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With the holidays coming up, it’s not uncommon to feel the pressure to drink a little more than you usually would. At Sunnyside, we want to invite you to join us in a tracking challenge for the month of December.
Track every day for the best results.
It’s simple! Just download the calendar template below and for every day of the month, track how many alcoholic drinks you’ve consumed. The goal is to get a better understanding of your drinking behaviors by the end of the month.
Part of understanding your relationship with alcohol is becoming more aware of how much you’re actually consuming. By tracking your drinks, you’re building habits around mindful drinking and establishing a baseline that you can improve upon.
Sunnyside is the only planning, tracking and coaching app that is all about mindfulness and moderation, and not about pushing sobriety. Alcohol use is a wide spectrum and there is a lot of gray area. The first step in improving your relationship with alcohol, is understanding it!
Tell us a little about yourself and your goals so we can personalize your experience. This is a judgment-free zone.
Every week we’ll give you a recommended drink plan for the week ahead to help you reach your goals, which you can adjust.
Via a simple text-message interface, we’ll remind you to track your drinks every day, and provide nudges to stack on target.
Our upbeat and positive eduation, motivation, tips, and tricks will keep you on track every day of the week.
You’re joining a community of members who have been through exactly what you’re going through, and have achieved amazing results. Here’s what some of them have said about using Sunnyside to cut back on their journey to be more mindful drinkers and get the most out of the holidays.
When I first started I was a bit leery about the whole thing. I am 70 years old and retired and didn’t think that I needed someone to tell me how much to drink. So I took the 15 day free trial and found out that it really helped me control my drinking. These guys are not trying to change you, just your drinking habits, which has help me a lot. Sometimes I would drink just to drink and that came to a stop. I still do what I want to do, I’m just doing it differently and it really working well for me. – Rene
Over the last two years I became a bit of a heavy drinker. After 84 days with Sunnyside, I’m now a moderate drinker, on my way to becoming a social drinking. The transition was easier than I thought. -Ted
I’ve been trying to cut back on my drinking for years and this is the only way I’ve actually done it. I’m so extremely happy with just the mindfulness that it has provided me. It’s not judgy. It doesn’t make you quit immediately. It is just a way to cut back and be mindful of your drinking and I really appreciate it. It’s honestly transformed my life. -Stefani
I love this program – it’s simple and supportive. I feel like I’m on my way to making some lasting changes without ever feeling shamed. Also the coaches are real & respond personally (not just bots). -Lucy
Sunnyside members see big results in their first 30 days, and it only gets better from there. Start tracking with our free calendar and see how you can improve your relationship with alcohol
Feel your best, inside and out.
Enjoy more restful sleep and brighter mornings.
Every month you’ll be cutting out unnecessary calories.
Greet the day with increased energy and focus.
Save real cash every month by spending less on alcohol.
Mindfulness lets you enjoy drinking more, by consuming less.
The Mindful Drinkers is a group for people who want to cut back on their drinking. The group is a judgment-free zone grounded in positivity. The community aims to cultivate a sense of connection for those who prefer mindfulness over the traditional “all-or-nothing” approach. You’re invited to share your story about how you integrate mindful drinking into your daily life, offer encouragement, and ask questions.
Every Sunnyside membership includes all the features below, plus a free 15-day trial to make sure it’s right for you.
Sunnyside gives you simple, accurate tools to track your drinks that you’ll actually love to use.
Every Sunday we’ll share your plan for the week ahead that you can adjust and customize as needed.
We have real human coaches available for when you need a nudge or a bit of motivation. But only if you need it.
We’ll share advice, education and motivation on a daily basis to keep you on track with your goals.
Drinks cut, money saved, improved sleep… we’ll help you measure success in the terms that matter to you.
Sunnyside is easy and simple to use, but is backed by proven habit change techniques reviewed by our advisors.
Sunnyside utilizes proven behavior-change techniques to help you reach your goals, and it’s all reviewed by our team of experts.
Our goal is to be transparent and honest with you about Sunnyside. It’s in our DNA. Here are a couple common questions, but please email us if you have more.
A Sunnyside subscription starts at $8.75/mo, less than the cost of two drinks. Everyone starts with a 15-day free trial to test it out. And we’re nice about refunds if it’s truly not right for you.
We believe that everyone who drinks can benefit from more mindfulness and healthier habits. You can join Sunnyside no matter what your starting point is, and we’ll help you hit your goals. Sunnyside offers a 15-day free trial, and you can cancel at any time.
Definitely not. Talking to a coach is completely optional. You can take advantage of the planning, tracking, behavior change, analytics, and amazing results without ever talking to anyone.
We employ proven habit change techniques like pre-commitment, conscious interference, and belief and positivity. Our methods are reviewed by habit change and alcohol use experts. Learn more.
We take data privacy and security very seriously. We never sell your information or use your drinking data for marketing tactics. Review our Privacy Policy
Not at all! You can use the calendar as you like (we won't even ask you for any information). It's meant to help you with improving your drinking habits.
Last Updated on May 15, 2023
The damp lifestyle trend has been taking off on TikTok, especially since people are becoming more conscious about their relationship with alcohol.
Though there’s been a huge uptick in people going sober, many are still keen on adopting practices that revolve around balance and flexibility—rather than an all-or-nothing approach. And this is exactly what the damp lifestyle offers.
It ties into various “drink less” movements, such as mindful drinking and sober curiosity, to help people foster healthier drinking habits without going completely “dry.”
According to the CDC, at least 38 million adults in the US drink more than they should. But while de-stressing with (too much) alcohol is becoming common practice, mindful drinking approaches like the damp lifestyle are quickly growing in popularity.
In this article, we’ll explore what the damp lifestyle is all about, including its key features, benefits, and challenges, and how you can get started with this approach to drinking.
The damp lifestyle is the choice to practice moderation or mindfulness when drinking alcohol. This is coupled with an intentional focus to avoid binge drinking or going overboard with your alcohol consumption.
The damp lifestyle was originally coined by TikToker Hana Elson and has since turned into one of the latest crazes on that platform. This movement has become especially popular among the millennial and Gen Z age groups due to a shifting focus on healthy and sustainable living.
Because this isn’t your typical black-or-white approach to drinking, you won’t have to bid farewell to alcohol by living damp. There aren’t any predetermined rules you’d have to follow either; the most significant focus of this lifestyle is to drink in moderation while avoiding binge drinking.
While there aren’t any specific rules attached to the damp lifestyle movement, there are some clinical definitions that help us understand what moderate drinking and binge drinking mean.
According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, moderate drinking refers to having 2 standard drinks or less per day for men and 1 drink or less per day for women in the US. Meanwhile, the CDC defines binge drinking as having 5 or more drinks for men or 4 or more drinks for women on a single occasion (generally a 2-hour timeframe).
The meaning of low-risk drinking is different based on Canadian guidelines, which were recently updated in 2023 by the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA).
To minimize any possible harm or effects from alcohol consumption, the CCSA now recommends drinking no more than 2 standard drinks per week. This is a massive drop from the previous 2011 guidelines that limited women to no more than 8 standard drinks per week and men to no more than 14 standard drinks per week.
Essentially, these definitions can help us understand what lower-risk drinking habits look like and also gives us a better idea of what’s considered too much when it comes to living damp.
Essentially, the damp lifestyle offers a middle-ground approach to drinking, where your drinking patterns would lie between excessive drinking and sobriety.
Living damp gives you that wiggle room to savor a refreshing cocktail or glass of wine from time to time, while reducing the risk of alcohol becoming a coping mechanism or psychological crutch.
Some of the key features of this lifestyle movement include the following:
A damp lifestyle helps you reassess your drinking decisions and create structures or mindset shifts that help you reduce the impact of alcohol on your life.
The following are some core benefits of practicing a damp lifestyle:
Limiting your alcohol intake reduces the risk of alcohol hangovers and post-drinking headaches or fatigue. In the long run, research shows that low to moderate alcohol drinking is associated with a lower risk of diabetes, stroke, and heart disease.
Some studies also suggest that reducing alcohol intake and drinking moderately may be associated with better overall mood and mental well-being—though total abstinence still shows greater improvements in mental wellness.
Excessive drinking may lead to poor relationship outcomes, increased conflict, and reduced intimacy, according to a 2020 research study. Essentially, living damp can help you avoid unhealthy drinking practices, putting you in a better position to spend time and care for the people you love.
Ever tried cranking out numbers and charts while completely hungover? A night out of drinking can often make it more challenging to perform well at work the next day. Plus, a 2019 research review found that higher alcohol consumption can lead to poorer work performance and reduced productivity simply because alcohol affects how your brain functions and processes information.
By drinking mindfully, you’re less likely to experience a hangover or feel mentally drained the next day.
A damp lifestyle gives you more flexibility with how you pursue mindfulness. You won’t have to operate by already-specified rules, and what living damp really does is allow you to explore what works for you in finding that balance.
It’s also not as extreme as going cold turkey, and thus, may be easier to sustain for some people.
Here are some simple tips that can get you started with adopting a damp lifestyle:
There’s no one-size-fits-all method to living damp. With some experimentation, you’ll find what helps you to create sustainable habits.
The flexibility that comes with living damp can lead to long-term habit change and improvements for many people. On the flip side, all-or-nothing challenges often aren’t the best for long-term success.
This is accentuated by the 2023 Dry vs. Damp January Study that analyzed the data collected from over 25,000 participants who took part in the Sunnyside Dry(ish) January Challenge.
Based on the results of this study, a damp or dry(ish) challenge was a lot more accessible for people, as 68% of participants chose to cut back, while 32% chose to go fully dry. And of the participants who decided to go fully dry, only 38% completed the challenge with a 100% success rate, which suggests that going completely dry might not be sustainable for most people.
Both approaches still led to significant benefits, including better sleep and mood, improved productivity, and better dietary and fitness habits.
Around 92% of participants were still eager to maintain a lower intake of alcohol going into February. The study also showed that having access to coaching, drink-tracking tools, and an accountability system proved to be a major advantage. In fact, participants reported that the Sunnyside system and its mindful-drinking tools and motivational reminders were critical to continuing their progress and building healthier drinking habits in the long run.
Essentially, having an accountability system and tracking your drinking can be key to forming long-lasting, mindful-drinking habits and making the damp lifestyle all the more sustainable.
Despite the possible benefits of living damp, the damp lifestyle might not be suitable for everyone—and that’s completely okay. Some people find that they do better when avoiding alcohol altogether.
That said, any kind of change is difficult, especially positive change. The damp lifestyle will require commitment and perseverance, especially since drinking has become such an ingrained part of our culture.
Living damp could mean learning to enjoy social events without the help of alcohol. Or it could mean letting your ego take the backseat and taking your stand when you experience negativity or peer pressure. Practicing a damp lifestyle may even be viewed as “elitist” or “exclusionary” to a certain extent.
In any case, living damp is a choice you have to make for yourself. You can set yourself up for success by having predetermined drinking limits and actionable plans and connecting with people with similar goals. And, of course, don’t forget to be patient with yourself along the way!
If you’re looking for practical tools and a supportive community to help you along your journey, the Sunnyside mindful drinking platform may be the solution you need. Sunnyside’s structural approach to mindful drinking helps you build healthier habits through personalized weekly plans, drink-tracking tools, progress visualization, and access to real-life coaches.
Most importantly, Sunnyside creates a judgment-free space for you to improve your relationship with alcohol without the pressure to quit! To read more about mindful drinking, check out more content here.
References
[1] CDC VitalSigns – Alcohol Screening and Counseling. (2020, January 31). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/alcohol-screening-counseling/index.html
[2] Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025 and Online Materials | Dietary Guidelines for Americans. (n.d.). https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/resources/2020-2025-dietary-guidelines-online-materials
[3] Alcohol Questions and Answers | CDC. (n.d.). https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/faqs.htm
[4] Canada’s Guidance on Alcohol and Health | Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction. (n.d.). https://ccsa.ca/canadas-guidance-alcohol-and-health
[5] Hallström, E., Håkansson, N., Åkesson, A., Wolk, A., & Sonesson, U. (2018). Climate impact of alcohol consumption in Sweden. Journal of Cleaner Production, 201, 287–294. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.07.295
[6] Chiva-Blanch, G., & Badimon, L. (2019). Benefits and Risks of Moderate Alcohol Consumption on Cardiovascular Disease: Current Findings and Controversies. Nutrients, 12(1), 108. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12010108
[7] Yao, X. I., Ni, M. Y., Cheung, F., Wu, J. T., Schooling, C. M., Leung, G. M., & Pang, H. (2019). Change in moderate alcohol consumption and quality of life: evidence from 2 population-based cohorts. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 191(27), E753–E760. https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.181583
[8] Woolf-King, S. E., Conroy, A. A., Fritz, K., Johnson, M. O., Hosegood, V., van Rooyen, H., Darbes, L., & McGrath, N. (2019). Alcohol use and relationship quality among South African couples. Substance use & misuse, 54(4), 651–660. https://doi.org/10.1080/10826084.2018.1531428
[9] Thørrisen, M. M., Bonsaksen, T., Hashemi, N., Kjeken, I., van Mechelen, W., & Aas, R. W. (2019). Association between alcohol consumption and impaired work performance (presenteeism): a systematic review. BMJ open, 9(7), e029184. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2019-029184
Sunnyside is a system for creating a more mindful approach to drinking to help you reach your goals. Our members are seeing major benefits, including a 30% average reduction in weekly drinks, improved sleep, a healthier diet, money saved, and an overall improved sense of well-being.
Sunnyside is not designed to treat alcohol use disorder (AUD). For resources related to AUD, including how to get support, please visit the NIH website. We’ve also partnered with Moderation Management, a non-profit dedicated to reducing the harm caused by the misuse of alcohol.
Sunnyside is a system for creating a more mindful approach to drinking to help you reach your goals. Our members are seeing major benefits, including a 30% average reduction in weekly drinks, improved sleep, a healthier diet, money saved, and an overall improved sense of well-being.
Sunnyside is not designed to treat alcohol use disorder (AUD). For resources related to AUD, including how to get support, please visit the NIH website. We’ve also partnered with Moderation Management, a non-profit dedicated to reducing the harm caused by the misuse of alcohol.