How to Successfully Achieve 30 Days of Sobriety
Whether you’ve already reached 30 days of sobriety or are trying to get there, first of all, congratulations! And second of all, I’m so proud of you. Getting to 30 days of sobriety is no easy feat, and I remember the first month of going alcohol-free feeling really freeing, to be honest.
At the time of writing this blog post, I am almost four years alcohol-free in mid-April. It’s been a long road to get to this point, and I’m excited to dive into my initial experience on 30 days of sobriety and tips I have for you to get there, too.
In this blog post, you’ll find my experience in the first 30 days of sobriety (or at least, what I can remember of it!), what are the benefits, what to expect, and how to get through it.
30 Days of Sobriety
Admittedly, my first 30 days of sobriety were a while ago—almost four years ago, to be exact. My first 30 days of sobriety were difficult, but also incredibly freeing, too. I had no idea how long I wanted to stay sober—I just knew that I didn’t want to be drinking for the next year or so. I was sick of being hungover every weekend. And when I went to the hospital for my last hangover, I told my now-husband, while in the hospital bed, that that would be my final day of drinking for a very long time.
During my first 30 days of sobriety, I remember my body feeling a lot better because my sleep patterns were improving and I didn’t feel like crap from alcohol. I remember feeling the pink cloud phase, where you are really optimistic and have this overwhelming euphoria about not drinking within the first 30 days of sobriety. That (amazing) phase sadly ended about 90 days into sobriety—that’s when the tough parts of eliminating alcohol from your life really hits.
Your own experience in the first 30 days of sobriety is really going to depend on how much you were drinking before quitting. If you were experiencing really excessive alcohol consumption before quitting, you might need to consider going to a treatment center to safely detox from alcohol and reduce the risk of future health issues.
What Are The Benefits Of 30 Days Without Alcohol?
Less stress and anxiety
There are so many benefits of 30 days without alcohol, and I think my favorite is the decreased stress and anxiety. I feel so much less anxious without alcohol in my life, and I can imagine that you will feel the same in the first 30 days of alcohol.
No hangovers
Going off of the above, the hangxiety I felt every time I was hungover got to be overwhelming. I would have to plan around all of my hangovers, and would dread the feeling the next day, just trying to survive through the day. Because honestly, that’s how it felt to me—my alcoholism felt like I was just trying to survive through the day on the weekends. It was awful. Not having to deal with hangovers anymore has left me with an incredible sense of freedom.
More free time
And speaking of freedom, not drinking alcohol will definitely leave you with a lot of free time. Not only will you be going out getting blasted with your friends anymore, but you won’t be dying of a hangover and not able to get out of bed. Because of that, you’ll be amazed by how much time opens up in your day to day.
Better sleep
It’s actually insane how one glass of wine would fuck up my entire night of sleep. Alcohol reduces REM sleep, which is a phase in your sleep cycle that’s linked to memory and emotional processing. You might think that it helps you fall asleep, but it actually messes with your night of sleep probably more than if you are having trouble falling asleep without alcohol. Taking a break from alcohol will definitely improve sleep.
Pink cloud phase
Like I mentioned previously, you’ll most likely experience the pink cloud phase within the first 30 days of sobriety. This phase is filled with happiness, optimism, and a go-get-em attitude. Life feels lighter, sunnier, and easier to manage, and it can definitely help propel your sobriety forward, too.
Looking better
You’re definitely going to notice a change in your appearance once you stop drinking. Your eyes will be much clearer, and your skin won’t look as ashen and lifeless as alcohol can oftentimes make it.
Saving money
So this may or may not happen lol. For some folks, they are able to save money because they aren’t blowing all of their cash on booze all the time. For others, they might end up using that money to put into other hobbies or addictions like golf, crochet, cooking elaborate meals, or anything else. I have found that I haven’t really saved money by going sober, and I’m okay with that. It does feel like it gives me permission to spend money on things I otherwise wouldn’t normally splurge on.
What Happens In The First 30 days of sobriety?
Your body starts detoxing.
In the first few days without alcohol, your body gets to work clearing things out and figuring out how to function without something it may have relied on for a long time. You might feel a little rough at first, with things like headaches, fatigue, nausea, or sweaty, restless nights. Obviously, this is not fun, but it’s also a sign that your body is doing exactly what it’s supposed to do and beginning the healing process.
Your sleep might feel off.
Alcohol messes with your sleep more than most people realize. During the first couple of weeks, you might toss and turn or wake up at odd hours, but by the end of the month, many people notice they’re falling asleep faster and waking up feeling more rested. Better sleep is one of those small wins that makes everything else feel easier.
You might feel emo.
Without alcohol numbing things, feelings have a way of coming to the surface. You might feel more anxious, more sensitive, or even randomly emotional over things that never used to bother you. This doesn’t mean you’re going crazy, it just means your nervous system is learning how to regulate itself without a chemical shortcut.
Cravings and triggers are more obvious.
During the first 30 days sober, you’ll probably start to notice exactly when and why you used to drink. Maybe it was stress, boredom, social anxiety, or just habit. Cravings can feel intense at times, but every time you ride one out without drinking, you’re building new pathways that make the next one easier.
Your brain feels better.
As alcohol leaves your system, that foggy, heavy feeling in your head often starts to lift. You might feel more present, more focused, and more “in your body” in a good way. For a lot of people, this mental clarity becomes one of the most motivating parts of early sobriety.
What To Expect After 30 Days of Sobriety
Cravings start to feel more manageable.
After about 30 days of sobriety, you will notice that your cravings aren’t as intense as they were when you first went down this path of sobriety. While your cravings for alcohol certainly won’t be completely gone by this point, they will be diminished, and you’ll start to feel a slight sense of relief in that.
Your energy and motivation continue to improve.
You are going to feel a lot more energetic and motivated (thanks to the pink cloud phase I mentioned earlier). You’ll be amazed by how much more time you have to do things, and will feel more motivated to keep going past the 30 days.
Your emotions feel easier to handle.
In the early days of sobriety, your emotions will be BIG. They will be sweeping and sometimes all-consuming. While I don’t think your emotions will become a lot easier to handle after 30 days of sobriety, especially when you exit the pink cloud phase and have to tackle those emotions head-on, I do think they get much easier to handle the longer you stay sober.
Your skin, digestion, and overall health keep getting better.
You’ll notice a pretty immediate difference in your appearance and overall health once you stop drinking. Your skin won’t look so dull, and your digestion will start to act normally. You will start to feel a lot better physically and mentally.
Your confidence grows.
Once you stop drinking your feelings down all the time, you’ll be amazed by how much your confidence in yourself grows. And each day you stay sober, your confidence in yourself, your abilities, and your willpower will become extraordinary. I am so much more confident in who I am today than I was four years ago when I stopped drinking. While yes, that comes with age, but being sober has allowed me to listen to my body and my feelings more than I ever have—this has led to a lot more self-trust and respect for myself.
How To Get Through The 30 Days of Sobriety
Join a support group.
I think this is really important during the first 30 days of sobriety. Whether it’s AA or another sobriety support group (like The Luckiest Club, my personal favorite), being part of a supportive community and hearing other people’s stories is healing.
Getting involved in TLC was probably the biggest reason I’ve been able to remain sober. It was a huge game changer for me. Studies show that having peer support groups for alcohol or drug addiction helps to minimize your chances of relapsing. Plus, it encourages maintaining sobriety in the long run. I love hearing other people’s stories and I relate to their struggles. While I haven’t actually spoken up in a meeting yet, I find this community real, honest, and not cheesy.
During the very beginning of my sobriety, I would hop onto one of these meetings at least once a day. It kind of felt like I had a sober coach in my corner to help me prevent relapse. I love that they are virtual, as you can join a meeting wherever, whenever. I attend fewer meetings the deeper I get into my sobriety, as I’m finding sobriety to get easier for me. That being said, I still like to pop into a meeting every once in a while to hold myself accountable.
There are other treatment programs that address substance use disorders, the most popular one being the 12-step program known as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). I’ve found TLC to be my community of choice.
Lean on non-alcoholic beverages.
Some folks might find NA drinks (like non-alcoholic beer or wine) triggering. Others, like myself, probably would not have gotten through those first 30 days of sobriety without NA drinks. My personal preference is Athletic Brewing Co. All of their beers are sooooo good.
Read books about sobriety.
Reading “quit lit” books has helped me a ton with my addiction recovery. Especially in the early days of sobriety. Some of my favorites are “This Naked Mind,” “We Are the Luckiest,” and “Blackout: Remembering the Things I Drank to Forget.” If you have an alcohol or drug addiction, reading other people’s experiences could be your saving grace.
Find sober friends.
Having someone else to talk to about their sober journey is incredibly helpful. I’m lucky to have a few friends and family who were on the sober train before I was. While I don’t think having sober friends is crucial to living a sober life, I do find it beneficial! It feels like your own little support network.
Go do fun things.
Because I am a type-A perfectionist who can never relax, I still struggle with this one sometimes. I’m still trying to figure out what I actually like to do, besides drinking. Yes, even almost four years after I stopped drinking, I’m still trying to find out what “fun” actually looks like for me. I think this has less to do with my sobriety and more to do with my workaholism.
Wondering how long does it take to get sober? Read on to find out!
