break from alcohol for an entire month. But you don’t have to wait for a designated month to take a break from alcohol. Taking a break at any time gives you a chance to evaluate your relationship with alcohol and allows you to gain an understanding of what is motivating you to drink and how it is impacting your life. The insights gained while taking a break from alcohol can help guide better choices moving forward.

Depending on how much a person drinks, taking a break from alcohol for a month could lead to myriad positive changes. Some people might discover their alcohol use was irritating their stomach, disrupting their sleep, causing weight gain, contributing to conflicts, or that they relied more on alcohol for stress relief than they thought. Waking up without the fatigue, malaise and other common symptoms of hangovers could greatly improve one’s quality of life. In addition, potential improvements in health and wellbeing could have positive effects on relationships. And, for some people, the financial savings could be substantial. Research has also shown that taking a month-long break from alcohol can be good for the liver.

For a successful break from alcohol, as with dieting, it’s important to have a plan in place for when the allotted break time ends. Otherwise, it is easy to slip back into old habits. If you decide to return to drinking, stay within the U.S. Dietary Guidelines 2020-2025 for alcohol consumption, i.e., adults of legal drinking age who choose to drink should drink in moderation by limiting intake to 2 drinks or less in a day for men and 1 drink or less in a day for women, when alcohol is consumed. Drinking less is better for health than drinking more. Some people, however, should avoid alcohol completely. This includes individuals who take certain over-the-counter or prescription medications, have certain medical conditions, are underage, are pregnant or trying to become pregnant, are planning to drive or participate in other activities that require skill, coordination, or alertness, or are recovering from AUD or unable to control the amount of alcohol that they drink. People who have consumed alcohol heavily over time and want to reduce or stop drinking should seek medical help to monitor for and to prevent against potentially painful or even deadly withdrawal symptoms.

Whenever you decide to take a break from alcohol, whether it be during a designated sober month or any other time of the year, the NIAAA website, Rethinking Drinking, has strategies that can help you stop drinking. These include tips for cutting down or quitting, reminder strategies to help you remember why and how you decided to do it, and ways your family and friends can support you. All these strategies can help you stay motivated in your efforts to take a break from alcohol. Rethinking Drinking is also a tool for helping you examine your relationship with alcohol.

If you determine you need help with a drinking problem, the NIAAA Treatment Navigator provides information about treatment options, including telehealth and online mutual support.

Best wishes,
George F. Koob, Ph.D.
NIAAA Director