3 Practical Strategies to Help You Manage Alcohol Cravings

When you’re trying to drink less, cravings can be a serious pain. But while they can feel overwhelming, they are, in the end, temporary. Alcohol cravings often last just 15 to 30 minutes, and you can ride them out with a few productive techniques.

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1. Go for a Walk (Yes, Seriously)

It sounds simple, but taking a walk is one of the most effective ways to manage alcohol cravings. It’s also backed by science.

Walking helps disrupt the craving cycle in three significant ways:

• A shift in focus: Putting on your shoes and heading outside helps shift your brain’s focus from the craving to a concrete, physical action.
• An increase in endorphins: These “feel-good” hormones can reduce stress and improve your mood.
• A change in surroundings: A scenery change can help you reset mentally. If your craving is tied to your environment—for example, it began on your couch or in your kitchen—heading outside can help you head it off.

A 2013 study in the Journal of Appetite found that a brief 15-minute walk significantly reduced cravings for chocolate, which, like alcohol, activates reward pathways in the brain. Sometimes the simplest interventions really do work best.

2. EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) / Tapping

EFT, or Emotional Freedom Technique, involves tapping specific points on your body (called “meridian points”) while repeating affirmations. It sounds a bit out there, but 

Here’s how it might help:

• Reduces cortisol: EFT has been shown to lower cortisol levels, helping reduce the stress that can fuel cravings.
  
• Interrupts the habit loop: Cravings are part of a conditioned response. Tapping helps rejigger how your brain reacts to those cues.
  

A quick how-to:

1. Acknowledge the craving. Rate it: 1 to 10.
   
2. Start tapping the side of your hand (what’s called the “karate chop point”) while saying something like, “Even though I want a drink, I accept myself.”
   
3. Tap through the points: Eyebrow, side of the eye, under the eye, under the nose, chin, collarbone, underarm, and top of the head. As you move through each point, repeat a simple phrase like “this craving for alcohol.”
   

Repeat and re-rate your craving. Is it less severe? If so, you may have found your method. There are plenty of free videos online to guide you through a full tapping session.

3. Practice Urge Surfing

Urge surfing is a mindfulness strategy rooted in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Instead of acting on the craving (resisting it too hard or giving in to it), you observe it like a wave, watch it rise and fall.

Here’s how to try it:

1. Find a quiet spot. Sit comfortably and close your eyes.
   
2. Acknowledge the craving. Notice it’s there without judgment.
   
3. Scan your body. Where do you feel the craving? Is it a tightness in your chest, a buzzing in your mind? An anxiety behind your teeth?
   
4. Visualize it as a wave. Picture the craving rising in intensity like a wave, cresting, and eventually falling. Ride it out, knowing it won’t last forever.

This method teaches your brain that cravings aren’t emergencies. Over time, it can reduce their power.

The “Not Yet” Mindset: A Bonus Reframe

One subtle but powerful shift in mindset is saying “not yet” instead of “no.” According to behavioral expert Nir Eyal, strict abstinence can sometimes trigger psychological “reactance”—a rebellious response to restriction. But when you tell yourself “not right now,” you preserve your sense of agency and reduce the mental pressure.

This tactic gives you breathing room. You’re not denying yourself forever—you’re just pausing. Often, that pause is all it takes to let the craving pass.

Cravings Are Temporary, But Your Goals Are Not

Cravings can feel intense in the moment, but they don’t last. The power to fight alcohol cravings lies in recognizing what they are—a temporary state—and having tools prepared to respond. Every time you move through a craving without giving in, you’re building new pathways in your brain and reinforcing healthier behaviors.

You’ve got this. And Sunnyside is here to support you every step of the way. Get started with a 15-day free trial.

What is Sunnyside?

Sunnyside is a mindful drinking and alcohol moderation app that can help change your habits around alcohol using a proven, science-backed method. Whether you want to become a more mindful drinker, drink less, or eventually quit drinking, Sunnyside can help you reach your goals. We take a positive, friendly approach to habit change, so you never feel judged or pressured to quit.

When you join Sunnyside, you’ll start by completing a 3-minute private assessment so we can learn a bit about you. Once that’s done, you’ll get a 15-day free trial to test out everything, including our daily habit change tools, tracking and analytics, community and coaching, and education and resources. It’s a full package designed specifically to adapt to your goals, and help you reach them gradually, so you can make a huge impact on your health and wellbeing.

Sunnyside is a digital habit and behavior-change program that is incredibly effective on its own, but can also be the perfect complement to other work you’re doing to cut down on drinking, whether that includes talk therapy or medication such as Naltrexone.

Get your 15-day free trial of Sunnyside today, and start living your healthiest life.