The new year has arrived and so has the start of Dry January — a popular health trend where people give up alcohol for the entire month. There are a bunch of good reasons why you might be drawn to the idea of Dry January – maybe you’re simply ready for a break after all that spiked eggnog and celebratory bubbly. Or maybe your concerns are more serious — perhaps you’ve awakened with that “Oh no, why did I overdo it last night?” headache one too many times recently, or you’ve been looking forward a little too much to your traditional end-off-the-workday cocktails.
As the Good Housekeeping reports, f you’ve never tried it before, here are some of the ways Dry January can improve your health.
How Dry January Benefits Your Health
You’ll get a mood boost.
When you sip a glass of wine or down a tasty cocktail, it might seem to perk you up and make the day’s worries slip out of sight. Over time though, if drinking alcohol becomes one of your main coping strategies, it may hide underlying depression or anxiety, says Ashley Jones, APRN-CNP, a certified family nurse practitioner at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. “Alcohol tends to make these symptoms worse, so you may find that your mood is actually more stable when not consuming alcohol,” she says.
While it won’t cure an illness like depression to participate in Dry January, stepping back from your nightly vino could help you consider what your motivation is for drinking. Sometimes, people use alcohol to self-medicate when they’re experiencing a mental health issue, and when you take a break from doing that you’ll be in a better position to recognize if you could benefit from a talk with your doctor, undergoing therapy or taking advantage of other natural and science-backed mood lifters like exercise or spending time in nature.
You’ll sleep more soundly.
You may notice that after an evening of wine or cocktails with your friends, you fall asleep in a flash — only to wake up just a few hours later. Research suggests that may happen because alcohol interferes with our body’s handling of adenosine, a chemical in our body that makes blood vessels relax and dilate. And even if you’re someone for whom alcohol doesn’t cause these middle-of-the-night awakenings, you may well rise groggy in the morning. That’s because drinking moderate or high amounts of alcohol decreases “restorative” REM sleep, according to a review in the journal Alcoholism Clinical & Experimental Research. A new small study in the same journal found that drinking alcohol caused negative effects, such as a decrease in sleep time and sleep efficiency. Giving up drinking for a month may improve your sleep and give you more energy for other activities.
You might feel less bloated or even drop a few pounds.
Depending on how much you were drinking before (as well as your starting weight), it’s possible you could lose shed a few pounds over the course of the month, says Knoblock-Hahn. Not only do boozy beverages add calories, those calories are liquid calories, which research shows don’t fill you up the way food calories do. “Many times, when people stop or cut back on drinking, they don’t replace those calories. You may find that just this one change helps you lose weight,” she says. Another reason why you could see a change: People often eat more junky food when they’ve been drinking, and your eating habits could automatically change somewhat when you cut out alcohol.
Getting bloated from alcohol tends to happen in those who drink more than the recommended amount: Research in the journal Alcohol Research shows that chronic alcohol use can bring on inflammation in the GI tract, bringing on all sorts of problems in the body. Taking a break can give your body a rest — and maybe make you look at your habits differently.
You’ll save money.
If you’ve been regularly shelling out $10 to $15 for a fancy cocktail or pour of wine, that adds up fast. Even a regular habit of beers after work can put a dent in your budget. And in case you’re worried that your friends will push you to drink, or that you’ll feel awkward about it in social situations, consider telling your pals that you’re taking a month off and that you’d appreciate their support. Don’t feel like sharing? Just hold a glass of bubbly water with lime, and chances are no one will think too much about it. And the server will be happy as long as you tip well when it’s time to settle up!
Your skin might look brighter.
Alcohol is a known diuretic, which means it causes you to pee more than if you just drink water. As a result, it’s harder for the body to hydrate itself, and being dehydrated can lead to dry, lusterless skin. Alcohol also has the potential to increase hormones like estrogen and cortisol, as well as spike your blood sugar if you tend to reach for sugary cocktails — a recipe for breakouts. On top of all that, research in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology has shown that the toxins in alcohol can speed up your skin’s aging process.
You’ll have a stronger immune system.
Binge drinking (more than four drinks in a single occasion for women) may suppress your body’s immune response. A 2015 study in the journal Alcohol found that when healthy folks (those who normally consume low or moderate levels of alcohol) had an episode of binge drinking, their immunity initially rose. However, two to five hours later, levels of disease-fighting immune cells decreased. Researchers don’t know if this means you’re more likely to be saddled with a sickness — but it’s certainly not a good thing if your immune system is slacking off, even temporarily.
You’ll feel better in the morning.
Even if you don’t wake up with a full-blown hangover after drinking, you likely aren’t waking up at your best. First of all, there’s that “hang-xiety” effect, described above. Plus, all of that poor sleep and dehydration can really put a damper on how energetic you’ll feel. When you’re thinking about having an alcoholic beverage, Levy says it’s a good idea to take a step back and think about your morning. “People, if they’re trying not to drink and they don’t, the next morning they’re going to say, ‘Oh, I’m glad I did not drink. It feels great,” says Levy. “If they do drink, I guarantee they are not going to say that.”
You’ll have a new relationship with alcohol.
A pause on alcohol may help you realize that you don’t have to drink every day or even drink at all. “You may learn that you don’t need it in your life,” says Levy. If you do choose to drink again come February, the month off will also lower your tolerance, so you’ll be able to get a buzz on with fewer drinks. (But it’s better if you don’t use that as an excuse to drink more!)
So, what are some signs a person may have a more serious issue? “If you’re having cravings, strong desires or urges to drink, trying to cut back and you’re unsuccessful, having blackouts, having negative consequences – legal issues, DUI’s, intrapersonal relationship problems,” says Jessica Benovic, NP, psychiatric nurse practitioner at Cleveland Clinic. “Some of the biggest things we see are a tolerance – meaning, you need more to get the same effect, or even physical withdrawal symptoms,” she states.
Benovic states that people who are heavy drinkers should consult with their doctor before trying Dry January, as suddenly stopping can put them at risk for withdrawal, which can be dangerous.
If you haven’t started yet, it’s not too late! Just make up the first four days into February, or heck, 27 days booze-free is still a great kick-off to the New Year!
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