Sanaa Lathan says she stopped drinking alcohol three years ago because it affected “everything”

Sanaa Lathan says she’s doing better mentally and physically now that she’s stopped drinking alcohol.

“I stopped drinking about three years ago,” Lathan tells People. “Alcohol was not going well with me physically. Just, it was not working anymore. It affects everything, and that’s part of the reason why I stopped, because even if you’re going out a couple of times a week and you’re drinking, it was starting to affect me throughout the week. It wouldn’t be necessarily a hangover, but it definitely dimmed my energy. I didn’t feel as good. It was affecting anxiety.”

After noting some of the affects of alcohol, Lathan admits she had to “educated” herself on why drinking wasn’t necessary to be social.

“There’s this whole belief that you can only have fun with alcohol,” she says. “I had to really reprogram that aspect, because it’s just all over in our culture. So, I haven’t missed it. My life has definitely become more of a morning life, but I can still go out and have fun.”

Now that alcohol is absent in her life, Lathan shares that she journals regularly as a form of self-care, and also incorporates meditation to help her cope with unexpected stress.

“I grew up with a mother who taught me about meditation so, I did it on and off,” she says. “The reason why I came to this practice was several years ago, I went through a lot of trauma. I had a best friend who died suddenly. She was not sick. It was completely unexpected. I didn’t process it. I was in a shock type of situation.”

“So I started [meditating],” Lathan continues. “And as soon as I started, they went away. There’s so many benefits. And so, I’m a huge believer, a huge advocate.”