It used to be “partying and alcohol” every Friday night – but things are about to change, well, at least, for some of us. Like every other new year, the start of 2023 requires new resolutions. If we’re being honest, we’d say that a common resolution for most people is to quit drinking. Hard – but what if we told you that you don’t have to give up on booze entirely?
Trying the “Dry January” or “Sober October” trends seems impossible – but we think the “damp” lifestyle concept, a more relaxed drinking trend spreading across TikTok, sounds like music to our ears. A damp lifestyle is all about cutting back and drinking in moderation rather than going entirely dry. Which means you don’t have to bid goodbye to alcohol entirely!
What is the “damp” lifestyle?
If you don’t usually drink much, or only sip alcohol on certain occasions, you’re already damp. You don’t drink excessively, but you also don’t drink dry or sober either. “Dampness” is all about moderation. However, deciding what your terms of moderation are is part of the damp journey. You may come to the realization that you prefer having one drink in the evening or two when out with friends, as you reevaluate your relationship with alcohol. The lifestyle requires that you be more conscientious about when and why you consume alcohol, which is actually a good thing.
But what’s in it for you?
To reiterate, the damp lifestyle isn’t about quitting alcohol completely. Think of it as cutting down on alcohol. That way, you can comfort yourself that you still get to drink. Of course, this trend wouldn’t be viral on TikTok if there were no benefits from it. So, we’ve listed some of the pros to trying the damp lifestyle.
1. Realign your relationship with alcohol
Once you start the damp lifestyle, you’ll probably find yourself wondering why you want/need to drink in the first place. This might occur for the first few days and weeks. When you switch to the damp lifestyle, you might also find yourself asking questions like:
- How should I practice moderation?
- Should I take alcohol when I’m in a bad mood?
- Which beverages will keep me from overindulging?
- What’s my drinking limit?
2. More energy
Even if you don’t binge, regular drinking can have a negative impact on your energy levels. That’s because drinking alcohol, in any amount, can interfere with your REM sleep and make you feel sleepy the next day. Fortunately, leading a damp lifestyle can provide you better sleep, fewer hangovers, and more energy to pursue your passions, including in working out, spending time with loved ones, or achieving other objectives you’ve had on your to-do list.
3. Physical and mental health improvement
Most people think alcohol helps them sleep better. But that’s like sabotaging your body to go into sleep mode. Reducing alcohol intake in this new way of living can help you feel better right away, thanks to greater sleep and increased vitality. But on top of that, it can help your body absorb more vital nutrients from the food you eat and enhance the health of your stomach. Plus, the benefit doesn’t just stay with your physical wellness, but it impacts your mental health as well. Avoiding binge drinking will help you stay calmer and happier every day by preventing alcohol-related anxiety.
4. Improves your overall beauty
Of course, we can’t leave out how alcohol benefits your outward appearance. The majority of us are aware of the harm alcohol may do to our skin. (Flushed, blotchy, red skin comes to mind). In actuality, excessive alcohol consumption can cause a variety of skin disorders. Alcohol also causes your body to become dehydrated, which can cause your face to appear swollen or puffy. However, it can also result in fine lines and wrinkles. Because the liver struggles to metabolize alcohol, some of the toxins escape through your breath, sweat, or urine. Drinking alcohol can also make you smell, because the liver struggles to process it. You can avoid these detrimental effects on your health and appearance by leading a damp lifestyle.
Want to try it out?
We don’t know what you think about this so far, but the damp lifestyle sounds like something worth a shot. If you’re curious or want to try this new lifestyle, we’ve got influencers all over TikTok with all the tips and tricks to help you get started.
@hana.elson Replying to @georgia_paneriniapolis when it comes to drinking in moderation I really think the small changes add up!! #damplifestyle #drinkingculture #moderationiskey #lifeadvice ♬ original sound – Hana
Kickstarting this trend was TikToker @hana.elson, who frequently discusses her experience with the damp lifestyle. She offers a lot of advice for practicing moderation when it comes to drinking. Elson claims that when she goes out with friends to a bar, she frequently orders mocktails to prove to herself that she “doesn’t need to immediately buy seven drinks.”
Elson also drinks water in between alcoholic drinks, declines shots when they are offered, and tries to keep in mind her future self while doing so. She interprets feeling somewhat inebriated as a sign that a hangover is about to set in and that she should return home. Basically, an easy way to practice this trend is to keep that “why” in mind. Remind yourself of the rationale behind your moderate drinking. This could be a desire to be more productive in the morning, concentrate on healthy alternatives to coping mechanisms, or improve your social skills without turning to alcohol as a crutch.
@hana.elson & the perfect damp night is combining a lot of these habits! These are just starting points! Lmk what else I should add 🙂 #damplifestyle #sobercurious #dryjanuary #dryishjanuary ♬ original sound – Hana
Obviously, it’s not gonna be that easy, especially for fellow alcohol lovers. But not to worry, because Elson has also made a video on how you start your damp lifestyle this year. She divides the change into two categories, namely, smaller changes and bigger changes. For those getting started on this trend, you can go with the smaller changes, like starting a drinking session with a cocktail, drinking water in between, adding lower ABV options and learning how to walk into an environment sober right before you start drinking.
For those willing to make bigger changes, you can try saying no to shots, no to hard alcohol, sticking to the same alcohol for one night and the Cinderella nights when you can implement changes to the habit.
The damp lifestyle is a wise decision if you wish to limit your alcohol use, examine your drinking habits, or limit your drinking to special occasions. Currently, many of us desire to become more conscientious and healthy with our lifestyle – and one way to do that is to limit alcohol consumption, which gives us a sense of greater control over our physical and mental health.
But still, whichever beverage you’re in the mood for, we’ll raise a glass to that.
