Anyone doing Dry January 2021?

[MyGhastIsFlabbered]

I was going to go sober this year...but for various reasons (excuses) it didn't happen. DP and I have agreed to try Dry January as we are both drinking too much. Anyone else fancy coming along for the ride?

@goldpendant Yes to the headaches, low grade but build up as day goes on have had for last 2/3 days. Could be hormonal though in my case though 🤷‍♀️

Day 6 in the AF Mumsnet House.
Still not having the best sleep I thought I’d be having and still have massive eye bags.
But I feel amazing mentally- strong, jolly ( !?), proud and I’m loving not feeling guilty etc.
For the first time ever I have a resolve to keep going! Think tonight will be hard as it’s midweek ( I used to have any excuse) and I have finished knitting my scarf ( kept the hands busy) so think I need to get a good book on the go
Good luck everyone !

I'm definitely feeling more focussed, if a bit lethargic, but think that is still Monday despair!

DAY 6 YOU LOVELY LOT! DAY FREAKIN' 6!!!

That's epic! Pity I'm so bloody tired!!! 😂

Still not tempted at all going into day 5. Sleep is still rubbish though.

I've found a good app called drink coach. If you don't enter anything it does down as an alcohol free day (so good if you forget to log) and if you do drink you put in what it was, glass, bottle of wine or whatever and it turns the day to red with the calories and cost. Really good for an overall snapshot.

Has other features but I like it better than the others so far.

Day 6!! And....I don’t quite recognise this but I’ve woken up this morning with ENERGY and in a GOOD MOOD!

Well done all of you! Only day 4 here but very determined. I KNOW I sleep better, my digestion is better, I feel better and after 2 weeks I will start to look better.

Hi Everyone. Hope you don't mind me joining in, created an account to do so.
This is my 6th year doing DJ (but fell off on 23rd last year) and it's early days yet but I'm finding it OK. I'm pretty much an every evening drinker on around 40/50/60ish units per week (beer) and have been that way for years. I think it's habit as much as anything else for me and if I've got beer I'll have it, same as cigarettes so I've also stopped smoking from 31st December. Not missing either at the moment but do have AF lager in the fridge and have been having one of those each night.

For those who are having issues with sleep I found that really tough for my first DJ and it seems to have got easier each year. This year I have had no issues getting to sleep and am feeling great when I wake (best bit of DJ for me is the good sleep). My sleep monitoring watch shows I've no not got 2 hours of "deep sleep" as I get to bed (never drunk but still had enough to make me drop off immediately) and instead I have a much more uniform sleep pattern.

Thanks for the thread, have found it very useful to see how others are faring. Good luck all.

@Youngatheart00

Day 6!! And....I don’t quite recognise this but I’ve woken up this morning with ENERGY and in a GOOD MOOD!

Yes I'm noticing that although it takes me a while to rouse from sleep in the mornings (not dropping off til gone 1am so around 8:30/9am) once I'm awake, there's no grogginess which is great!!!

Morning 😊 day 6 looming for me! Find a post on here really cathartic for me and it's been a long time since I've gone 6 days AF love reading posts and getting support and ideas so thank all.
Sleep still pretty broken takes ages to drop off then a number of trips to the loo 😩 although only 3 times last night! Which is better! Hump day was also a trigger for a wine but want to experience the pleasure of sleep so feel determined 💪 wishing you all a fabulous day! 🤗

Well done everyone. I haven’t been this long for years. I am having lots of life stress like many people and normally would drink my way through. Currently moving house, teaching live lessons all day online to primary age children and a few months along from a bereavement. I want to emerge from lockdown looking amazing. I’m so vain! Currently have a headache and scary dreams every night.

Loving the not feeling groggy.

Valerian drops DID help! In fact, I think I will cut the amount tonight, I felt a bit dizzy as I was falling asleep. Woke once in the night but that is better than 3-4 times. Feeling really good today (although I wish the Xmas choc was finished, it keeps looking at me).

Can I ask where you got the valerian drops from @theDudesmummy?

Really could have done with a drink about 6pm tonight but pushed through on fizzy water and ginger ale.
I’m not using the app, but have opened a savings account and will put my average nightly spend in there every day I don’t drink. I’ve been fairly conservative with my estimate of the daily cost of my drinking, but even so the value is already creeping up.
Six days done😀👍🏻
Well done everyone

I work shifts and have been on my 'weekend' last couple of days so quite proud of myself for not giving in! I can't remember the last time I didn't finish a working week with drinks.

Tonight will be easy as I have to be up early for work tomorrow so would be a bloody idiot to drink tonight! Well done everyone so far

Has anyone tried alcohol-free Gordon's gin? I saw it in Tesco the other day, have never seen it before!

@theDudesmummy - the valerian drops sound good! I second the request from pp to share where you got them!

I am also a fan of ginger - I find it replicates the burn of alcohol nicely. I like lemon and ginger tea the best, because the hot water adds comfort. Also ginger beer and ginger ale - Fever Tree is my favourite.

I am realising that my 6pm wine craving is partially linked to an energy/blood sugar slump. Sometimes a small glass of orange juice or something sweet helps put me back to rights.

I feel really good today and slept very well. Sorry if that sounds smug but I am usually a terrible sleeper and it really impacts my mood so to feel like this is almost miraculous! I have done Dry January before and didn't sleep so well so this is a new experience.

I did feel very irritable again yesterday evening - I get to a point where I can't focus on anything and just want the day to be over.

No 1 lesson learnt yesterday: don't apply magnesium spray to legs if you have shaved them that day - the pain!!!!

Is anyone else not feeling any better/ different or sleeping any better yet? I have found it easy so far but Asda delivered today and now there is a bottle of wine winking at me from the corner of the kitchen.
(I haven't put it in the fridge to reduce temptation). If I was feeling any benefits it would give me more of a boost to keep going than just pure willpower.

Alcohol depletes vitamin b levels, so those who have been consistently drinking above the recommended 14 units per week for a while may find a daily vitamin b complex helps with energy and concentration.

I am realising that my 6pm wine craving is partially linked to an energy/blood sugar slump. Sometimes a small glass of orange juice or something sweet helps put me back to rights.

I get this about 8pm and I find a glass of something sugary like posh squash helps.

Is anyone else not feeling any better/ different or sleeping any better yet?

What's your caffeine intake like? How much and at what times? Caffeine is a stimulant and alcohol is a depressant - if you've removed the depressant but kept the stimulant the same, the stimulant will be having more of an effect without the depressant, hence lack of sleep.

@mimblefish

Has anyone tried alcohol-free Gordon's gin? I saw it in Tesco the other day, have never seen it before!

I’ve tried the little bottles of AF Gordon’s Gin and tonic. Comes in a pack of 4. Is that what you mean? I liked it - refreshing and not too sweet.

I just got the Valerian drops from the local pharmacy (actually valerian and hops) but you can also buy them online.

@els1e, they are now in fact selling it on its own in 70cl bottles!

www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/308082033