For more than a decade, "Dry January" has given people a reason to reconsider their relationship with alcohol.
But the appeal and benefits of taking a break from alcohol — or reducing consumption, which has earned the nickname "Damp January" — extend beyond this month, too.
People are thinking twice before pouring a drink. Fewer young adults are choosing to drink than a decade or two ago, and people have used things like the "sober curious" movement to reexamine their relationship with alcohol overall. "There's also now other months, like dry July and sober October," said Katie Witkiewitz, distinguished professor of psychology and director of the Center on Alcohol, Substance use, And Addictions at the University of New Mexico.
Whether for a short period of time or throughout the year, reducing alcohol by any amount affects your body in a number of ways. And the health benefits can be both immediate and long-term.
"We are now able to metabolize alcohol," Witkiewitz noted. "But it's still harmful for pretty much every organ system."
For many beginning a path to alcohol reduction, the first benefit is often improved sleep. While alcohol is a sedative, and may indeed help you fall asleep, Witkiewitz said it also interrupts your sleep architecture, or the basic pattern of a night's sleep. The sedating effects of alcohol wear off in the first half of the night, and that results in increased wakefulness in the second half of the night, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Witkietwitz said those who may have used alcohol to help them fall asleep may experience difficulty at first, but after that adjustment period, "You'll start to see pretty quick improvements in sleep."
Improvements in sleep can lead to improvements in mood, mental clarity and energy level, Witkiewitz said, although she also noted that improvements in energy levels can happen independently from sleep.
Over time, reducing or eliminating alcohol intake can have major effects on the body. In "basically every place that alcohol touches, we're going to see improvements in health," Witkiewitz said.
A reduction in drinking could also lead to some weight loss. As the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health, points out, alcohol carries calories, but few nutrients. If you account for these calories on top of your regular diet, drinking can lead to weight gain.
Additionally, "Alcohol actually also suppresses our immune system. So potentially people who are immunocompromised might see better immune responses going forward," Witkiewitz said.
Aside from weight concerns, alcohol is also a known carcinogen, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. When we drink, according to the CDC, our body breaks down alcohol "into a chemical called acetaldehyde." Acetaldehyde damages our DNA, which interferes with normal cell growth and function. This can increase risk for certain kinds of cancers, according to the CDC.
Those with a dependence on alcohol, or who experience alcohol withdrawal when trying to quit, should consult with a doctor for treatment and to develop a safe plan to reduce or eliminate drinking, Witkiewitz said.
For those who kick off the new year with a sober challenge, keeping up habits formed during Dry January can be difficult as the calendar turns to February, and invitations to happy hour return. "Particularly in the United States, alcohol has really been glorified," Witkiewitz said. "People report having fun when they drink." And alcohol is frequently used to ease social anxiety, hence its ubiquitous nature at parties and social events, she said.
But "we've never really talked about it as a part of our health," Witkiewitz said.
"January does give us that really nice reason for not drinking, Witkiewitz said. "So we don't have to think about it, we just say it's Dry January."
For those who want to try Dry January beyond the first month of the year, or are looking to create new habits this year, the NIAAA offers a few tips, including:
- Keep track of how much you drink
- Set goals for days you want to drink, and don't want to drink
- Find alternatives to the activity of drinking
- Avoid things that may trigger your want to drink
- Make a plan to handle urges when they do arise
The NIAA also suggests that if you don't want to drink, prepare a response in advance to say "no" to reduce hesitation.
Despite best intentions, Witkiewitz notes, "We sometimes slip up."
"But I really like to think of it as on a continuum. And any change we make is a positive change towards drinking less or or not drinking at all."
If you or a loved one are experiencing issues with mental health or substance misuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's Hotline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) for treatment referrals and support, or visit FindTreatment.gov.