I've never been a regular drinker, but in the past I would occasionally drink sake or umeshu, sometimes beer when out with friends, or Strong Zero when in Japan. However, nowadays I rarely if ever drink. Sake I would drink because I enjoy the taste and enjoy how certain sakes pair with particular foods. Umeshu was for the taste as well, whereas beer was more so for camaraderie, and Strong Zero was well, you know to be on a good one.

I also used to be very introverted so alcohol would help me come out of my shell, at times a little too much. But since, I've gotten much more comfortable in being my sober self and have become totally okay with being the only sober person at a party or gathering, so there's really no reason for me to drink.

Again for me, it comes down to weighing the potential pros and cons of everything, and understanding the exact physiology and affects of what I put in my body. From a purely health perspective there really is no benefit to consuming alcohol, it's essentially the opposite of caffeine as in the prior is a depressant while the latter a stimulant. So both give you artificial illusions of either a "boost" in energy, or a sense of "relaxation".

On top of that, the main reason I don't drink anymore is because of alcohol's effect on sleep. I value quality sleep immensely and although alcohol may make you feel relaxed and thus you might think it can help you doze off, that "sleep" you get is often not quality sleep, as your body, specifically your liver, during that period is working extra hard to digest and get rid of the toxin that is alcohol. However, prior to sleep you want to make sure your body is not working overtime and instead able to focus on recovery and rest. In that sense, day drinking makes more sense in that you give your body enough time to digest the alcohol without it impacting your sleep as much.

All in all, I'm not one to judge whether or not someone drinks. I understand why certain people do it regularly and I understand why others completely abstain from it. For me at this stage of my life I have little to no incentive or need to drink, but as I'll be in Japan soon maybe I indulge in a nice cold Japanese beer, kanpai!