Did you know that moderate alcohol consumption has been linked to a range of health benefits, including reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes? However, excessive alcohol consumption can cause serious health problems, such as cancer, pancreatitis, heart muscle damage, high blood pressure, and more. That’s why the key to healthy alcohol consumption is balance! To help you find balance in your alcohol use, try practicing mindfulness about how much alcohol you’re consuming.
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness means paying attention to your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in the present moment. It involves focusing our awareness on our current experience and accepting the present as it is, without judgment.
While mindfulness dates back to historic Buddhist meditation and religion, American scientists in the late 1970s updated the practice to serve as a secular tool for improving mental and physical health. In fact, practicing mindfulness has been proven to have a range of benefits, including improving focus, sleep, and self-esteem and reducing obesity and depression. Mindfulness can also help with overeating and overconsumption of alcohol.
Why be mindful of your alcohol consumption?
Being mindful of your alcohol consumption can help you be more in tune with your body and mind. Also known as “Mindful Drinking,” the practice involves being aware of how much alcohol you’re drinking and checking in with your thoughts to understand why you’re drinking.
Mindful Drinking is thought to offer the possibility of better long-term results for alcohol moderation than completely refraining from alcohol. For some people, not restricting alcohol entirely helps build a healthier relationship with drinking. In addition, this strategy allows you to continue participating in social drinking, which can provide community and other interpersonal benefits. Be sure to check with a professional before trying this strategy if you have a history of substance misuse.
How to practice mindfulness of your alcohol consumption
To increase your mindfulness of your alcohol consumption, follow these steps:
- Set an intention.Before you begin drinking, set an intention for yourself. How many drinks do you want to have tonight? How do you want to feel tomorrow? By clearly communicating a goal for yourself, you remind yourself to stay on track. You can even share your intention with those around you, for added accountability.
- Keep track. Use your phone’s notes app to write down each time you have a drink. Include details about what kind of drink you’re having and how you feel. Keeping track of your alcohol consumption can serve as a reminder to drink less and help you build awareness about your drinking habits.
- Question yourself. Before you refill your glass, ask yourself: do I want another drink? While it may seem like a simple question, making drinking a choice, rather than an automatic habit, can help you moderate your alcohol intake and find balance.
- Release judgment. Sometimes, we drink too much. It happens. Removing shame and judgment around your drinking is a great way to encourage yourself to keep practicing mindfulness. Remember, finding balance is a long-term activity, and we are all bound to slip up along the way.
Sources:
“Alcohol use: Weighing risks and benefits,” Mayo Clinic (www.mayoclinic.org), December 11, 2021.
“What is Mindfulness,” University of California Berkeley (greatergood.berkeley.edu).
“What Is Mindful Drinking? How It Can Help Your Mental Health,” Healthline (https://www.healthline.com), April 10, 2020.
