How to Drink in Moderation on a Night Out

Finding a path to moderation can be life changing for many as they realise that they can greatly reduce the physical and mental strains of heavy drinking, without having to completely give up the positive social and relaxing aspects that come with it. One of the main reasons why my clients worry that they can't moderate their alcohol is when they want to go on a night out with friends they think they cannot moderate at all and fall back into binge drinking. The journey for many to alcohol moderation can feel like a real achievement to acknowledge triggers, and with patience, make long-term changes to improve their relationship with alcohol.

When looking for ways to moderate successfully on a night out, here are my top tips to prepare and ensure that you come away feeling in-control, satisfied – and of course without the dreaded hangover and anxiety that can surface the next day. Before I go on, please also check out the Drink Aware website as it is a great resource to learn more about moderate drinking and what may be considered as over-drinking.

Setting Goals and Limits

Firstly, take note of your current intake for a regular evening out and from there, try to establish where you’d realistically like to get to in terms of your consumption. Take into consideration the points of the evening when you enjoyed your beverage as opposed to when you took a drink out of habit, social pressure or for the sake of it. From here, you can determine a limit that works for you. The free Drink Aware App is a fantastic tool to help you to change your drinking habits. It allows you to track your consumption, calculate units and calories and set goals to help you moderate your intake.

Alternate you drinks - mix between alcoholic and non-alcohol beverages

Why not alternate between your allocated alcoholic drinks and a 0% alternative? Many find this extremely beneficial as there is less of a feeling of “missing out” while others around you might continue drinking alcohol.

You won’t be short of options as the demand for lower-alcohol and alcohol-free beverages is on the rise – and in fact, the production of low-to-no-beer, cider, wine and spirits grew 7% across ten key global markets in 2022 according to IWSR Drinks Market Analysis.

Staying hydrated is also a key element to moderating on a night out. It’s advisable to drink plenty of water before you head to your event so that you don’t arrive thirsty, which will help you to pace your first drink.

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Slow Down and Drink Mindfully

Many drinkers find that it’s actually the speed of their drinking habits that leads them into a hazy and sometimes regretful night – even more-so than the type of drinks they are consuming.

It's extremely helpful in this instance to drink more mindfully. There are many ways of doing this – such as actively trying to nurse your drink, savouring every drop and putting it down between each sip. It can also be beneficial to take more notice of the colour, the temperature and taste of your drink. Try to also be more aware of your surroundings - noticing the atmosphere, the food, the company and tuning into all other aspects of the event, rather than just the alcohol. Drinking more mindfully generally can lead to socialising more mindfully, allowing you to connect and engage more with those around you.

Arrive Later or Leave Early

We can also put ourselves under pressure to arrive exactly on time for events and even feel like we need to be one of the last people standing. However, cutting down the amount of potential drinking time – for example arriving slightly later (when possible) or having a good excuse to leave early, can have a huge impact on moderating successfully.

Make Plans for the Next Day

Having plans for the next day is a great way to stay in control of how much you’re drinking, as it can help focus and motivate you, as you’ll want to fully appreciate and enjoy your next day or weekend even more.

It can further help encourage you if your next day plans are something wholesome and relaxing – maybe even as a reward for sticking to your plan. This could be anything from a spa day or massage to a scenic bike ride, exercise class or even a visit to a new coffee bar with a book you’ve been meaning to read.

Listen to a Hypnosis Recording Before an Event

Taking some time out to listen to hypnosis audio can be extremely beneficial before a social event or evening out. Hypnotherapy can boost confidence, increase motivation and positivity levels and also subconsciously remind you of the benefits of drinking more moderately. Hypnosis can also deeply relax you, enabling you to turn up your event feeling calm and stress-free which will boost your moderation efforts.

You can find a variety of my own hypnosis recordings specifically for alcohol moderation and many other topics on YouTube channel like the one below,

Having a plan in place before a social drinking event can help you to navigate a successful and enjoyable moderate drinking occasion. As a result, you should gradually start to feel more in control as your new moderate lifestyle becomes more and more natural and your confidence grows. Moderate drinkers often find themselves enjoying a night even more than they used to when they were drinking more heavily as they are more focused on the social interactions around them and then awaken the morning after, feeling clear and ready for an enjoyable and productive new day.

If you want further tips to help you cut down, you may be interested in this article where I detail how I work with clients in-person in London, across the rest of the UK and the world online, to help them improve their relationship with alcohol and lead healthier and happier lives.

For more information about how I can help you in cutting down in alcohol please see my 30 day program below,