Sober-Curious Summer: What Cutting Back on Alcohol Does to Your Body, Sleep and Training

Festive season in South Africa means year-end functions, braais, weddings and long, hot December days. It also means drinking. Meanwhile, health media in the UK and the Nordics has been getting noticeably blunter about alcohol. Swedish outlets run explainers on what booze does to your gut, mood and heart, and UK wellness writers explore the "sober-curious" movement. Low- and no-alcohol drinks fill more and more fridge space. So what does the evidence actually say, and what happens if you just drink a bit less?

The headline: there's no "safe" level

In 2023 the World Health Organization's European office stated plainly that no level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health. Alcohol is a toxic substance and a known cause of several cancers, including breast and bowel cancer. The risk rises with the amount you drink. The UK's low-risk guideline is no more than 14 units a week, spread over three or more days, with several drink-free days. That's not a target. It's a ceiling.

14 units is roughly six 175 ml glasses of 13% wine, or about six pints of 4% beer, a week. Many people hit that by Saturday night.

The NHS points out that alcohol content varies widely, so a "drink" isn't a fixed amount. A large glass of wine or a strong craft beer can hold well over two units. Check the ABV on the label.

For him

The performance cost

If you train, alcohol is a hidden tax on your results.

• Recovery: heavy drinking after hard exercise has been shown in studies to blunt muscle repair and slow recovery.
• Sleep: alcohol is a sedative that helps you nod off, but a review of the research (Ebrahim and colleagues, 2013) found that it disrupts sleep in the second half of the night, including REM sleep. Poor sleep means poorer training, appetite control and mood the next day.
• Calories: alcohol carries about 7 kcal per gram, almost as much as fat, and it usually comes with mixers, chips and a 2am boerewors roll.
• Heat and hydration: drinking in South African summer heat, especially at outdoor events, increases your risk of dehydration and poor decisions.

For her

The wellness case

The women's health angle is just as compelling.

• Breast cancer: alcohol is an established risk factor, and risk increases even at relatively low levels of drinking.
• Hormones and perimenopause: many women find alcohol worsens hot flushes, night sweats and sleep problems (see our Hormones at 40 guide).
• Mood and anxiety: "hangxiety", the anxious, low feeling after a night out, is real for many people. Alcohol is a depressant, and regular heavy drinking is linked to worse mental health.
• Skin and energy: less alcohol usually means better sleep, and better sleep shows up everywhere.

What happens when you cut back

You don't need to go fully dry to notice changes. People who cut back often report:

1. Better sleep within days, especially in the second half of the night.
2. Steadier mood and less morning anxiety.
3. Better training sessions and recovery.
4. Easier weight management, because liquid calories and late-night snacks are usually the first to go.
5. Money saved, which is no small thing in December.

You don't have to quit forever. Try a month, or try drinking only on weekends, and see how you feel.

How to drink less without missing out

• Set your number before you arrive, for example two drinks, and stick to it.
• Alternate every alcoholic drink with water or a soft drink.
• Go low or no. Alcohol-free beer, wine and spirits have improved enormously. Read the labels, though, because some are high in sugar.
• Eat first. Drinking on an empty stomach speeds up how quickly alcohol hits you.
• Have a ready answer. "I'm training," "I'm driving," or simply "Not tonight" all work. Most people don't care as much as you think.
• Make plans that don't revolve around drinking: a parkrun, a hike or a beach walk.
• Never drink and drive. Plan a lift or a ride-hailing app before the first drink.

Your festive-season game plan

• Before the function: eat a proper meal that includes protein, and drink a large glass of water.
• At the function: start with a soft drink, set your limit and pace each drink over an hour or so.
• The morning after: get up at your usual time, eat breakfast and take a walk in daylight. You'll recover faster than by lying in.
• Over the season: plan at least two or three alcohol-free days every week, and keep a training session in the diary for the morning after big nights. It's a strong incentive to hold back.

Track it for a month. A simple note on your phone listing drinks per week is often eye-opening.

When to get help

If you find it hard to stop once you start, drink to cope with stress or low mood, or feel shaky or anxious when you don't drink, it's worth speaking to your GP. You can also contact a support service such as Alcoholics Anonymous South Africa or the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG). Suddenly stopping very heavy drinking can be dangerous, so get medical advice first.