Dry January is the public health campaign that encourages people to abstain from alcohol for the first month of the year. Since it’s inception, the campaign has had some mixed reviews. On the one hand, much like Movember and other campaigns of the sort, participants can get a little annoying and loud. On the other, the benefits of quitting alcohol for an entire month are undeniable.
Dry January is a plan you can actually follow. Unlike a lot of New Year’s resolutions and fad diets, this plan has a beginning and an end, making it much easier for you to commit to it than to promise that you’ll quit drinking alcohol for the rest of your life.
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A 2018 study conducted by the University of Sussex demonstrated that users who participated in Dry January ingested less alcohol throughout the length of the year. It also showed that even those who attempted to participate reported better sleep, saving some money, and losing weight.
The simple act of taking a month off alcohol helps people drink less in the long term: by August people are reporting one extra dry day per week. There are also considerable immediate benefits: nine in ten people save money, seven in ten sleep better and three in five lose weight.”
The study consisted of surveys that were filled out by 800 subjects at the beginning of the year and then at August, allowing for them to document their progression and health benefits. Dry January even has an app that allows you to check on your progress and track how much money and calories you’re saving.
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The campaign may get a little crazy and participants can make for some really bad company, but the results are there. Maybe download the app and drink soda and lime quietly whenever you go out. It’s only for a really long month.
