“I feel better when I Abstain…” Written by Jacqui Somen

I vividly remember standing in my Brooklyn shower, staring at my chipped nail polish, hoping that the poison from the night before would wash down the drain. I knew that something had to change; I didn’t want to feel that way anymore.

What happened next was not a cold turkey moment, not even close. It took me years to get to the point where I don’t turn to alcohol to relax or improve my social skills. Initially, I began holding back from drinking because I signed up for a 10K. It might sound silly, but I naturally found myself cutting back on nighttime revelry to make my training work. I kept signing up for races and kept wanting to get up early in the morning to hit the start line, which meant less time at the bars.

From there, I started exploring extended breaks. First, I gave up alcohol for Lent. After 40 days sans booze, I felt amazing — I was rested, my skin cleared, and I operated in every way with more clarity. I liked it so much that I started taking more long breaks. Next, I signed up for a 30-day challenge through the Australian organization, Hello Sunday Morning. At the time, a central part of their messaging was abstaining from alcohol so that you could wake up and feel good for your Sunday morning activities. This philosophy resonated with the part of me who enjoyed watching the sunrise and wanted to get up and run before the paths got crowded. This sentiment has stuck with me. To this day, I relish in the feeling of waking up fresh to hit the trails as the sun comes up over the Foothills or making it to the first chair at the ski resort and this just isn’t possible if I drink. 

Personally, breaks from drinking help me sleep better and feel sharper. And it’s not just me, there is a lot of research that backs up the benefits of abstaining from alcohol. Specifically, researchers in the U.K. found that participation in Dry January (a month-long break from alcohol) can support well-being  in numerous ways, from improved physical and financial health, to better sleep, more energy, and weight loss. (I am also a huge fan of Dry January and Sober October fwiw).  

On the flip side, the dangers of excessive alcohol use are terrifying. In fact, alcohol use is the third-leading preventable cause of death in the United States, accounting for 1 in 10 deaths of people aged 20-64. Copious alcohol consumption is socially acceptable in a lot of circles, but it is actually really dangerous for your body — alcohol negatively impacts almost every system, from brain, heart, and liver function, to muscle and bone strength and gastrointestinal health. The World Health Organization (WHO) recently released a statement that no amount of alcohol is safe, as it is a Group 1 (the highest risk level) carcinogen. With all of this in mind, it makes sense for all people, especially athletes, to take a step back from this social norm.

As I began taking on bigger races, I pulled back from drinking during my training. Since alcohol is known to reduce recovery time in athletes and contributes to dehydration and gastrointestinal issues, drinking just didn’t make sense when I was asking my body to push its limits and run up to 40 miles per week. I still love sitting down with a beer after a long trail run or day on the slopes, but if it’s available, I’ll reach for an Athletic Brewing non-alcoholic beer. I find that drinking a tasty non-alcoholic beer offers the same ritual of reward after a long day of physical rigor without making me feel crummy the next day or disrupting my body’s recovery process. 

I definitely used to grasp onto the “work hard, play hard” and “detox to retox” narratives, so I thought that giving up alcohol would make life less fun, but what it really does is amplify my experiences. When alcohol isn’t a factor, I can show up more fully for people and activities and truly savor playing outside. It took a recalibration of lifestyle (and a good therapist) to get here, but hands down my life is better when I limit alcohol. 

I’m not 100 percent sober, and I can’t tell you if I ever will be, but I do know for certain that I feel exponentially better physically and mentally when I keep my alcohol intake to a minimum. Whether it be to hit the trail, show up for my family, or head to work at the top of my game, nothing beats waking up to greet the day feeling alive. 

Jacqui Somen is a writer, NASM CPT, and founder of gaiactive.com. Her work explores topics in fitness, wellness, sustainability, and nature. Follow her adventures on Instagram @jacqui.somen