“Dry January” started as a public health campaign introduced by Alcohol Change UK back in 2013. Taking a cue from a Finnish campaign from way back in 1942, Public Health England hopped on the bandwagon in 2015 and heavily promoted the concept.
“Dry January leads to reduced alcohol consumption for months afterward:
In 2018, the team at the University of Sussex surveyed 2,000 people in the UK planning on participating in the challenge. They then re-surveyed 1,715 of those participants in the first week of February and 816 challenge participants in August. What they found was that the month-long dry spell had lasting effects.
- The days per week respondents drank dropped from an average of 4.3 to 3.3 days.
- The amount of alcohol they drank per day also dropped from 8.6 to 7.1 units (by about half a glass of wine)
- They also reported getting really drunk less often, just 2.1 days per month versus 3.4 days before “Dry January”.(Source)
The campaign asks participants to refrain from alcohol consumption for January.
Soon enough the idea was being shared across all sorts of Social Media accounts and became the thing to do following a month of somewhat excessive consumption for many.
People who participate in dry Jan report several positive health benefits, better sleep, waking up is easier because they feel more rested, they seem to have more energy, and generally just feel better, not to mention better skin appearance because of less dehydration and of course a healthier liver.
But let’s look beyond the physical benefits, dry January can also help people reassess their relationship with alcohol and reduce their overall consumption.
Loads of people who give dry Jan a whirl discovered they were more productive and motivated during and even after completing the challenge
Me? I don’t have a problem why would I want to give up my well-deserved glass of wine with dinner?
After all, I only drink with dinner, or on the weekends, what could dry Jan do for me?
Well as it turns out, even smaller amounts of alcohol can have some negative effects on your cells, liver, heart, and even your microbiome. So surely giving it a rest for even a month has some rather positive benefits.
Have I convinced you yet?
There are a few things to keep in mind when you are thinking of taking on Dry January.
Depending on just how much and how often you drink you could notice some withdrawal symptoms, like mild headaches and irritability, during the first few days.
However, these symptoms are usually temporary for most and can be alleviated by staying hydrated and finding alternative activities to socialize and relax.
With the rise of non-alcoholic drink options, it’s easier than ever to participate in Dry January. Many bars and restaurants now offer creative non-alcoholic drinks, and there are plenty of fun and healthy activities to enjoy without alcohol.
Overall, Dry January is a great opportunity to reset your habits and kickstart a healthy lifestyle. So, why not give it a try and see the benefits for yourself?
But what about when drinking seems to have taken over life?
If however you or someone you know has a problem with alcohol then it may be best to consult your healthcare provider about how you can safely abstain, for some medically supervised detox is required, followed by a more intensive approach to removing alcohol from the daily.
For those who have a dependence on alcohol or an Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) and want to discover what a life free from the cycle Searidge Alcohol Rehab has answers for many questions, like:
- Can rehab work for someone like me?
- What happens to me if I stop drinking?
- What makes me think I need to drink any way?
- How will I learn not to drink?
- How can I stay sober after I leave rehab?
You’ve got questions and we’ve got answers, call us today at 1-888-777-9972 to discuss your options.