Sober October 2026: a month off, before the holidays.

Sober October is a month without alcohol in October. In the UK it’s also a sponsored fundraiser, run at soberoctober.org.uk. Elsewhere people simply use October as a reset before the holiday season. You can do it on your own, with friends, or as part of the fundraiser.

• Write your reason. Saving money for December, sleeping better, or proving to yourself that you can.
• Mark your five weekends. Decide in advance what each Friday looks like.
• Choose your go-to drink. Something you enjoy when others are drinking.
• Plan Halloween. It falls on Saturday 31 October, the last day. Decide now whether you’ll celebrate alcohol-free or finish the month a day early.

One evening doesn’t cancel October. Note what happened, and start again the next morning. People who treat a slip as information rather than failure tend to keep going.

October ends right before the busiest drinking season of the year. Use the last week to decide your plan for November and December, such as a weekly limit or a few fixed alcohol-free days. Then, if you want another month off, Dry January 2027 is 62 days later.

If you drink heavily every day, or feel unwell when you stop, talk to a doctor before stopping suddenly.