As we approach the end of the year, you might be thinking about the changes you want to make in 2025.
A common new year resolution is to cut back on alcohol, especially if you’ve been overindulging over the festive period.
One way of starting the year right is by taking part in dry January. This challenge, created by Alcohol Change UK, encourages millions of people every year to stay sober for 31 days.
If you’re interested in taking part in this total body and mind reset, you might be surprised at some of the benefits of embracing dry January. Read on to discover eight.
1. Lose weight
A study by Dr Gautam Mehta found that healthy individuals who would usually drink at moderate to high levels and successfully took part in dry January lost an average of 2kg.
While counting calories to lose weight, it’s easy to focus on the food and forget about the calories you’re consuming through your drink. But one medium glass of red wine or a pint of beer both contain around 220 calories, which can quickly add up.
2. Lower your blood pressure
Drinking a lot of alcohol can affect the muscles in your blood vessels, which can cause them to become narrower. So, the more alcohol you drink, the higher your risk of developing hypertension.
Having more than three drinks in one sitting raises blood pressure for a short time, but binge drinking over and over can cause long-term rises in your blood pressure, which can increase your risks of strokes and heart attacks.
The same study found that participants of dry January may lower their blood pressure by around 5%. So, cutting back could help you undo some of the damage you might done by excessive drinking in the past.
3. Reduce your diabetes risk
Alcohol can contribute to your risk of diabetes in three ways:
- Regular heavy drinking can reduce the body’s sensitivity to insulin, which can trigger type 2 diabetes
- It can also cause chronic pancreatitis, which often comes hand-in-hand with diabetes
- Alcoholic drinks often contain a lot of calories, which can increase your risk of type 2 diabetes from obesity.
Dr Mehta’s study found that people who took part in dry January improved their diabetes risk by an incredible 30%.
4. Improve your sleep
Alcohol Change UK found that 70% of dry January participants reported that they slept better, and 66% reported having more energy.
Alcohol can disrupt your sleep cycle, as drinking stops you from spending as much time in the important Rapid Eye Movement (REM) cycle of sleep. Even a few drinks can negatively impact the quality of your sleep, meaning that you wake up feeling less refreshed.
It is also a diuretic, which can interrupt your sleep with the need to use the toilet more frequently during the night.
And, of course, if you drink past your limit you can wake up with a hangover, which can lead to side effects such as vomiting and headaches.
5. Save money
The Alcohol Change UK report found that 86% of participants saved money during dry January.
In fact, they discovered that people saved on average £118 over the month. Consider what you could do with the extra cash – for example, adding it to your savings or a fund for a holiday or to create a nest egg for your child.
6. Cut down your long-term drinking
Addiction can creep up on you. Many people don’t realise how much they’re drinking until they try to stop for a month.
Excessive drinking is defined as:
- 4 or more drinks per day or 8 or more per week for women
- 5 or more drinks per day or 15 or more per week for men.
Mehta’s study found that six to eight months after dry January, the proportion of participants drinking at harmful levels decreased by about 50%.
7. Increase your self-awareness about drinking behaviours
Even if you don’t complete dry January, it offers you the opportunity to ‘reset’ your relationship with alcohol and analyse your drinking habits.
Not only does it prompt you to consider how much you drink, but also the reasons behind your drinking.
The chance to dig into the reasons behind your choice to drink can help you find alternative ways to meet the same need. For example, if you drink to relax, dry January might force you to try a healthier method, such as yoga or meditation.
The challenge might also force you to try new drinks, such as mocktails or non-alcoholic drinks. You might find that the taste and the act of drinking are enough to satisfy your thirst without the negative side effects.
8. Find a community
When you’re taking part in dry January, you’re never alone.
Almost nine million people in the UK took part in the challenge at the beginning of 2024, and the number grows with every passing year. Speak to your friends, family, or coworkers to find other people who are also challenging themselves and make a plan to encourage each other, as well as hold each other accountable.
