Alcohol Consumption Doubles Around The Holidays: Why It Matters & How To Cut Back

It's that time of year: more social events, sweet desserts and definitely alcohol.

Alcohol intake specifically increases around the holidays, for some as much as doubling between Thanksgiving and New Years. Socializing and alcohol often go hand in hand, making it easier to get into the routine of having a drink at the end of most days during this time. Therefore, it's key for us to get into the mindset of mindfulness around alcohol straight from the start!

What Are The Short-Term Effects Of Alcohol

First, let's dive into the why. Why do we want to limit alcohol intake?

• Poor Sleep. Although it may feel easier to fall asleep after a few cocktails, restless sleep will actually follow, meaning that you'll experience more wakings throughout the night. One study compared sleep within two groups - one group had 4-5 cocktails and the other had mocktails - and they found that alcohol intake was associated with a reduced time of sleep and a reduced time spent in R.E.M. sleep. Restless sleep means less restorative time which is crucial for your body to recover from the day & feel rested in the morning. As a result, you'll likely wake up feeling lethargic and basically sleep walking to your first cup of coffee.
• Greater Empty Calorie Consumption. Drinking alcohol decreases mindfulness around what you're eating. This is because alcohol can interact with hormones, reducing your ability to feel satiated from the same amount of food that would make you experience satiety sans alcohol. Also, typically the food being consumed is less nutritiously-dense. We're usually grabbing for the chips over the veggies & dip right? This overconsumption will likely contribute to a spike and then drop in blood sugar which isn't optimal for energy or health goals.
• Alcohol Can Increase Anxiety. Ever wake up the morning after having a drink or two and experience anxiety? Alcohol is likely the culprit. According to a recent article, this anxiety is related to physiological shifts within the body but also can be worsened by a blood sugar crash after indulging in sugar-containing cocktails. On top of that, the restless night of sleep due to drinking can further exacerbate anxiety.

Tips To Cut Back On Alcohol

While we understand the reality of likely still having a cocktail with friends, we know that limiting alcohol benefits health. Here are a few of our tips to make cutting back on alcohol during the holidays feel realistic!

• Stay Mindful. Go into the night with a plan. If you would usually have three drinks at that party, plan to have one and then enjoy a sparkling water in a champagne flute or possibly even a low sugar mocktail. Ultimately, if you've noticed that you don't like the way you feel the morning after drinking, try to take a night off and journal how you feel in the morning. This mindfulness around thinking about how you will feel after can be very powerful.
• Don't Go Hungry. Aim to have a balanced meal or snack before the cocktail.
• Get Creative! Zero proof gets the reputation of being boring (sparkling water with lime 🙄) or loaded with sugar but there are so many simple recipes out there that are not heavy in sugar! 

*Photo above: credit to Aleisha Kalina via Unsplash