Every January, the conversation around not drinking gets louder, and non-alcoholic drinks step into the spotlight. Whether you’re entirely opting out or simply recalibrating after a month of back-to-back holiday toasts, Dry January has arrived.
For me, the decision to dip my toes into a sober curious lifestyle wasn’t planned. It happened years earlier, sort of accidentally.
It was January 1, 2020. I was in Miami with a group of friends, celebrating the start of a new decade in the way most people do — late nights, loud music, too many toasts. The morning after felt ordinary enough. A little tired, sipping coffee on the hotel balcony, talking with a girlfriend about what we hoped this new decade might bring. Just another post-holiday morning, being slightly hungover.
Everything was going well until I reached the hotel lobby, ready to check out. Suddenly, my heart started racing, and my palms began to sweat. I couldn’t shake a dreadful feeling that something was deeply wrong in my body. I was experiencing an alcohol-triggered panic attack.
I was no stranger to panic attacks and wrote about my experience in “This Helped Me End My Anxiety For Good and It Wasn’t Xanax”. The strange thing about panic attacks is that even when you know what’s happening, your body is still convinced you’re dying. I felt dizzy, nauseous, and couldn’t even fathom how I’d get on a plane a few hours later.
The next day, back in New York, I found myself looking up the effects of alcohol on mood. Here is what happens to your brain when you drink alcohol.
It temporarily boosts GABA, the brain’s calming neurotransmitter. That’s why drinking can feel relaxing at first. But once alcohol leaves your system, GABA levels drop and glutamate (responsible for alertness) spikes. This often shows up as anxiety, restlessness, and panic the next day, commonly referred to as hangxiety.
It also disrupts dopamine regulation, affecting pleasure and reward, while increasing cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone, both of which negatively impact mood.
These effects are especially pronounced in people who are already prone to anxiety. If I could drink cocktails all night in my early twenties and wake up feeling fine the next day, that was no longer an option as I got older. The hangxiety, lack of focus, and time wasted recovering became too high of a price for me to pay.
I didn’t want to stop drinking completely, but I decided to give Dry January a shot. One month without drinking turned into two that year, and it permanently changed my relationship with alcohol for the better.
So do you really need Dry January? Not at all. But if you do decide to try it (or take a break from drinking at any other time), here’s how to do it in a way that’s manageable, stress-free, and actually sustainable. I’ll also share the non-alcoholic brands that I love.
1. Don’t Treat It Like a Test of Willpower
Dry January isn’t about proving anything to yourself or anyone else. The moment it turns into a discipline challenge, it gets unnecessarily heavy and much easier to “fail.” Instead, treat it like an experiment. You’re not trying to be perfect. You’re simply paying attention. How do you feel in the mornings? How’s your focus? Your anxiety? Your energy in social situations? And if you happen to have a drink, don’t guilt-trip yourself or start from scratch. Just pick up where you left off and rebrand it to “Damp January.”
2. Don’t Announce It or Overexplain
You don’t owe anyone an explanation. If you feel awkward at first, that’s okay. Give yourself 20 minutes. The culture is changing, and a surprising number of people who try Dry January realize that no one actually cares what’s in their glass. And if someone does question it, a simple “I’m taking a break” is enough—no backstory or justification required.
3. Replace the Alcohol, Not the Ritual
For most people, what they miss isn’t the alcohol—it’s the ritual. It’s the signal that the workday is over. The glass in your hand. The feeling of transition. Keep the ritual. Change the contents. It took me some time to feel “normal” in social settings without a wine glass in my hand, so take your time. Pour something into a nice glass - a mocktail, or bitters with soda over ice if you watch your calories and sugar. When the ritual stays intact, the habit loosens its grip without feeling like deprivation.
4. Find Delicious Non-Alcoholic Alternatives
For a long time, non-alcoholic options meant soda water with lime or something overly sweet that felt like a downgrade. That’s changed. There are now great non-alcoholic brands on the market, and almost every respectable restaurant or bar offers well-crafted mocktails on its menu. Below, I’ll share a few of my favorite non-alcoholic brands and mocktail options that make taking a break from drinking feel less like restriction and more like a conscious choice.
5. Redefine What “Success” Looks Like
Success isn’t making it to January 31st without a sip; it’s noticing your patterns and making sense of them. Realizing what situations drain you, and understanding how alcohol affects your mood, anxiety, and focus. For some people, Dry January turns into a longer break. For others like me, it simply reshapes how and when they drink. Both are valid. The goal isn’t abstinence. It’s awareness.
And now, here are my top five favorite non-alcoholic brands to try, even if you’re not doing Dry January this year. These drinks are not only functional but genuinely delicious, with some founded by inspiring female entrepreneurs.
Recess — one of the OGs of non-alcoholic drinks. Made as an antidote to modern times, Recess launched in 2018 with a clear goal: to help us feel less stressed and stay calm, cool, and collected. Their drinks are infused with adaptogens, magnesium, and hemp, and are designed to support moments of ease throughout the day. Recess now offers several product lines, including Recess, Recess Mood, and Recess Zero Proof. (You can use my code ALICOVA for a recurring 15% off—you’re welcome.)
Kin Euphorics — launched in 2018 by Jen Batchelor, with a celebrity co-founder, Bella Hadid. Kin’s blends are rooted in Ayurvedic principles and are designed to awaken your mind, uplift your mood, and open a portal to connection. You can choose between individual 8oz spritz cans or 16.9oz “Made to Mix” bottles. I particularly enjoy mixing their Dream Light with almond milk and having it as my nightcap. It doesn’t make me fall asleep faster, but I genuinely love the ritual.
Ghia — founded in 2020 by Melanie Masarin, this non-alcoholic apéritif is designed to bring people together. Ghia invites you to take a moment for yourself and to effortlessly move from work into play. Similar to Kin Euphorics, Ghia offers 8oz Spritz cans, 16.9oz Apéritif bottles, and 25.4oz Le Fizz bottles. I’m a big fan of The Original Apéritif, Blood Orange, and Ginger Spritz.
Aplós — also founded in 2020 by Emily Onkey, Aplós has been gaining popularity as mocktails featuring the brand have started appearing on menus at places like Soho House and Dream Hotel. Aplós offers larger 8oz spritz cans and 24.5oz mixer bottles. My favorite is the Ume Spritz—it’s the closest to an Aperol Spritz as it gets.
Little Saints - the first batch of these non-alcoholic, mushroom-infused drinks was sold out of founder Megan Kline’s mint-green vending trailer in Detroit in the summer of 2021. A lawyer turned entrepreneur, Megan loved socializing but didn’t love how alcohol made her feel. Today, Little Saints offers seven cocktails in 8oz cans, 25.4oz spirit bottles, and recently launched St. Oak, a non-alcoholic whiskey alternative. The brand claims to make you feel different—and I can attest that I do feel more uplifted and bubbly. The Little Saint cocktail is also on the menu at the iconic Château Marmont—further proof that the sober-curious movement is only gaining momentum.
And there you have it—my five favorite non-alcoholic brands!
My experience with Dry January didn’t make me stop drinking. That was never my goal. I still love celebrating a special occasion with a glass of fine champagne or enjoying a glass (or two) of full-bodied red wine on a dinner date. What it did change, though, is how I think about drinking. More recently, I’ve made a few personal adjustments: I stopped drinking during the week—feeling unfocused the next day is never worth it. I no longer drink when I’m stressed or approaching burnout. And I don’t drink in social situations simply because others are having a drink.
For anyone on a journey to change their relationship with alcohol, I highly recommend Quit Like a Woman: The Radical Choice to Not Drink in a Culture Obsessed with Alcohol, a New York Times bestseller. This thoughtful memoir sheds light on how our drinking culture disproportionately affects women—and how one woman found her way to healing outside of it.
In retrospect the dots connect.
