Sober October – a month without alcohol?!

A month without alcohol?

This is the concept of “Sober October” . Many people may already be familiar with Dry January. For those , alcohol-free October is a little preparation.

For everyone who doesn't know it yet, this is the perfect opportunity to press the reset button for body and mind.

Sober is the new cool and that's why we've put together a few reasons to convince you of the alcohol-free challenge .

What does Sober October actually mean?

To put it simply, it's about avoiding alcoholic drinks in the month of October.

Sober October originally comes from Australia. Here October was used to protect young people from alcohol abuse and to collect donations for educational work.

The charity “Go Sober For October” from Great Britain is similar. Sober October is where donations are collected for Macmillan Cancer Support .

The challenge is also receiving a lot of attention on various social media platforms . There are 123,000 posts on Instagram under #SoberOctober and the hashtag even reaches 26 million views on TikTok.

Sober October and Dry January are becoming increasingly popular . Trend researcher Hanni Rützler also says this. In the Future Institute's Food Report 2021 , she predicts that the trend towards sobriety will continue to increase.

Why should you take part in Sober October?

No hangover the next morning, no film tears, no guilty conscience and better physical and mental well-being .

Giving up alcohol for a month can do more for you physically and mentally than you might think at first glance.

Excessive alcohol consumption has been proven to dry out your skin.

Dr. Richard de Visser from the University of Sussex confirmed in a study that the skin condition of 54% of the study participants improved after just one month without alcohol.

Less often sick by abstaining from alcohol

In October it slowly gets cooler and the first waves of colds creep up. Excessive alcohol consumption can affect your immune system and make the body more susceptible to infections.

Maybe a good argument for some people to avoid alcoholic drinks.

The internal organs also benefit from abstinence.

The liver in particular is severely affected by excessive alcohol consumption. However, giving up alcoholic beverages for a while can make a difference.

“Within two months, absolute abstinence can also reverse detectable damage to the liver , such as alcohol-related inflammation or fatty liver disease,” explains Georg Poppele, spokesman for the Working Group on Qualified Withdrawal in Internal Medicine of the Professional Association of German Internists.

Sounds like a good reason to us to even extend it for another month.

The psyche also benefits

Going alcohol-free for a month can also have positive effects on the mind .

The German medical journal explains that an improvement in memory as well as the ability to learn and concentrate are linked to abstaining from alcohol.

Many people also confirm that they have better sleep patterns and generally feel more emotionally stable when they do not drink alcohol.

No sacrifice, just enjoyment!

We think the days of drunkenness and alcoholic party excesses are definitely over. Many people want to live more consciously. This also applies to the consumption of alcohol.

In keeping with the “Mindfulness” and “Mindfulness Drinking” trend.

If you think you're missing out on something without alcohol, you're wrong.

Non-alcoholic no longer means sacrificing taste and enjoyment at the same time. There is now a wide range of non-alcoholic options on the market.

Whether it's beer, wine or spirits - there's something delicious for everyone.

No more alcohol-free = boring!

For all gin lovers, we at POLLY have a great non-alcoholic alternative : The London Classic tastes spicy of ginger and cucumber. Perfect in combination with your favorite tonic.

You can get that holiday feeling with our Italian aperitif : the tangy, fruity alternative to the well-known model from Italy with a taste of fruity orange and gentian.

If you are looking for delicious recipes for your non-alcoholic cocktails and long drinks , we have put together a whole series. There is guaranteed to be something for every taste.

Our top 5 tips for Sober October:

1. Treat yourself! Don't forget to regularly reward yourself for your perseverance - be it with that spa day in your own bathtub that you've been wanting to do for so long, a tough workout or a delicious mocktail from our recipe collection.

2. Don't go through it alone! Grab one of your favorite people and rock the challenge together! Because with two people, Sober October becomes child's play.

3. Clean your home! Before you get started, get rid of all possible temptations in your own four walls, be it beer or wine bottles or the spirits from the last party. No alcohol = no constant reminder of the challenge and therefore no temptation. Easy, right?

4. Keep yourself busy! Do you think that because you don't drink alcohol you have to avoid any dates? WRONG. That would be exactly the wrong approach. Find a distraction, do something with friends - it doesn't always have to be a walk to the next bar ;) No alcohol doesn't mean your life has to get boring.

5. Last but not least..NO self-criticism! Words mean a lot - don't be so hard on yourself. Pay attention to how you speak to yourself - less 'I have to', more 'I'm choosing not to drink today because...' and look for the positive aspects here that Sober October brings for you. Be proud of yourself for your perseverance and never forget why you chose the challenge for yourself.

So just give it a try.

A month goes by faster than you think! 🙌