If you’re looking for a way to boost your mental and physical health, and save money – then giving up alcohol for a month could be a helpful way to kick start the New Year.
With the usual January blues and the fact that lots of us drank more than usual over the Christmas period, January can be a great time to give our bodies a break from booze, and explore new, healthier habits and coping mechanisms.
Each year, many people across the UK experience powerful benefits as a result of Dry January – a public health campaign, designed to encourage people to live alcohol-free for 31 days. This short-term challenge has the potential to bring some life-changing long-term benefits.
While many people start Dry January on the 1st, you can start your 31 days at any time, so it’s never too late to get involved!
Here, we’ll explain more about where the idea for Dry January came from, what the benefits are, and how you can get started.
Where did the idea for Dry January come from?
In January 2011, Emily Robinson signed up for her first half marathon, which was to take place in February. To aid her training, she gave up alcohol for the entire month, and found that she lost weight, slept better, and had more energy to run. Many people around her were inspired by her actions, and wanted to know more about the positive lifestyle changes she’d made.
A year later, Emily joined Alcohol Change UK (a leading alcohol charity in the UK), and gave up alcohol again in January. This time, more people wanted to talk to her about her experience, sparking discussions about the benefits of giving up drinking for a month.
Then, in 2013, the first Dry January public health campaign was launched by Alcohol Change UK, and 4,000 people signed up. Since then, awareness of the campaign and its benefits have grown. In 2023, 175,000 people joined the official challenge, and this year Alcohol Change UK is hoping to reach 200,000 people – although millions more throughout the UK took part on their own.
Who are Alcohol Change UK, and what's their mission?
Alcohol Change UK has drawn attention to the fact that alcohol has become a large part of many of our lives, whether we intended it to be or not. Many of us turn to alcohol to celebrate, to find comfort, to wind down after a long day, and to cope with life’s challenges.
Alcohol is also treated differently to many other drugs as it’s seen as socially acceptable (and even encouraged), and is perfectly legal. However, despite this, around one in every 20 deaths globally is linked to alcohol consumption.
Alcohol Change UK emphasises how destructive alcohol abuse can be, not only to an individual drinker, but to the families, friends, and communities around them.
The charity isn’t anti-alcohol, but aims to create a future where drinking alcohol is a conscious choice, not a default. This means tackling issues that could lead to alcohol abuse, like mental health issues, poverty, and homelessness, by providing high-quality support to anyone that needs it.
What are the benefits of taking part in Dry January?
More and more people are signing up to take part in Dry January every year after hearing about the positive experiences of those who took part – including improved mental, physical, and financial wellbeing.
After giving up alcohol for a month, Alcohol Change UK report that…
- 65% of people notice an improvement in their general health
- 70% of people sleep better
- 86% of people save money
Research has also found that having an alcohol-free month can lower the risk of diabetes, lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol levels, and reduce levels of cancer-related proteins in the blood.
Alcohol Change UK are also keen to highlight the long-term benefits that Dry January can have on physical and mental health. Research has shown that 70% of people who take part in Dry January continue making healthier drinking choices after the challenge is over.
This is because going without alcohol for 31 days can allow us to see that we don’t need it to relax, to have fun, or to socialise, and gives us the opportunity to explore other, healthier methods of coping. As a result, we may feel better equipped to make decisions about when we drink, and how much, throughout the rest of the year. This can help us to avoid turning to drink as a default.
Alcohol is linked to over 60 different health conditions, including depression, seven types of cancer, liver disease, and high blood pressure. It also carries the biggest risk-factor for death, disability, and illness amongst people aged 15-49 in the UK. This makes the benefits of reducing our long-term alcohol consumption huge.
How can I tell if I’m drinking too much alchohol?
The UK’s Chief Medical Officers have said that it’s safest not to drink more than 14 units of alcohol a week, spread over three or more days, with a few days off. The number of units in a drink is determined by its strength and size – for example, a pint of lager contains three units.
To find out more about alcohol units and how to measure the amount you’re drinking, have a read of this guide on units from the NHS. Or, for more information on the current drinking guidelines, you might want to read this page from Alcohol Change UK.
You can also check how healthy your drinking is by taking this quiz.
Important note: If you’ve become dependent on alcohol, then it’s important that you don’t stop drinking suddenly. This can be incredibly dangerous, and can lead to symptoms such as seizures, depression, and hand tremors.
If you’re concerned about your dependency on alcohol and need some help and support with getting this under control, then it’s important to speak to your GP who’ll be able to get you the help needed to cut down your alcohol consumption safely.
Even if you feel that you’re not dependent on alcohol, but are at risk of becoming dependent, and feel that you might need some extra help cutting back, it’s also worth speaking to your GP about the help that might be available.
This NHS page offers more information on this and provides some useful contacts to reach out to if you, or someone you know, need support with alcohol problems.
How can I get started with Dry January?
You can take part in the month-long Dry January challenge without the help and support of Alcohol Change UK. However, many people find that downloading the Dry January app, and/or signing up for free coaching emails, can help them to stay motivated.
Downloading the free Try Dry app can help with holding yourself accountable – as you’ll be able to track your calories and units drunk, and see exactly how much money you’re saving. As you progress, you’ll also be rewarded with badges, and you’ll have the opportunity to set yourself goals and track your progress, even after the 31 days of the challenge are over.
While Dry January is popular in the first month of the year, you can start your alcohol-free month any time, and the app offers a great year-round support system.
If you want to stay connected to the Dry January community, hear stories from others, and get daily updates and tips, then you might also like to sign up to receive free coaching emails. These emails can help you to feel part of the larger movement (which is great for motivation), and remind you why you started the challenge in the first place.
You can either sign up for these via the app – or, if you’d rather not download the app, and you’d like to receive emails only, you can sign up for these here.
You might find some inspiration from reading some of Alcohol Change UK’s blog articles, which include personal stories from those who’ve taken part in the challenge. For example, you can read Louisa’s story here.
Final thoughts...
One thing that we can change in life is how we choose to look after ourselves day to day. Dry January might not be easy, but the short and long-term health benefits are great, and there’s never been a better time to start making positive lifestyle changes.
There are also a number of organisations that offer help and support for people looking to quit or cut down on drinking. These include:
- Alcoholics Anonymous. A personal recovery service for anyone concerned with their drinking habits. Their helpline is open 24/7 on 0800 9177 650.
- Drinkline. A free, confidential helpline for anyone concerned about their drinking, or someone else’s. You can contact them on 0300 123 1110 (weekdays 9am–8pm, weekends 11am–4pm).
Drinkaware also has a list of different alcohol support services. Or, for more information, help, and support, you can also visit this page on the Alcohol Change UK website.
Are you taking part in Dry January? How has Dry January benefitted you? We’d be interested to hear from you in the comments below.
