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What is the purpose of Dry January?
Dry January is an annual campaign created by the charity Alcohol Change UK, encouraging people to stay alcohol-free during the month of January. The idea behind this campaign is to get people thinking about their alcohol consumption.
What are the positives of Dry January?
A study conducted by Sussex psychologist Dr Richard de Visser found that:
- 88% of participants saved money.
- 70% of participant’s health had generally improved.
- 71% of participants slept better.
Can I lose weight during Dry January?
Even though Dr Visser’s study showed that 58% of participants had lost weight during Dry January, cutting out alcohol won’t necessarily lead to weight loss. If one of your goals for Dry January is to lose weight, make sure you look at the contents of your new drink of choice. Even though fizzy drinks and mocktails are un-alcoholic they can still be high in calories. It’s important to eat a well-balanced diet and exercise regularly if you want to lose weight as these play a huge part in weight loss.
Can Dry January lower blood pressure?
In the study ‘Effect of alcohol abstinence on blood pressure: assessment by 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring’, they found that the participant’s blood pressure had significantly decreased after 1 month of being alcohol-free.
Can Dry January be bad for you?
It can be dangerous for people with alcohol dependency to suddenly stop drinking altogether. If you experience withdrawal symptoms such as shaking, sweating or feeling anxious before having your first drink you should seek professional help to cut down. You can find useful contacts here for support.
What is sober shaming?
Sober shaming is when someone is made to feel bad about their decision to not drink. Whether that’s negative emotions of feeling boring, immature or having made the wrong decision. This can be very harmful and make it harder for people to choose not to drink. This can be especially dangerous for those who are recovering from alcoholism. In 2021, Alcohol Change UK launched another campaign #stopsobershaming to spread awareness of this issue and how we can be supportive instead.
You can find out more here.
How to take part in Dry January?
The 1 rule is to stay alcohol-free for the 31 days, but there are many ways to get the most out of your Dry January.
Such as:
- Discover alcohol-free activities. There are many fun activities that don’t need to revolve around alcohol including going to art galleries, go karting or watching a play.
- Reflect on your experience. One way is to journal during the challenge, recording how you feel and what benefits you’ve experienced. Results from Dr Visser’s study showed that 6 months after completing the challenge participates consumed less alcohol than prior to starting dry January. Looking back at your Dry January experience could be a useful way to highlight any benefits you experienced and whether you could incorporate what you’ve learnt to the future.
