The Weather Is a Massive Trigger to Drink: Here’sWhat to Do

Hot Summer days for me used to mean afternoons with friends drinking chilled wine. I’d think, “Go without wine on a hot afternoon? No way!” In Winter, nights would mean red wine, for extra comfort, and an escape. The weather is a powerful and often overlooked trigger. These seasonal cues can prompt drinking in ways that are all about habits and social conditioning. There is a way to break free from weather triggers.

Let me show you…

Summer Drinking Habits

Summer is filled with social activities, and many are closely tied to alcohol (especially in Australia!). The long days and warm nights so often mean outdoor parties, barbecues, beach days, sporting events and holidays—all settings where alcohol is flowing. Over time, we’ve been conditioned to associate ‘Summer fun’ with drinking, making it almost impossible in early sobriety to fathom enjoying it without a drink in hand.

This conditioning is reinforced by marketing by Big Alcohol and cultural messages that depict Summer as a time for indulgence and relaxation, with alcohol at the centre. Whether it’s a TV ad showing friends clinking bottles on a beach or social media posts of colourful cocktails by the pool, the message is clear: Summer and drinking go hand in hand.

The urge to drink in Summer is often more about conforming to these social norms, set neural pathways, and conditioned responses than any real need for alcohol.

The Winter Comfort Trap

Winter delivers a different set of conditioned behaviours. The cold, dark days can lead to feelings of boredom, isolation, and even seasonal depression. To combat these feelings, many women turn to alcohol as a form of comfort. The idea of a warm drink by the fire is deeply embedded in our cultural consciousness, making it a go-to coping mechanism during the colder months.

The rituals of Winter drinking are also tied to holiday traditions in the Northern Hemisphere, and a desire to escape the gloom of the season. Over time, these behaviours become automatic responses to the Winter weather, reinforcing the cycle of drinking.

Breaking Free from Weather Triggers

Recognising that weather can trigger drinking as a conditioned behaviour is the first step towards breaking these patterns.

Here’s how you can manage and overcome weather triggers:

1. Identify Your Triggers

Take note of specific weather conditions or seasonal activities that make you crave alcohol. Understanding these triggers will help you anticipate them and develop a plan for what you’ll do when cravings strike. Ask yourself: Is it certain people, or a setting, a time of day? Just knowing your triggers is a great first step.

2. Create New Associations

Instead of reaching for a drink, try to create new AF associations with the weather. Make mocktails on Summer days, and drink hot herbal tea in Winter. Go for a walk instead of drinking anything. Have a bath. Get on with a jigsaw. By consistently choosing alternatives, you can recondition your responses and effectively change your neural pathways over time.

3. Challenge Social Norms

Be mindful of how social expectations influence your drinking habits. Take a conscious step back from any social situation and think ‘Will drinking really make this better?” Have a plan to take your own AF drinks. Consider leading the way by choosing not to drink and finding other ways to enjoy social events.

4. Develop Healthy Coping Mechanisms

If Winter leaves you feeling down, focus on activities that uplift your mood without alcohol. Exercise, meditation, and hobbies can provide the emotional comfort you’re seeking without falling into the trap of drinking for comfort when the days get darker and shorter.

5. Be Mindful

When you feel the urge to drink due to weather conditions, pause and reflect on the underlying reasons. Are you genuinely wanting alcohol, or is it more about the situation and the habits you’ve formed? Are you bored? Lonely? Angry? Stressed? Hormonal? Mindfulness can help you break the automatic responses that lead to drinking.

6. Stay close to the sober community

Surround yourself with people who get what weather triggers are all about. Whether it’s sober friends who share your goals online, or communities focused on sobriety, having support can make it easier to resist weather triggers.

If you’d like to change your relationship with alcohol, check out my programs here. Or you can grab a copy of my bestselling book Beyond Booze, How to Create A Life You Love Alcohol-Free here.