Sober curious: what is it and what do we need to do?

Have you heard of the term ‘sober curious’ and wondered what it means?

In an alcohol dominated society, sober curiosity has people thinking about their alcohol intake and the impact it has on their physical and mental wellbeing. 

Let’s take a look at what it is and any health benefits it can bring. 

What is sober curious?

Sober curious can be thought of as ‘mindful drinking.’ It explores the benefits of sobriety without giving up alcohol altogether. The term started with author, Ruby Warrington and her book. By embracing a more conscious approach to alcohol, many people may discover a healthier lifestyle and feel they have permission to choose not to drink. Research suggests a sober curious lifestyle is a healthy one to encourage. 

What does it mean to be sober curious?

To become sober curious, rather than assuming alcohol is an essential part of socialising and needed to relax, you adopt a mindset that questions your habits and the role of alcohol. You aren’t against alcohol but rather curious about its effects on our lives.

Are there benefits of being sober curious?

Benefits of being sober curious can be immediate, starting with understanding your own drinking pattern, is drinking alcohol a habit and reducing or giving up alcohol might not impact your lifestyle, does it raise you are possibly drinking more than you realise and will look at strategies for cutting down? 

Long term benefits are there too with population research showing that for overall health risk zero alcohol intake is the safest way to go and if you are looking for a good quality sleep, less or no alcohol seems to be the winner.

Here are 5 benefits of having no or less alcohol:

1. Discovering ways of relaxing and having a good time with less or no alcohol.
2. Improved physical health: Alcohol can interfere with sleep quality, healthy liver function, reduced risk of alcohol related diseases, reduced risk of heart disease, and may help with weight management.
3. Mental wellbeing may improve as alcohol is a depressant and can exacerbate anxiety and low mood. Alcohol can be a social lubricant however it can also impair genuine connections. Removing alcohol from the equation can help foster more meaningful relationships.  
4. Reduced risk of accidents. Alcohol related injury hospitalisations accounted for 5.7% of all injury hospitalisations in Australia in 2019-2020 (30,024)
5. More money in your wallet. Alcohol can be expensive. Leaving you with extra cash to enjoy on other things that make you healthy and happy.

How can you be sober curious?

Start by being curious about your own alcohol consumption currently. Ask yourself questions such as when do I drink alcohol, why, how much, how does it make me feel?

Try non-alcoholic beverages

Plan for times where you would like to try a non alcoholic drink that you will enjoy. There are a wide variety of non alcoholic beverages to choose from. Ones that are lower in sugar will be better for your health e.g soda water with fresh lime or lemon. Have ice cold water on hand and use a nice glass to pour it into like you would your wine, the setting is all part of the occasion.

Find other ways to socialise

Looking at different ways to socialise away from alcohol can make it easier. Catching up for a walk, bike ride, game of tennis or golf. A cup of tea or coffee instead.
If you used alcohol to relax at the end of the day, try another way to explore. Consider meditation, phoning a friend, listening to music or a podcast, walking or cooking a nice meal instead. 

Build a supportive community

Create yourself a like minded community. Invite your friends to join along and be sober curious with you. If you find yourself really struggling with alcohol, seek support and talk to a health professional

Embracing a sober curious lifestyle may have you taking control of your relationship with alcohol and leading a more balanced and intentional healthy lifestyle. . 

Reviewed by healthylife advisory board June 2023.