It's the season of "just have one," clinking glasses, and the quiet assumption that everyone is drinking.

I don't drink. I did until second year university, but I didn't like the taste, didn't enjoy being drunk, and the hangovers? My stomach couldn't take it. I'm not shy, so I didn't need it to loosen up. And drunk me? Not an upgrade.

For years, my choice seemed to make other people uncomfortable. Some would say I wasn't fun because I wasn't drinking. One has nothing to do with the other.

Now? It feels like society has finally caught up with me. More people than ever are starting to ask: "Do I actually want to drink… or do I just feel like I should?"

The Shift Is Real

Something's changing. You can see it in the way restaurants now have dedicated mocktail sections instead of just offering juice. In how liquor stores stock non-alcoholic beer, spirits, sparkling wines alongside the regular options. (Wine's still tricky — no one's found a good non-alcoholic version yet.) There are even "dry bars" opening. The market is responding because people are asking for alternatives.

The stats back it up:

• 41% of Gen Z and 28% of Millennials now identify as "sober curious"
• Alcohol consumption has dropped over 22% in the last decade for women aged 25–45
• Mocktail searches on Pinterest are up 200% this year alone

Some people are going fully sober. Some are cutting back. Some are just pausing to think before they say yes. The point is, more people are questioning the automatic "yes" — and that's what matters.

Why People Are Reconsidering

The reasons are as varied as the people making the choice:

They want better sleep. Even one drink disrupts your REM cycle for up to 72 hours. That's three days of compromised rest from a single glass of wine. And sleep is where your body does its repair work — cellular regeneration, hormone regulation, memory consolidation. Skip quality sleep repeatedly, and everything else suffers.

They're tired of feeling anxious. Alcohol spikes cortisol, then drops it — leaving you feeling more on edge the next day. You might think you're relaxing with that evening glass of wine, but your body is experiencing a stress response.

They want to feel present. Alcohol numbs, but it also disconnects. When you're navigating family dynamics or trying to stay grounded during chaos, presence matters. You want to remember the conversations, feel the connections, show up as yourself.

They don't like how their body feels. Your liver prioritizes processing alcohol above everything else because it's essentially a toxin. That means when you have a big meal and a few drinks, your liver puts fat metabolism on hold to deal with the alcohol first. It's doing what it needs to keep you alive — but that's also why you feel terrible the next morning. Your body has been in crisis mode all night.

They realize they don't actually want it. This is the big one. So many people drink because it's expected, not because they genuinely enjoy it.

What's Actually Happening in Your Body

Most people aren't drinking during the holidays because they crave it. They're drinking because they don't want to feel awkward, overwhelmed, or out of place.

Here's the physiological reality:

Your body treats alcohol like a toxin because, well, it is one. Your liver drops everything else to process it — including metabolizing fat. So that big holiday meal you just ate? It's sitting there waiting while your liver deals with the drinks first.

Meanwhile, alcohol is disrupting your sleep architecture, spiking and crashing your stress hormones, irritating your gut lining, and creating inflammation throughout your system.

The holidays already come with enough emotional complexity. Adding something that compounds anxiety, disrupts sleep, and disconnects you from your body? That's worth reconsidering.

The Bigger Picture: What This Has to Do With Your Wellness Journey

Here's the thing about wellness — it's not one big dramatic change. It's a thousand small decisions that add up over time.

Every choice you make is a piece of the puzzle. How you move your body. What you eat. How you manage stress. Whether you prioritize sleep. And yes, what you choose to drink.

None of these pieces work in isolation. They work together. They compound.

Think about what you actually want from your wellness journey. Not what you think you should want — what you genuinely want.

Do you want to feel energized instead of dragging through your days?

Do you want to age with strength and vitality instead of just managing decline?

Do you want to feel clear-headed and present instead of foggy and reactive?

Do you want your body to feel like it's working with you instead of against you?

Alcohol impacts all of it.

The Longevity Piece Nobody Talks About

We're living longer than ever, but the question isn't just how long you live — it's how well you live.

Alcohol accelerates biological aging. It increases inflammation, damages cellular structures, disrupts hormone balance, and compromises your body's ability to repair itself. Over time, that shows up as:

• Skin that ages faster (dehydration, collagen breakdown, inflammation)
• Cognitive decline (alcohol literally shrinks brain volume)
• Increased risk of chronic diseases (liver disease, cardiovascular issues, certain cancers)
• Weakened immune function (your body's ability to fight off illness diminishes)
• Bone density loss (particularly concerning for women as we age)
• Muscle mass decline (alcohol interferes with protein synthesis)

These aren't scare tactics. They're just facts.

And here's what makes this relevant: you're making these choices now, in your 40s, 50s, 60s — the decades that determine how you'll feel in your 70s, 80s, and beyond.

My parents are in their 80s. They go to the gym, walk daily, play golf. They normalized movement and made intentional choices about how they treated their bodies. That's their payoff now — independence, energy, quality of life.

Every small choice you make today is either supporting that future or undermining it.

If You're Rethinking Your Relationship With Alcohol

The first step isn't about willpower. It's about understanding what role alcohol plays in your life.

Ask yourself: What am I using alcohol for?

Relaxation after a long day? Try a warm bath, herbal tea, or 10 minutes of stretching. Your body wants to wind down — alcohol just hijacks that process and makes it worse.

Social comfort? Put something beautiful in your hand. A mocktail, sparkling water with citrus, a ginger spritz. Or try Nozecco or 0% beer — they taste so much like the real thing they even give you that familiar alcohol wince face (which is exactly why I don't like them).

Habit? Replace the ritual. Pour something else in that same glass. Your brain craves the pattern, not necessarily the alcohol.

To feel more fun or outgoing? Here's the truth — alcohol doesn't make you more fun. It lowers your inhibitions, sure. But fun, connection, humor, presence? Those are already in you. You can give yourself permission to access them without the drink.

Navigating Gatherings Without the Social Lubricant

Decide your intention before you go. Not rigid rules — just: "How do I want to feel tomorrow morning?"

Have something in your hand that looks festive. People rarely question it. And if they do? "I'm good for now" is a complete sentence.

Take 3-5 minute breaks outside. It regulates your nervous system faster than you think. Step away, breathe, reset.

Give yourself a time you'll leave by. You don't owe anyone your exhaustion. Leaving early isn't rude — it's self-preservation.

Use softer language with yourself. Not "yes or no." More like "maybe later" or "I'm good for now." You're making a right-now decision, not a forever one. That takes the pressure off.

If You Do Drink

No judgment. Just support.

Add electrolytes to help your body rebalance faster. Alcohol is dehydrating, and replenishing what you've lost makes a real difference.

Eat protein and healthy fats to stabilize the blood sugar crash that happens after drinking.

Get 10 minutes of fresh air the next morning to clear brain fog and reset your system. Movement, even gentle movement, helps.

This Is Just One Piece

Your wellness journey isn't about perfection. It's not about doing everything right all the time.

It's about understanding that every choice matters. Every choice is either moving you toward the life you want — the energy, the clarity, the strength, the longevity — or away from it.

Alcohol is just one piece of that puzzle. But it's a piece that touches everything else. Your sleep, your energy, your mood, your inflammation levels, your aging process, your ability to show up as yourself.

What you're building isn't about this one holiday season. It's about the next 20, 30, 40 years. It's about being the person in your 80s who's still walking, still moving, still living fully.

Every small decision compounds. This is one of them.

The Bottom Line

For years, I felt like the odd one out for not drinking. Now, it feels like the world is catching up.

You don't have to give up alcohol to feel better this holiday season. You just need to give yourself permission to choose what helps you feel balanced, clear, and grounded — not what's expected.

Being fun, interesting, and engaged has nothing to do with what's in your glass. But how you feel tomorrow morning, next week, and 20 years from now? That has everything to do with the choices you're making right now.

Here's to a softer season, in every way.