10 Strategies to Beat Alcohol Cravings This Dry July

Written by Melanie Duriez, Sobriety Life Coach

Melanie Duriez is an accredited Sober Coach and Reiki Master, dedicated to helping people break free from the alcohol trap. Using a holistic approach promoting physical, mental and emotional health, she helps people chart a course for optimum well-being anchored in sobriety.

It’s the end of June, and Dry July is right around the corner! Originally a fundraising campaign launched in 2008 in Australia, Dry July has evolved alongside Dry January and Sober October as an alcohol-free “dry” month challenge where participants refrain from drinking.

Whether you’re sober curious, questioning your relationship with alcohol, or simply interested in reaping the health benefits associated with taking a break from alcohol, such as improved mood, increased energy, and better sleep, this Dry July challenge is the perfect opportunity for a health reset. Keep reading to discover strategies to make the most out of your alcohol-free month.

The biggest obstacle

If you’ve ever attempted to moderate your drinking or taken up an alcohol-free challenge, you know that cravings are an unfortunate and inevitable reality, and the biggest obstacle you’re likely to face. However, with a little preparation, you can learn how to manage and even reduce cravings. You don’t have to rely on willpower alone, which is great news, because studies have shown that willpower is a finite resource.

You will likely start off strong, full of energy and enthusiasm, but as the days and weeks pass, you may find it harder and harder to resist your cravings on the strength of your will alone. Before we dive into some techniques to mitigate this unpleasant side effect, let’s look at exactly what we’re dealing with.

What is a craving?

A craving is an intense desire for something that our brain has associated with pleasure, such as sugary food, nicotine, or even doom-scrolling. For our purposes here, we’re concentrating on alcohol. The science behind cravings is complex and involves many different factors; they can be sparked by physiological, psychological, and environmental triggers.

So, with all this in mind, let’s look at what you can do when the Craving Committee convenes on your journey this Dry July.

10 strategies to beat alcohol cravings

Expect cravings

Forewarned is forearmed, as they say! By acknowledging that cravings will be part of any period of abstinence from alcohol, you will be mentally prepared to manage them and less likely to be caught off guard when you experience one. And you will. Maybe on the first day, maybe on the tenth. But know that you will, and that it’s ok.

Make a plan

Now that you’re expecting to experience cravings, you can make a plan to manage them. Come up with a list of things that you can do to take your mind off your cravings. Going for a walk, for example, or listening to a sober podcast like Alcohol Free Life or Soberful to keep you motivated. Try to think of five to ten different activities, including indoor and outdoor ones, and write them down. Keep your list handy so you can grab it quickly when you need it, and pick the activity that most resonates with you in that moment.

Identify the feeling behind the craving

If you find yourself opening the fridge looking for a drink, halt and ask yourself what you’re feeling in the moment. Are you Hungry? Angry? Lonely? Tired? Stressed? Then take action depending on your answer. If you’re hungry, have a nutritious, high-protein snack, like a handful of nuts or hummus with vegetables. Are you stressed? Try a breathing exercise or a guided meditation. This is where the plan you prepared comes into play.

Recognize your triggers

This is an extension of the previous strategy. When you find yourself longing for a drink, switch into Observer mode and note what’s happening. Is it a particular time of day? Are you feeling a certain way? Are you in a specific place? Learning to identify your triggers will help you prevent cravings in the first place, as you can then actively work to avoid them.

Tweak your ritual

If you’re more than an occasional drinker and if you’re doing Dry July, you likely are you undoubtedly drink at a specific time or in a certain place. Maybe you have a glass of wine as you prepare dinner, or a beer while watching the game. Humans are creatures of habit, and our daily rituals bring us comfort. But just because you’re not drinking alcohol, doesn’t mean you have to throw the baby out with the bathwater! As Janey Lee Grace, author of Happy Healthy Sober, says, “Keep the ritual, change the ingredients.” Try replacing the Chardonnay with one of the innumerable delicious alcohol-free drinks that have popped up over the last few years. From kombuchas to zero-proof beers, from ready-made mocktails to sparkling juices, the choices are now dazzling. No need to drink from a sippy cup, either! Your lovely adult drink will taste even better if served in a nice glass.

Create a new ritual

For some people, though, keeping the same ritual proves more difficult, emphasizing the fact that they can’t have alcohol. If this is you, know that you can create a new ritual. Maybe you’re used to having a drink when you get home from work, to “take the edge off.” You could try taking a brisk walk with the dog instead, going to the gym, or breaking out your yoga mat. Mix up the energy; choose something that puts a smile on your face and makes you feel good.

Rest

If you’ve been drinking for any length of time, your sleep has likely been disturbed. In fact, while you may find that alcohol helps you fall asleep, studies have shown that it is linked with insomnia. Add to that the stress of our whirlwind lives, and it’s no wonder many of us are sleep deprived these days.

So, if you feel tired during your health reset this month, it’s OK to rest. When I first quit drinking, I would regularly retreat to my bed at 7:30 p.m. And I slept like a baby. This is one of the many surprising benefits of going alcohol-free! Listen to your body. If it’s tired, take a break. Even a 30-minute power nap can work wonders.

Move your body

Conversely, you may find that you need to move! Exercise is a natural producer of feel-good hormones, releasing endorphins and relieving stress. Biking, dancing, yardwork, yoga, the possibilities are endless. For an extra boost, head outside. Nature is good for us and has been shown to improve our health and well-being. Even if you live in a city, heading to your local park is enough to reap the benefits of the natural world.

Remember the 90-second rule

According to neuroanatomist Jill Bolte Taylor, author of My Stroke of Insight, “When a person has a reaction to something in their environment, there’s a 90-second chemical process that happens; any remaining emotional response is just the person choosing to stay in that emotional loop.” Basically, your craving is a thought, “I’d like a drink,” that generates an emotion, longing, that is a chemical reaction in your brain that lasts 90 seconds. So, when you feel like a drink, remember the 90-second rule. You can look at your watch and mindfully wait for those 90 seconds or take some deep breaths, knowing that the craving is passing with each moment.

Reach out

If the COVID-19 pandemic taught us anything, it’s the importance of connection. Human beings are social animals, and we’re hard-wired for community interaction and belonging. Calling a friend or a loved one is a great way to take your mind off any cravings. Human contact, even if it’s just a 10-minute chat with the neighbour, works wonders to improve our mood and overall sense of well-being.

Taking it one step further

Now that you have a toolkit full of strategies to manage cravings this Dry July, you might be surprised at how good you start to feel after even a few days without alcohol. Better sleep, more energy, lighter mood, reduced anxiety, clearer skin, improved clarity and focus, and even increased pleasure for the small things in life are just some of the myriad benefits of ditching the booze.

If you’ve been trying to moderate for a while and have started questioning your relationship with alcohol, a dry month challenge is a great place to start. But you don’t have to stop at 30 days; try extending your reset to 60 or even 90 days. And if you feel you need guidance and support, don’t hesitate to reach out to us to help you navigate your alcohol-free journey.

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Read more from Melanie Duriez

Melanie Duriez, Sobriety Life Coach

Melanie Duriez is an accredited Sober Coach and Reiki Master, as well as a contributing author of the best-selling Amazon ebook 25 Sobriety Tips for 2025.

She ditched the booze for good in 2021, after years of struggling to be that mythical “mindful” drinker. Convinced she was condemned to living in shades of grey, she discovered, to her astonishment, just how bright a sober life can be.

She now helps other grey area drinkers around the world break free from the alcohol trap and create a life they don't want to escape from.