As more research emerges about the harmful health effects of alcohol, fewer people – namely, younger people — are consuming it. According to a 2025 Gallup poll, 54% of American adults say they drink, the lowest percentage since Gallup started polling.
With fewer folks relying on alcohol as a social lubricant, a healthier way to interact with others has gained traction. Enter “daylife,” a term coined by the fitness social app Sweatpals. “Daylife” refers to daytime social outings involving alcohol-free fitness as a way to meet new people with similar interests.
“It’s just the concept of using wellness, using movement as a way to meet, as a way to get entertainment and to socialize, versus relying on alcohol,” Sweatpals co-founder Salar Shahini told HuffPost.
People are certainly still using alcohol-fueled gatherings to meet new people, whether at a happy hour or a full-on party. But it’s less popular among young millennials and members of Gen Z as they turn 21 and drink less than older generations.
Shahini thinks this shift is partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “During COVID, all we could do for a few years was get together outside and just move and work out.”
For younger generations, that type of activity became the norm, Shahini said. During the pandemic, at-home fitness equipment and at-home fitness apps also surged in popularity. But now, community-based fitness such as Hyrox competitions (which are commonly team-based) and run clubs are only becoming more popular ― proof that people are looking for community.
“And we’re going to see more of that,” Shahini predicted.
Willie B. Thomas via Getty Images
More and more young people are turning to social gatherings that don’t center alcohol.
“Daylife” allows people to make new friends without centering alcohol.
People who are drawn to daylife-aligned activities want to meet people and want to go out, but don’t want social gatherings to be centered on drinking, according to Shahini.
Research shows that alcohol consumption is linked to a higher risk of cancer, including colorectal cancer and breast cancer and an increased risk of dementia. Beyond the health impacts, Kathryn Cross, a licensed professional counselor with Thriveworks in Atlanta, said people are avoiding alcohol for its mental health impact, too.
“We are seeing that people are starting to prioritize other activities and other forms of socialization just because we are in a season where everybody, for different reasons, is feeling heavy and alcohol tends to highlight heaviness in many different ways,” Cross said, “whether that’s aggression, irritability, sadness, it kind of traps people in their mind a little bit, and people are trying to find a better outlet for being so internalized in their thoughts.”
Shahini added that people are aware of the side effects of drinking alcohol — hangovers, bad sleep, getting drunk, bad decisions — which is also leading this shift.
Movement-based social gatherings lead to feelings of joy and accomplishment.
“When you work out and feel that high that comes from working out … you keep feeling better. I think that’s much more interesting,” Shahini said.
People want to take care of themselves, he noted, which is a major feature of the run clubs, Pilates classes and other fitness activities that are booming in popularity right now. And while exercise helps you build muscle, bone strength and cardiovascular fitness, it also has measurable mental health benefits.
“Exercise stimulates the release of endorphins, the feel-good hormones in your body, which would help reduce the symptoms of anxiety and depression,” Cross said.
Joining a fitness class or run club to meet people already gives you a baseline level of connection.
If you go to a certain gym or certain fitness club, you already have something in common with the other people there, Shahini said. You have similar fitness interests and you probably live in the same area.
This makes it easier to build a friendship with someone. Think about it: You can bring up your latest workout or your new fitness goal with another person who understands the kinds of workouts you do.
Social connections help us feel less isolated, Cross added, which is necessary in a country that has an epidemic of isolation and loneliness.
If you want to try out daylife, start with gyms in your area — sign up for classes on the same day and time each week so you eventually get to know the people who go to the gym then. You can also look at local groups on Facebook to learn more about local Pilates groups, running clubs and more, Cross noted.
When you do eventually make it out to one of these fitness groups, don’t be nervous about meeting or talking to new people. As mentioned above, you already have something in common.
Plus, “everyone is looking for an opportunity to feel seen by others, and everyone could use connections,” said Cross.
Need help with substance use disorder or mental health issues? In the U.S., call 800-662-HELP (4357) for the SAMHSA National Helpline.
