Are you concerned about your health, or just want to try a new challenge? Why not
consider taking a month off from consuming alcoholic beverages? Research from the University
of Sussex in the U.K. is finding that participating in what’s called “Dry January” can help people
with losing weight, saving money, and feeling better.

Dry January Research

The research came from three surveys that participants completed online. This included
surveys for January, February, and August of 2018. What they found was that those who
abstained from drinking alcohol in January were, by August, still consuming less than before.
For example, the number of days per week in which participants drank alcohol dropped, on
average, from 4.3 days to 3.3 days. Also, the average number of units of alcohol consumed on
one of these days also dropped from 8.6 units to 7.1. Additionally, even those who didn’t
complete the full Dry January challenge still experienced some health benefit from the
experience.

Participants in the study reported that they experienced many positive benefits from
participating in Dry January. These ranged from losing weight to having better skin to
experiencing higher energy levels. 93% of the participants in the study said that they had, “a
sense of achievement,” and 88% reported that had been able to save money because of their
participation in Dry January. Other reported benefits included:

  •  Considering their relationship with alcohol
  •  Feeling they had a greater sense of control over their alcohol consumption
  • Understanding why they drank and when they consumed alcohol
  •  Sleeping better at night
  • Not needing alcohol to have fun

The Importance of the Research

The study shows that people can have long-term benefits even if they choose to abstain from drinking for just one month. That’s because the experience of Dry January can influence the choices people make about their alcohol consumption throughout the year.

Want to learn more? You can read the full post here: How ‘Dry January’ is the Secret to
Better Sleep, Saving Money and Losing Weight.