Everything You Need To Know About Sober October

Here at Grüvi, we think hard things are easier done when you’ve got a team of people doing them with you. Whether it’s making a lifestyle change or implementing new habits, having others cheering you on can make a world of difference in terms of motivation.

That support is especially important when it comes to month-long challenges like Sober October. What is Sober October, you ask? Well, similar to Dry January, Sober October is an opportunity to forgo booze (or cut back) for 30 days in an effort to become more intentional about our alcohol consumption.

Some challengers use it as an opportunity to get their diets and discipline dialed in before diving face-first into holiday food comas, while others use it to spark a lifestyle change that will persist beyond October 31st.

The idea for Sober October began ten years ago when the Australian youth health organization Life Education raised money with its “Ocsober” fundraiser in 2010. The name “Sober October” is credited to Macmillan Cancer Support, a UK-based cancer charity.

But the Sober October challenge went mainstream several years ago when Joe Rogan announced he was taking up the challenge on his podcast (and its millions of listeners). Since then, many celebrities have popularized the challenge using social media and podcasts, which has created an online movement that attracts suburban moms and gym bros alike.

While everyone celebrates Sober October differently, we like to keep things relatively open-ended around here. Rules aren’t really our things, so we recommend setting some personal goals and tailoring your challenge to help you crush them.

Looking to drink less? Try swapping out your nightly glass of wine for a Grüvi Red Blend. Looking to lose some weight? Consider adding a daily walk and switching to lower calorie options, like Grüvi's IPA, which contains less than half of the calories of its boozy counterpart.

Want to push yourself and quit cold-turkey for the month? Stock up on Grüvi and watch the days fly by. We have a feeling you may never go back to the hard stuff.

Taking a month off booze isn't as easy as it sounds — especially as we all work to get our grüv back post-pandemic. But like exercising and sleeping well, sometimes it's the most difficult challenges that help us the most.

Beyond bragging rights, there are a lot of benefits that come along with committing to Sober October. So, if you're having a tough time getting started (or struggling to stick with it) here are our top reasons for skipping booze this month:

• More energy

Alcohol depletes your body of a lot of essential nutrients, like water, electrolytes, and vitamins — all of which have direct effects on energy levels. When you skip booze and choose a Grüvi, you're likely to feel more energetic in the mornings and ready to take on the day (goodbye hangovers!)

• Better sleep

According to research, even just one drink can have a negative effect on your sleep. And we can all agree — nothing feels better than a solid night of snoozing. Give Sober October a try and watch the Z's pile up.

• Improved concentration

We've all experienced the head fog that comes with a hangover — a frustrating symptom of drinking a few too many that is tough to cure, even with an endless supply of office coffee. A combination of dehydration and poor sleep will leave you feeling distracted and cranky, two great reasons to give alcohol-free living a try.

• Stronger immune system

Whether we like it or not, flu season is officially upon us. As we've mentioned, drinking less results in improved sleep and better hydration levels — two major factors in boosting immunity. If you're hoping to avoid the sniffles this fall, we recommend giving Sober October a try.

Breaking bad habits and creating new ones can be tough, but starting small is a time-tested recipe for success. Try making a few small changes to your daily routine and notice how easy it is to add others.

The most important part of any challenge is tracking your progress and celebrating your victories. So, if you’re taking part in Sober October, we recommend using a calendar or planner to keep track and popping open a bottle of Grüvi ‘Secco as you reach milestones, like your first week of sobriety.

No matter how you celebrate, we want to be there with you as you take on the challenge of Sober October. That’s why we created our Sober October Facebook group — an online community dedicated to supporting and celebrating anyone who’s committed to building new habits this month.

Whether you’re sober curious or committed to clean livin’, there’s a place for you at Grüvi. Join the fam on Facebook and then crack open an iced-cold Grüvi to celebrate your first small victory — you deserve it.