Consuming alcohol and socialising have gone hand-in-hand for centuries, in most cultures around the world. The Swedes take shots of potent aquavit at their midsommar parties; Spaniards keep wine on the table for both lunch and dinner; English law permits 16-year-olds to have a single pint of beer at the pub if accompanied by a parent; and as I’ve written about before, Indian dinner parties are unique in that dinner is only served after hours of drinking. Television and film reinforce the idea that alcohol is essential to loosening up, celebrating, or unwinding after a tough day. This is why it is noteworthy that Gen Z, or people born between 1997 and 2012, is drinking less than ever!

Times of India cites a study by Berenberg Research that compared Gen Z’s drinking habits to millennials when they were their age, and found a significant drop of 20% less alcohol consumed per capita. And Forbes mentions another study that found that for those of legal drinking age up to age 24, 30% report drinking less than last year, and 13% had given up alcohol altogether. Let’s examine the reasons behind this trend, and why it might behoove us older ones to follow suit.

The primary motivation for young people to drink less is health and wellness. Everyone has access to information about what is good and bad for us, and all research around alcohol shows that there is zero health benefit but plenty of detriment, including a higher likelihood of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, liver disease and mental health issues. While previous generations idolised the rock star lifestyle and equated partying with coolness, the current generation sees how those icons ended up (in rehab, or deceased, or looking like withered husks of their former selves), and instead looks up to people like Jennifer Lopez and Cristiano Ronaldo, whose dedication to healthy lifestyles with little to no alcohol has maximised both their beauty and bank accounts.

This generation also relies on their online presence to represent them in both the dating world and career world; potential dates and employers alike will check their social media profiles before even meeting them, so the impression these profiles give matters greatly. An Instagram feed that shows a physically fit and healthy looking person enjoying a variety of wholesome activities gives a much more desirable impression than one filled with blurry bar snaps and hangover bloat. But the motivation isn’t only as superficial as this. We are at a point in time where mental health has been more discussed and valued than ever before, and having a therapist is now as standard as having a dentist. In their pursuit of optimal mental health, people are realising that the effects of alcohol, which is after all a central nervous system depressant, set them back in their goals.

The market has responded to this behaviour by producing a variety of non-alcohol beverage lines. Non-alcoholic beer has become very popular amongst men especially, who want to enjoy the same having-a-beer-with-the-boys vibe, but still be able to get up feeling fresh in the morning and go for a run. Other canned drinks now include things like botanicals and adaptogens, so you can still feel like you’re having a treat and something more exciting than a plain soda or soft drink. This movement towards drinking less or not at all has been dubbed Sober Curious. Sobriety means total abstinence from alcohol, and this can be for personal preference, religious/cultural reasons, past trauma, or being an addict, in which case moderation is not an option. Sober Curious, on the other hand, does not mean total abstinence, but a mindful approach that examines why you feel the need to drink, how you feel when you do, and how you feel when you don’t. There are plenty of social media pages and communities dedicated to this exploration, where people can share their experiences and feel motivated to keep it going.

This is heartening to see because for many, drinking is something they end up doing because of all the societal messages telling us that it is normal, socially healthy, and that you may be left out if you don’t partake. It might take years before they develop enough self-awareness to realise that they actually don’t like the effects of alcohol, and that it has been holding them back in some ways. For example, many can relate to having “hangxiety”, or the anxious feeling of being hungover and realising that you said or did some foolish or unbecoming things last night. Others work hard all week to exercise and diet, only to find that they aren’t able to lose weight because of the weekend drinking, which always ends up in poorer food choices as well. Some of us make entire friend circles based on our drinking habits, only to find that some people in the circle are steadily drinking more and more, venturing into the problem-drinking territory to the point where you don’t enjoy their company anymore. Thus, a movement that encourages people to reduce their intake and really think about why they choose to put alcohol into their body is a sign of progress.

Now, any readers who know me personally may think I’m being phony, because I have always been fond of libations! I was absolutely one of those who equated having a good time with throwing back a few, and my passion for good food spills over into fancy cocktails as well. I also watch too many American reality TV shows that show constant drinking and use pretty settings and clever editing to make it seem like a fun, endless vacation. I associate a classy party with a bubbly glass of champagne, a beach day with cold beers, and dinner at a hip restaurant with a prettily garnished martini. But some of the aforementioned motivators have me reflecting on my relationship with alcohol, and trying a Sober Curious lifestyle myself by abstaining for some time, after my recent solo holiday in America in which I indulged plenty. Like many women in their late 30s, maintaining my weight has been a struggle, and any nutritionist worth their salt will tell you that stopping alcohol is non-negotiable if you are serious about losing weight: it consists of empty calories, it affects women’s bodies differently, and it lowers your inhibitions which leads to poorer food choices. I have also known for a long time that the brutal hangovers I get are not at all worth the little bit of freewheeling fun I felt the night before. When hungover I have zero productivity, a sense of malaise, and worst of all, I can be short and inattentive with my children. Finally, I’ve observed that my interactions with people are not actually improved by this “social lubricant”. Sometimes I make a joke or comment that falls flat or possibly offends, and I cringe the next day, wondering if I did any real damage. And as for other people, I truly cannot say that I find anyone more charming when they are under the influence, but quite the opposite. Drunk people tend to be very repetitive, which is a pet peeve of mine. Some encroach on your personal space, and not a single one of them is a better listener or conversationalist in that state.

So of course this begs the question, why do I maintain all those positive associations with drinking? As I work on changing my mindset, I am enjoying the process of reframing what it means to unwind or celebrate. Instead of thinking I deserve a glass of wine at the end of a hard day, I can go for a foot massage. Instead of having drinks with a girlfriend to catch up and vent, we can do the same over a healthy sushi dinner, and I won’t have any regrets the next day about whether I overshared or not. Likewise, when I attend a party where the shots are flowing, I can meet a bunch of people at once and reconnect with them, without waking up the next morning with a pounding head and mortification at the edgy jokes I made.

If you’re reading this in the middle of the busiest party season of the year, take it as a sign to really pay attention to how you feel in between all the merrymaking, and read up more on the Sober Curious movement to see if it speaks to you. All healthy habits begin with a mental shift, so don’t be afraid to toss out old beliefs in favour of creating new ones that will serve you better. Wishing you happy and healthy holidays, dear readers!