Dry January: What is it and how beneficial can giving up alcohol be?

If the holiday festivities left you feeling drained and perhaps slightly regretting the overindulgence in alcohol, you may want to hit the reset button as we step into January. Participating in Dry January, a resolution in which you resolve not to consume any alcohol throughout the month, could end up having a noticeable impact on your health. A campaign that was initiated in 2013 by Alcohol Change U.K., a charity dedicated towards curbing alcohol-related harm, Dry January has garnered widespread popularity, even gaining traction in the United States among other countries. Despite the limited research on the effects of abstaining from alcohol for one month, many studies indicate there are psychological and health benefits to it.

In 2013, a team at the Institute for Liver and Digestive Health at the University College London Medical School performed an experiment involving their staff members consuming alcohol typically. These individuals went through initial testing by providing blood samples, completing questionnaires, and getting liver scans. For five weeks, ten members stopped drinking and four continued their regular drinking routine. Those who abstained from alcohol had decreased liver fat levels (which is known to be an early sign of potential liver damage), improved blood sugar levels, and reduced cholesterol than they did initially. These individuals also reported enhanced sleep quality and concentration. On the other hand, those who continued to consume alcohol did not experience any benefits.

A similar study involving 100 participants abstaining from alcohol and around 50 maintaining their usual alcohol intake found that people with moderate to heavy drinking habits who paused their alcohol consumption showed improvements in insulin resistance, body weight, blood pressure, and growth factors linked with cancer. However, the research does underline that this short-seeming detox isn’t enough for achieving true liver “renewal” or other significant health benefits. It merely forms a component of addressing the harmful impact of long-term alcohol use. Regularly consuming large quantities of alcohol raises the risk for numerous health issues, such as elevated blood pressure, heart and liver disease, nerve damage, infections, including pneumonia, and an increase in likelihood of developing certain cancers like breast cancer.

Furthermore, habitual overconsumption of alcohol may also adversely influence mental health, leading to conditions such as memory loss, depression, and anxiety. Dr. Fulton Crews, Director of the Center for Alcohol Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, expressed that Dry January could be useful in helping individuals recognise an alcohol addiction. He explained that if people are unable to refrain from drinking for a month, they may then realise they have an issue. He also added that for those who successfully complete Dry January and find the process simpler than anticipated, they may gain enough confidence to continue the habit even post-January.

Dry January might be particularly beneficial for those whose daily alcohol intake exceeds the recommended limit of two drinks for men and one drink for women. Excessive drinking encompasses binge drinking, identified as consuming five or more drinks for men and four or more for women on a single occasion, and heavy drinking, defined as men consuming 15 or more drinks per week or women having eight or more. On the other hand, the advantages of Dry January may not be as apparent for those who consume alcohol within the suggested limits, according to Dr. Crews.

Refusing all alcoholic beverages for a month may seem challenging, given the social nature of drinking, whether it's happy hour drinks or unwinding with a glass of wine. However, a 2015 Health Psychology study revealed that 65% of people successfully complete the month-long abstinence. For individuals worried about themselves or a loved one, they can reach out to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's confidential, free 24/7 helpline at 1 800 662 HELP (4357). For more information relating to alcohol-related health concerns visit the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) website.