Better sleep, positive mood and less wrinkles, health entrepreneur, Charlotte Dormon, found life just got better and better after she quit drinking in her 40s…

I’ve always been passionate about health and wellbeing. I studied nutrition and run my own health PR business. I eat well, exercise, take my wellbeing supplements, and do my best to prioritise sleep. But there was one habit that never quite fitted with the healthy life I was working so hard to create: alcohol.

Like most women I know in my friendship group, I started drinking when I was in my teens, and that carried on most weekends socially for years.  I grew up in an era when every work event, birthday, holiday, or celebration in general revolved around alcohol. And even though my drinking wasn’t a problem and I definitely drank way less than so many people I knew, just a few glasses of wine with dinner, or Friday night cocktails after work, it was enough to derail me.

Alcohol disrupted my sleep, spiked anxiety, worsened my endometriosis symptoms, and left me feeling groggy, flat, and unmotivated. I’d wake up at 3 am with palpitations, struggle through the following day with hangxiety, and spend far too much money on cocktails and Ubers. The fun part lasted a few hours; the fallout lasted days.

After returning and recovering from a very boozy weekend at Glastonbury festival, I said to my fiancé, “What if we just stop for good?” He seemed on board with the idea and had been thinking a lot  about it himself, so we agreed it made no sense to us anymore, it was not making our lives any better, and decided to give it up for good. The relief I felt was instant. No more dread before social occasions, no more wasted weekends, no more internal bargaining. Just freedom to feel good. 

But here’s the truth: quitting alcohol isn’t easy. The hardest part wasn’t necessarily missing the wine itself, it was dealing with the questions: “Why aren’t you drinking. Do you have a problem?” “Are you pregnant?” “Go on, just have one!”. I had to get really clear on why I was doing this and how I would stick to it. That’s when I created a plan that worked and it changed my life. Firstly, I got very clear on precisely what alcohol was doing to my health. Because even small, regular amounts of alcohol can take a toll.

Here’s just part of a long list that might make you also think twice: 

Sleep disruption: Alcohol reduces REM and deep sleep, leaving you tired and wired.

Hormonal imbalance: Raises cortisol (stress hormone) and disrupts oestrogen and progesterone – worsening PMS, perimenopause, and mood swings.

Anxiety & depression: Alcohol is a depressant. It lowers serotonin and dopamine after the initial buzz, leading to the dreaded hangxiety.

Skin ageing: Alcohol causes oxidative stress and inflammation, which accelerates the ageing process by breaking down collagen and elastin. Result? Fine lines, wrinkles, sagging, and dull skin. 

Dehydration & puffiness: Pulls water from skin cells, leaving skin dry, puffy, and lifeless.

Blood sugar spikes: Alcohol destabilises blood sugar, causing cravings, mood crashes, and weight gain around the middle.

Gut health: Damages the gut lining and microbiome, reducing nutrient absorption and weakening the immune system.

Nutrient depletion: Lowers levels of key nutrients like B vitamins, zinc, and magnesium, essential for energy, skin, and mood.

Liver health: Overworking and overstressing the liver, leading to fatigue and reduced detox capacity, which then increases headaches, bloating and PMS. 

Here’s exactly what worked for me to quit alcohol for good:  

Step 1: Master Your Mindset
Mindset is everything. I had studied NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) and had been fascinated by its profound power to change people. To rewire my thinking, I made two lists that would help me move forward with my goal.

List one: I wrote out all the reasons alcohol didn’t serve me; poor sleep, anxiety, PMS, endometriosis flare-ups, bloating, low mood, lost weekends, weaker immunity, wasted money, low energy, weight gain, feeling out of sorts and lack of focus on goals and dull, tired skin. 

List two: I wrote out all the reasons I loved being alcohol-free; waking up fresh, glowing skin, deeper sleep, positive moods, mental clarity, more energy for pilates, yoga and morning walks, a calmer nervous system, and more money in the bank. There was an endless list of things that I loved about being alcohol-free, and as I wrote it out, I felt excited just imagining how much more of it I could experience. 

I printed them out and stuck them on the cupboard above my kettle, the first place I go morning and return to at night. Every morning, while I made my tea or coffee, I read them out loud while the kettle boiled. In the evening, I did the same with my bedtime tea. This daily ritual was so incredibly powerful for me. It wasn’t just about reading words on a page, it was about retraining my brain. In those first 30 to 90 days, repetition was everything. It built new thought patterns, so I didn’t need to rely on willpower. Instead of constantly resisting temptation, I was shifting from within. I went from feeling a bit apprehensive about giving it up entirely to being totally motivated and super excited about transforming my life for the better. 

I also used affirmations. Instead of saying “I can’t have a drink,” I repeated phrases like:

• I love not drinking alcohol, it’s such a great decision.
• I feel so good without hangovers.
• I love waking up with energy and clarity.
• I love being sober. I feel free. 
• I love that I’ve so much more money in my bank and time to do more of what I love to do.

Although it may feel repetitive and hard work at first, just like building a muscle, the more I repeated them, the stronger they became. Over time, these weren’t just words I told myself; they became my truth. And that’s the key. Using willpower alone will always feel like a struggle. But when you change your mindset, you change your identity. You stop being someone who’s “trying not to drink” and become someone who genuinely doesn’t want to.

Step 2: Find Replacements You Actually Enjoy
If you take something you enjoy away and a habit you have had for years, you may need to add something else in its place. Otherwise, you can sometimes feel a little deprived. When it came to drinks, I made sure I had options that felt special. Years ago, when I first thought about quitting, the choices were dismal; soda water, tonic, Diet Coke. I genuinely liked the taste of wine and beer, so it felt really hard.

These days, it’s a whole new world for us booze quitters! There are grown-up, delicious, alcohol-free drinks for every mood and moment. Some of my favourites include:

Noughty AF Sparkling Organic Wines: Crisp, celebratory, perfect for parties.

Zeno Alcohol-Free Wines: Impressive, complex flavours that taste just like the real thing.

Trip CBD Drinks: Calming, sparkling blends that help me unwind. Great to take to parties as an alternative to cocktails. 

Freedamm Lager: Refreshing, light, and satisfying without the booze.

CleanCo Spirits: Botanical alternatives to gin, rum, and tequila. The gin was the most similar to the real thing. 

BetterYou Energy Drink: A functional pick-me-up when I want vitality without the crash. I pack these for festivals to give me a boost. 

I always bring my own bottle to parties or weddings so I don’t feel left out during a toast. It’s not about pretending, it’s about keeping the ritual, but making it work for me and not getting stuck with a Coke or lemonade as your only drink option provided for you.  

Step 3: Reclaim Your Social Life
This was the part I dreaded most: how do you socialise without drinking? At first, everything felt louder, longer, and more awkward. However, I gradually learned to shape my social life around what worked for me.

Bring your own drinks. I always turn up with something I love, whether that’s a bottle of Trip or a good AF wine.

Seek out connection. Instead of feeling disconnected and lacking in my social life, I focus on spending more time with the people I genuinely want to spend time with. I also make much more effort to talk to new people when I am out and getting into really interesting conversations.  When I did drink alcohol, I would sit and listen to any old waffle and drink to make the conversations with others more interesting.  Now I just have more quality time. 

Give yourself permission to leave. I no longer push myself to stay out late just because others are drinking. I leave when I’m ready and wake up happy with my choice. To be honest, in my experience, most of the time, once everyone has had a lot of drinks, they won’t notice you slip off.  

Surround yourself with inspiration. I started following sober bloggers, podcasts, and communities. I noticed more and more celebrities thriving without alcohol, which reminded me I wasn’t alone. I also read many books written by others who had quit drinking, which kept me motivated and inspired. 

Set rewards. I booked trips, facials, and little luxuries with the money I saved. It gave me milestones to look forward to, and I felt great about treating myself without feeling guilty at all.

Swap the setting. I traded Friday-night pub trips for yoga, long walks, or cosy nights in with friends. Connection is what we crave – not the alcohol. I still went out to lots of afternoon raves and dancing, but just drank alcohol free and found I had the energy and enjoyed it just as much, especially the next day, waking up fresh-headed. 

Notice the positives and your influence on others. As my skin improved, my mood steadied, and my confidence grew, friends noticed. Many of them also decided to either greatly cut back on alcohol, try more alcohol-free alternatives or they also decided to quit altogether.  Many who have never gone back to drinking alcohol to this day. I’m proud I was able to help inspire them. 

The truth is: your social life doesn’t disappear without alcohol. It just changes, and in my case, it feels a lot better for me right now in my life at this age. You remember the conversations. You feel in control. You’re not wasting weekends in bed. And you realise you don’t need alcohol to connect, you just need to show up as yourself. It will not be easy at first, but it gets easier and easier as time goes on, and you eventually forget about the awkward part.   

What I Noticed After a Year Alcohol-Free

Reaching one year sober was a turning point. By then, sobriety wasn’t something I was “trying” to do, it was simply who I was. Here are some of the things that changed:

Skin transformation: My complexion became clearer, brighter, and younger-looking. People commented on how well I looked.

PMS and Endometrosis symptoms alleviated: With inflammation down, I was experiencing far less pain, and PMS symptoms such as breast tenderness and bloating were greatly reduced. 

Calm confidence: The constant mental tug-of-war about drinking was gone. I felt steady and more peaceful.

Better sleep: I slept deeply and woke energised. No more 3 am wake-ups, hot sweats and sleepless nights. 

Freedom: I stopped forcing myself into things I didn’t really enjoy, like long afternoons in pubs. Instead, I focused on activities that truly lit me up and always got to enjoy my favourite time of the day – mornings.  

Resilience: At first, being around drinkers was uncomfortable. But over time, I grew confident in my choice.

Two Years On:  Now, over two years alcohol-free, the benefits run even deeper. I don’t think about alcohol anymore. It simply doesn’t fit into the life I want to live. The longer I have lived life without alcohol, the more natural it feels. Alcohol-free life isn’t about restriction. It’s about expansion, more confidence, more energy, and a true sense of freedom. Yes, there are awkward moments at first. But the longer you go, the easier it becomes. One day, you wake up and realise you don’t miss it at all.

For more inspiration and wellbeing tips, follow Charlotte Dormon on Instagram @healthyloveslondon. www.goodhealthpr.com