Sober and bored? It’s Normal Here’s What To Do About It.

When you’re feeling bored, taking a walk not only provides a distraction from any urges to snack but also physically removes you from food temptations. Make notes in a food journal about what you’re doing and your environment when you feel the urge to eat. This might help identify — and stop — boredom eating patterns.

• Sometimes a quick 10–20-minute walk is all it takes to recenter yourself and forget about the urge to snack out of boredom.
• A well-documented phenomenon in the field of nutrition research is the concept of under-reporting.
• Like stress, boredom may place undue pressure on your heart and circulatory system.

Will eating salads and drinking water make your boredom go away? Not exactly, but it can make you feel better, which has a ripple effect on whether or not you enjoy your life. Fried and overly sugary foods will also artificially spike your dopamine levels and cause your brain to overcorrect, leaving you feeling irritable, depressed, and cranky. These are all things you’re trying to overcome from drinking.

Eat a Healthy Snack Instead

If you find you’re more susceptible to food cravings, depriving yourself of certain foods might make you crave them more in the short term (6, 7, 8). This proactive approach will empower you to break the cycle of loneliness, addiction, and more loneliness, ultimately leading to a more fulfilling life in the present moment. But I PROMISE you, if you keep moving forward, things in your brain will start to click. And one day, it will occur to you that you’re actually happy and enjoying your life. By removing the alcohol and making those necessary lifestyle changes, we increase the chances of becoming people who can enjoy the simple pleasure of life once again.

It is very common for people to replace alcohol with sugar in the beginning, which is detrimental not only to your waistline and physical health but your mental well-being as well. You have to understand what you’re feeling https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/boredom-drinking-and-how-to-stop-it/ and WHY you’re feeling this way in order to change it. Getting outside and communing with nature is scientifically proven to reduce stress and improve mental health and cognitive function in both kids and adults.

Bored, Bored, Bored, and Overeating

Instead of inviting your loved one out for drinks at a bar, work on a crafting project or go see a movie. Be mindful of how often you engage in activities https://ecosoberhouse.com/ that could involve alcohol, such as local trivia nights or sports events. Try to make those types of activities take a backseat to other hobbies.

• When I quit drinking, I was lucky to have a spouse that supported my decision.
• The spiral from binge drinking into alcohol addiction can be a gradual process.
• Tips to change this habit include planning the diet, eating mindfully, and making changes to the environment in which a person eats their food.
• Completely cutting alcohol out of your life is always an option.
• By participating in therapy and counseling services, you can develop the skills and support necessary to overcome boredom drinking and maintain a healthier lifestyle.

Perhaps you frequently get caught up in the feeling of euphoria that comes with being intoxicated. Understanding the effects of binge drinking might increase your motivation to cut back on how much alcohol you consume in one sitting. If any of that sounds familiar, consider rethinking your relationship with alcohol. You don’t have to give up drinking entirely—there’s plenty of middle ground between alcohol abuse and abstinence. Once you find that middle ground, you can continue to enjoy your favorite drinks without jeopardizing your health, safety, or sense of well-being. The effects of boredom may be especially more potent if you have certain untreated health conditions, like depression.

Building a Supportive Social Network

Additionally, it’s important to communicate your boredom with a friend or loved one. I began to drink on days when normally I wouldn’t, finishing half a bottle or more in the evenings, when usually I’d just have a glass. So often, our lives are full of distraction, social interaction, entertainment, and things we consider fun. In the midst of these stimuli that keep us busy, engaged, and upbeat about our lives, it can be easy to assume that life of its own accord is here to entertain us. If you do it right, keeping a food journal can help you see what, when, where, and how much you are overeating.

There are many reasons why you might be eating when you’re bored. Boredom eating from time to time can be completely normal and nothing to worry about. However, it may be frustrating for some people and have health implications, including weight gain (1, 2, 3, 4). Eating well, staying hydrated, getting physical activity, and not stocking up on alcohol for the winter are other helpful strategies to stop drinking out of boredom. I’ve spent the last six years researching and understanding alcoholism, addiction, and how people get sober.

If you find yourself bored without alcohol or drinking simply because you’re bored, you might be developing an unhealthy relationship with alcohol. Regular drinking is often considered socially appropriate and normal, but if your drinking extends to when you’re alone, that’s a red flag. There’s a very fine line between social drinking and problematic drinking, and one could easily lead to the other and cause serious health implications. Another reason to track your food is to make sure you’re getting the right macros. If your boredom eating coincides with legitimate physical hunger, you may not be getting enough calories or macronutrients at meal time, setting you up to go overboard during movie night. Anything to change up that routine of drinking out of boredom and make it harder for drinkers to find a place to get comfortable.

When you’re bored, you may have a limited attention span and lack of interest in what’s happening around you. You may also feel apathetic, fatigued, nervous, or jittery. Boredom is a common complaint among children and adolescents. In some cases, they may also complain of boredom when they’re uncomfortable dealing with their thoughts or feelings. Sometimes a quick 10–20-minute walk is all it takes to recenter yourself and forget about the urge to snack out of boredom. Eating in front of a screen while you’re bored can influence you to overeat when you aren’t even hungry.