You may have noticed that the amount of alcohol you’ve been drinking has increased lately. Maybe you’ve been drinking more over the last few months and are fed up of the way it makes you feel. Perhaps you’ve decided enough is enough and want to either cut it out completely or just reduce the amount you’re drinking. Whichever route you plan to take, there are huge benefits to cutting out and even cutting down the amount you drink.
What are the benefits of cutting down?
You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how much of a positive difference you will see and feel straight away. Alcohol has a huge impact on our physical and mental wellbeing. Even cutting back you’ll notice a big difference in your mood, your energy levels and your waist line. In the short and medium term you’ll notice how much better you will sleep and you may even notice that your concentration levels will improve.
Many people report a big improvement on their physical appearance in the condition of their skin, to better digestion and weight loss. You’ll be amazed at how many calories are in alcohol so reducing your intake means less weight. The long term benefits are even more staggering, from reducing your risk of developing liver and heart disease to avoiding numerous cancers. So it goes without saying that changing your relationship with alcohol has a hugely positive impact on every aspect of your life.
So now you’ve decided to reduce your level of drinking, or to cut it out completely, how do you start and will you be alone. According to Drink aware 1 in 5 adults in the UK said that they do not drink alcohol so you are not on your own. If you decide to take a short break as part of a challenge you’ll be joining millions of others so you will definitely not be alone in your decision especially as Dry January is just around the corner. It could be a perfect time to set your intention for the New Year where you’ll feel more supported than ever to change your alcohol relationship.
So What is Dry January?
You most likely will have heard of Dry January before but essentially it is a vow of sobriety for the whole month. This obviously can be quiet challenging for those that drink alcohol regularly but with the help of hypnosis you can successfully complete the challenge. There are lots of ways to help keep you motivated and resist the temptation to reach for that pint or glass of wine. Here are the top 5 ways you can keep yourself on track.
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Identify your Drinking Triggers
If you know why and when you normally drink you can start to replace these triggers with something else. So for example are you someones who does need a drink after after a stressful and busy day at work to help you unwind? Or do you drink to celebrate the weekend? Once you become aware of these triggers you can start to change them. So in the example above, instead of reaching for the wine maybe you can do something else to relax like a going for a walk.
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Set your Goals
Before you start the challenge create your weekly and daily goals. Be specific with your goals and be clear on why you are doing it. But make sure they are realistic too. You may decide to cut down on your drinking levels rather than stop it completely. So how much are you going to drink per week? You can download the Drinkaware app to help you to keep track of the amount of units you are drinking by clicking here. Get clear on what motivates you and why you are doing the challenge. Is it because you want more energy so you can do more with your kids or is it that you want to lose weight, if so how much weight? If you get crystal clear on your why then you are more likely to stick to your goals each week.
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Plan Ahead
If you know that you’re going to have a stressful week or you have a challenging time coming up think of ways you can unwind rather than habitually reaching for the wine. Could you arrange a visit to the cinema or visiting friends/family instead? Also look at events that are coming up in the next month like family gatherings or nights out with friends? Offer to be the designated driver or make sure you will have access to some non or low alcoholic drinks. Even better you can take your own drinks perhaps.
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Communicate your Intentions
Let family and friends know that you intend to cut down or cut out alcohol. Be prepared to receive a bit of peer pressure at first. But you may be surprised that others will feel encouraged to join you on the challenge. By letting others know your intentions you will feel more supported and more likely to finish the challenge. You could, if you feel up to it post your intentions on social media showing your progress to lots of your friends. This will give you a sense of accountability. You may find groups you can join for accountability and extra support.
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Use the power of Hypnotherapy
Many of our habits and behaviours are programmed into our subconscious mind and these can be triggered by certain stressors like anxiety for example. Hypnosis is a way to access your subconscious mind and reprogram any unwanted behaviours and create change from deep within. If you plan to join the Dry January challenge Hypnosis could help you to control your cravings and resist the urge to drink. It can help to reduce your anxiety and stress levels giving you more control over your alcohol consumption.
New Program Released!!
The good news is a new hypnosis program called Control Your Consumption will be released just in time for Dry January 2022. By signing up to this 4 week program your chances of completing the challenge will increase significantly. Its designed to give you the tools you need to navigate the challenges of cutting down your alcohol consumption. It will include weekly group zoom meetings to give you the support and motivation you need. You’ll receive weekly tips on how to improve your stress levels, manage social anxiety or peer pressure and you’ll also receive a hypnosis recording you can listen to beyond January.
More details will be released in the next week. This is perfect for someone who could do with more support on their journey of cutting down on their drinking and who needs greater accountability and motivation.
Keep any eye open for more details in the days to come.
