Want to drink less? 8 expert tips for cutting back on alcohol.

Month-long alcohol abstinence challenges like “Sober October” and “Dry January” are popular social media trends, but “damp” months — where you commit to drinking less, if not quitting altogether — are gaining traction, too. And for good reason: While the World Health Organization says that no level of alcohol consumption is safe, studies also show that even a small reduction in alcohol intake can be beneficial for our health, including lowering blood pressure and having a lower risk of certain cancers.

Want to drink less? Yahoo Life spoke to several experts in addiction and substance abuse for their top tips on how to cut back on alcohol. Here’s what they said.

Take a break from drinking first

Experts pointed to a period of total sobriety as an important first step.

“The best way to moderate alcohol consumption is to stop drinking for four weeks, and then after this period of abstinence return to drinking with a specific plan for moderation,” says Dr. Anna Lembke, chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Clinic. “Believe it or not, clinical experience has shown that it’s easier to stop drinking for a period of time and then resume at lower amounts than it is to try to reduce.”

“Over the past decade, we've seen dramatic increases in people participating in abstinence challenges like Dry January and Sober October,” Suzanne Colby, deputy director of the Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies at Brown University, tells Yahoo Life. “While some eventually stop drinking altogether, many find taking a break helpful in regaining control over their drinking, and continue to drink less for six months afterward.”

“You might set the goal of having abstinent days one day at a time, or one week or one month at a time,” adds Tim Stockwell, a scientist at the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research. “This helps you to get into a better space and to learn coping strategies that you can use flexibly in the future.”

But take note if you find even short periods of sobriety very difficult

If taking a break from alcohol proves more difficult than you expected, it could mean you need some extra help from a professional. Stockwell says almost anyone can choose to not drink for a day or two, or even a week. But the stronger one’s drinking habit, the harder it can be to cut back.

“If stopping drinking for a day or two results in you feeling sweaty or having shaking hands, consult a medical or addiction treatment professional for help to make sure that you detoxify safely,” Christopher Kahler, director of the Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies at Brown University, tells Yahoo Life.

Share your moderate drinking goals with a friend.

Setting clear goals and sharing them with an accountability partner or buddy can help you stay on track.

“The most important step to cutting back is to set an intention,” says Kahler. “Set a goal and share it with someone close to you.”

“Plan coping strategies to help you keep to the plan, e.g. share the plan with your partner or a friend who can support you,” Stockwell agrees.

And it doesn’t necessarily need to be a close companion; Colby says there’s evidence that being accountable to others over social media can make cutting back easier, too.

“Research has also shown there is a benefit to formally registering to participate in abstinence challenges, and using the free resources available, signing up for daily emails, following campaigns on social media and using apps associated with the campaigns,” she says.

Put ‘barriers’ in place

In her book Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence, which tackles all kinds of addictions from alcohol to shopping to social media, Lembke discusses a strategy called “self-binding,” which involves intentionally creating obstacles to moderate your behavior.

“Self-binding recognizes that our willpower only goes so far and that in order to stop or moderate consumption, we need to anticipate desire and put literal and metacognitive barriers in place before we feel desire to consume. For alcohol, self-binding can occur at the literal level of space (like getting all alcohol out of the house), at the chronological level (like only consuming on special occasions) and at the molecular level (like using a medication to block cravings), to name a few,” Lembke explains.

Decide in advance when you can indulge

If your plan is to cut back on drinking rather than give it up entirely, decide in advance “when you would most enjoy one or two drinks rather than seeking the pleasure routinely,” Stockwell says. And if you’re going to an event where you know there will be drinking, plan how long you’ll stay or how many drinks you’ll have so that you aren’t tempted to overdo it in the moment.

“Set targets for how many days in a week you will drink and how much per day or occasion; keep a simple diary of how that goes,” Stockwell says. “It can also be a good idea to restrict the times and contexts you plan to drink, e.g. not to drink on your own at home, only drink a little while socializing or celebrating.”

Find alcohol substitutes that work for you

Colby says there are still a lot of unknowns as to whether the emerging “mocktail culture” might have possible downsides — like putting people in vulnerable situations, such as spending time in bars where they may be at higher risk of relapsing to alcohol. But she notes that, overall, alcohol-free mocktails are a great development for people who want to avoid drinking, especially if having a drink in hand helps you feel like you’re still part of the party.

“When you know you are going to be drinking alcohol, think through what you will drink and what your limit will be and then use some effective strategies to help you succeed,” says Kahler. “For example, you can choose to alternate between alcohol and non-alcohol drinks. There are many great drink options now available that are alcohol-free.”

Stockwell adds: “When drinking, try to always have a glass of water or soft drink on hand, or choose [non-alcoholic] drinks like beers, wines or cocktails.”

Do some reflecting on why you drink

Assess why you choose to drink alcohol in the first place — and find a healthier alternative.

“Some people who drink for a particular purpose (e.g. to reduce social anxiety) may benefit from learning relaxation techniques or seeking therapy,” Stockwell says.

Keep track of the benefits you experience from not drinking

When you cut back on drinking, experts say you’ll likely experience a host of improvements in everything from your health to your relationships; take note of these benefits, and they can incentivize you to keep up your new habit.

“Research on Dry January has found that people who take a break from drinking tend to discover a range of positive effects,” says Colby. “Participants report improved physical well-being, weight loss, sleeping better, having more energy and being better able to concentrate. Importantly, they also feel more in control. Noticing these positive effects can help sustain drinking changes, and frame the behavior change as something good you are doing for yourself.”

And don’t overlook the effect on your wallet, says Stockwell: “Keep a record of how much money you save each week — and treat yourself to something as a reward.”

Have you successfully cut back on your drinking? We want to hear what worked. Please share your best tips and takeaways here, and they may be used in a future article. Submissions close on Nov. 1.