Dry January: what is it, and how can it help you?
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After having a few weeks of holiday drinking, taking your time away from drinking alcohol can be a good experience and can also do your body good, according to health experts. That’s why they recommend taking part in “Dry January”.
What is “Dry January”, you ask?
It is a whole month when many people voluntarily practise sobriety. After binge drinking in December, they take their time off the alcoholic beverages to start the new year healthier.
Dr James C. Garbutt of the University of North Carolina said that taking part in “Dry January” allows regular drinkers to “sample sobriety”, minus the sudden, overwhelming feeling of skipping alcohol altogether.
“Sometimes, within four weeks, people will say, ‘I’m sleeping better, and I feel less irritable and less anxious. I like this; maybe I’ll just keep this going for a while longer.’” he added.
Alcohol Change UK started the first “Dry January” in 2012 to raise awareness of the health benefits of sobriety or light drinking. The British charity helped people “ditch the hangover, reduce the waistline and save some serious money by giving up alcohol for 31 days.”
Since then, it has become an annual practice, with millions of people participating each year. They even made the hashtag #soberissexy popular on Instagram.
Credit: Giuseppe Lombardo / EyeEm/Getty Images/EyeEm.
Recent studies have found that having more than five drinks a week can take a year off a person’s life. That’s why various experts have been advising against excessive drinking, especially for women, who are at a greater risk than men.
Our bodies’ physiological compositions differ in the way they absorb alcohol. Compared to men, women absorb more alcohol and take longer to break it down. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this makes them more susceptible to an increased risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, colon, and breast.
Aside from cancer, studies also found that women who are regular drinkers are more likely to develop brain and heart damage, cirrhosis, and other liver diseases.
However, this is where the benefits of participating in “Dry January” come into place.
Researchers also found that even a brief break from the booze can make a huge difference.
Participants who gave up alcohol for just one month were observed to have decreased risk of cancer progression. They also noticed improvements in their weight, blood pressure, and insulin resistance.
A study from the University of Sussex also found that almost three-quarters of “Dry January” participants said they slept better and had more energy, while more than half reported losing weight and improving their skin.
Dr Garbutt noted that abstaining from alcohol for 30 days will not erase the damage from years of heavy drinking; however, it is a good idea, and he recommends it for both women and men.
Do you still find it hard to lessen your alcohol consumption? Here are a few tips from TODAY’s Savannah Guthrie, whose goal is not to give up alcohol altogether but instead consciously drink less every time.
Find a substitute to drink.
Ms Guthrie recommends that instead of wine or another form of alcohol, fill your glass with fruit-infused water. You can also opt for flavoured sparkling water.
Cultivate a new way to cope in social settings.
The key tip on avoiding alcohol in social settings is to distract yourself enough to forget about the urge to drink. Ms Guthrie recommends walking out of the room or doing some breathing exercises.
Create a strong support network.
Some battles, you can never win alone. That’s why it’s also important to have friends and loved ones who encourage you in your sobriety journey. They may even join you in the challenge and help you be accountable for your progress.
Write about it.
Another piece of advice is to keep a “drinking journal” to keep track of your drinking patterns. You can ask yourself a few questions such as: When did you have the strongest urges to drink? When did you miss it the most?
The journal can also help you keep track of your progress for the month. Are you keeping up with complete abstinence? Or are you having a bit of alcohol here and there?
However, if you notice that you are not making any progress, it’s time for the next tip.
Talk with your doctor.
It’s always best to seek professional help when it comes to sobriety. Giving up alcohol is tedious work that you must do over and over again, and we understand there are times that it’s exceptionally difficult to say no to a drink.
The road to sobriety does not end in January, as you can always try another “dry” month.
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