Why Friday Night is a Trigger to Drink (And 5 Ways to Get Through It)
Friday night is a huge trigger to drink. The pull of the fridge on a Friday night and the urge to pour a big glass of wine can feel overwhelming. That’s because we’ve conditioned ourselves to believe Friday night means drinking as a reward or celebration that the working week is over.
It’s also a habit that’s deeply ingrained and promoted in our society. So, what to do instead? How to distract, treat, enjoy, and pamper yourself instead of drinking? Here goes…
5 ways to get through Friday night sober
1. Plan your Friday treat
Always have a treat planned for Friday night. That might mean having a sauna, going to a movie, getting a manicure, eating chocolate pudding… Plan a Friday night treat that you’ll look forward to and it’ll give you same feeling of “reward” that you used to associate with alcohol.
2. Keep the ritual, change the ingredient
There’s no reason why you can’t do “knock off” drinks on a Friday night with your partner or workmates. Just change the ingredient. Make that drink alcohol free.
Investigate alcohol-free wine, beer or champagne. Or make yourself a healthy kombucha mocktail with plenty of ice and lemon and serve it in a fancy glass.
3. Change up the routine
Friday night is going to be hard if you continue to head straight home to the fridge. Instead, head to a new gym class. Go to a cardio class and sweat away your frustrations or stresses. If you can’t get to the gym, put your runners on the minute you get home and head out for a long walk.
4. Play it forward
It’s never just one, right? One turns into several and then many. Think of Saturday morning and how you’d like to wake up. Would you like to wake up with a pounding head, full of shame and regret? Or would you like to wake up clear, confident, and bursting with energy?
Just ask yourself “How do I want tomorrow to look and feel?”
5. Stay inspired
Complacency is the enemy. Read quit lit, listen to sober podcasts, and join an online community of people all on the same mission to change their relationship with alcohol.
You can join my incredibly supportive online community The Women’s Wellbeing Collective on Facebook. Stay informed, stay curious, and stay inspired by the people who can help you along the way. They’ll have great tips for how you can manage Friday night!
Remember, it gets easier!
You may have attached all sorts of memories and emotions to Friday night. That’s why it feels so hard in early sobriety. It may take a while, but new neural pathways are created, and eventually, you won’t think about alcohol at all.
Meanwhile, if you’re taking OUT alcohol, you must put more back INTO your life. Especially on a Friday night! Treat and reward yourself in new, healthy ways.
P.S. If you’ve failed attempts to quit drinking, don’t beat yourself up. It’s not easy! If you need help giving up alcohol in a supported, safe community, join my alcohol-free Christmas Sober Tribe. We’re supporting each other and learning all about alcohol right through to Christmas Day.
Join Sarah’s Sober Christmas Tribe HERE.
The next Alcohol Free Challenge is coming in January 2023!
Curious about taking a break from booze? Would like to give your body a chance to detox and reset? Join hundreds of women in my next Alcohol Free Challenge, and get 30 days of information, support and community!