Is dry January good for you? The benefits of a sober new year
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Yes, it’s that time of the year again: deciding whether or not to do dry January. The annual 31-day challenge is upon us and this time, an impressive 15.5 million Britons are planning to kickstart 2025 with an alcohol-free month. Dry January has grown in popularity since the campaign was launched by Alcohol Change UK in 2013. These days, it often seems like most people swear off alcohol for the month — and with good reason.
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From boosting your health to improving your bank balance, taking four weeks off drinking has plenty of benefits... The Alcohol Change UK charity organises the "dry January" programme, in which participants abstain from alcohol for the entire month. The goal is to help people reset their relationship with alcohol after the festive season, improve their health, and raise awareness of alcohol-related issues.
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Other charities, including Cancer Research UK, organise similar events such as the Dryathlon. Giving up alcohol for a mere 31 days has many benefits — particularly for your health. Dr Gautam Mehta, a senior lecturer at University College London’s (UCL) Institute for Liver and Digestive Health, said: "Our study saw a weight loss of around 2kg, a decrease in blood pressure of around five per cent, and improvement in diabetes risk of almost 30 per cent.
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