Could One Month of Sobriety Boost Your Health? Find Out What Experts Are Saying About Dry January

If you’ve made a new resolution, even practicing it for a short period is better than not trying at all.

According to CNN and The New York Times, a campaign called Dry January, which encourages abstaining from alcohol throughout January, has been trending in English-speaking countries in recent years.

Launched in 2013 by a U.K. nonprofit organization with the slogan “Quit drinking for the first month of the new year,” this public health campaign has gained traction globally.

While many people struggle to stick to their alcohol-free resolutions, setting a manageable one-month goal from the start can make it easier to commit without feeling overwhelmed.

A 2016 study published in the journal Health Psychology followed 857 British adults who participated in Dry January. Six months later, researchers found that participants, on average, drank one day less per week and consumed one fewer drink per day when they indulged.

The researchers noted that very few participants reported increasing their drinking habits after the campaign. They added that those who drank less before the challenge and those who completed it saw the most significant benefits.

Duncan B. Clark, a professor at the University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, explained that abstaining from alcohol for a month lowers tolerance to alcohol. As a result, drinking less afterward can provide the same level of satisfaction as drinking heavily before.

The one-month period not only helps participants abstain from alcohol but also provides an opportunity to reflect on and improve their drinking habits.

Feeling physical improvement during the month without alcohol makes it easier to continue abstaining afterward.

However, experts advise that specific goals and motivation are crucial to completing a month of sobriety. Instead of persuading yourself with abstract statements like “Alcohol is bad for health, so I shouldn’t drink,” setting detailed goals like “I’ll exercise during the time I would have spent drinking to lose weight” makes it easier to stick to the resolution.

So why is alcohol harmful to health?

Experts emphasize that if you can’t limit yourself to a minimal amount, it’s far better for your health to avoid alcohol entirely. In this regard, the U.S. health and medical media outlet WebMD outlined the benefits of quitting alcohol.

A regular beer contains about 150 calories, and a glass of wine has around 120 calories. Alcohol also increases appetite, often leading to the consumption of high-calorie snacks like fried foods. Therefore, quitting alcohol can help reduce weight.

According to the U.S. National Cancer Institute, alcohol raises the risk of cancers such as oral cancer, esophageal cancer, liver cancer, breast cancer, and colon cancer. The more alcohol consumed, the higher the risk of developing these cancers.

The liver plays a crucial role in filtering toxins, but alcohol acts as a toxin to liver cells. Excessive drinking can damage organs, leading to fatty liver, liver cirrhosis, and other liver diseases. The good news is that the liver can heal and regenerate itself. When you stop drinking, the liver begins to repair itself.