After weeks of festive celebrations and back-to-back drinking, millions will be giving up alcohol for Dry January.
In 2024, 25 per cent of Americans avoided alcohol completely for the month, and the number is set to increase this year.
The World Health Organization warns that no level of alcohol consumption is safe for health and it is one of the leading preventable causes of death in the US, behind tobacco.
As well as benefitting your bank balance, abstaining from alcohol for 31 days or longer can bring various physical and mental health benefits.
California-based Dr Kristen Fuller says quitting alcohol for one month ‘may seem like a fad at first, but the benefits of not drinking can be seen and felt before the 31 days are up and can contribute to longer periods of sobriety or cutting down on alcohol long-term’.
Some of her tips for abstaining include setting realistic goals, finding a palatable substitute drink, avoiding temptations and practising how to say ‘no’.
She also suggests documenting your journey. Explaining why, she says: ‘Whether you take videos, photos, or journal, you may be surprised about your journey as you look back on it. Document how you feel each day.
‘This can also help you identify your patterns and triggers.’
Here DailyMail.com gives a step by step account of what actually happens to your body when you give up booze for Dry January:
In 2024, 25 per cent of Americans avoided alcohol completely for Dry January, and the number is set to increase this year
Sleep
While alcohol may help you nod off quicker, it is not a miracle cure of insomnia. In fact, it wreaks havoc on sleep quality throughout the night.
Although it initially acts as a sedative, causing feelings of sleepiness, it raises levels of adrenaline in the body. This increases heart rate and acts as a stimulant – which can cause drinkers to toss and turn in the night.
While sleeping, the liver works hard to break down alcohol. This process is thought to reduce rapid eye movement (REM) sleep – one of the four stages of sleep – which is vital for repairing muscle, bone, tissue and the immune system.
On top of this, alcohol encourages snoring by relaxing the throat and nose muscles – making it more likely that they will vibrate.
Additionally, alcohol is a diuretic, which means it encourages the body to pass more fluid as urine. This can see drinkers suffer a more restless night due to extra trips to the bathroom.
As a result, people tend to wake up feeling less rested – even if they’ve only had a couple of alcoholic drinks.
But Dry January partakers will have avoided these alcohol knock-on effects for the month, in theory, so should have benefitted from better sleep.
Dr Gregory Estadt, who is a clinical psychologist based in Philadelphia, says that better sleep is one of the quickest health improvements noticed by people who abstain from alcohol.
He said: ‘After one week without consuming alcohol you may notice that you are sleeping better.
Cutting out alcohol for the entire month is hailed for its benefits on sleep, weight and the liver
It can take up to three days for the body to return to normal functioning following a two-day boozy drinking session, experts say
‘You may find that when you drink, you typically fall straight into a deep sleep, which means you are missing the important rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.
‘While you are supposed to have between six and seven cycles of REM sleep a night, you will typically only have one or two when you’ve been drinking.’
Having a healthier sleep cycle comes with many benefits, Dr Estadt says.
He explains: ‘You will be more productive, where you can learn and problem solve better. Your ability to control your emotions and behavior will also improve.’
By extension, the ability of non-drinkers to manage their food and drink intake will improve, Dr Estadt added.
Weight
Over the course of the month, Dry January partakers should notice that the scales start to shift – both from cutting out calories and making healthier food choices.
In a day of heavy drinking, people may consume their entire recommended calorie intake through alcohol.
This is because alcohol contains around seven calories per gram – almost as much as pure fat, according to charity Drink Aware.
As a result, a pint of beer (240cal) is as calorific as a small McDonald’s fries, while a 5oz glass of wine is comparable to a packet of Lay’s Baked Potato Chips (120) and a double shot of whisky (200) has almost as many calories as a Krispy Kreme Glazed Doughnut (220).
It means if Dry January partakers usually drink two glasses of wine a day, they should lose around 2lb this month.
This is because people need to cut 3,500 calories to shed 1lb of fat – and those cutting a pint of beer per day will burn 7,400.
Texas-based Dr Bethany Agusala says that alcoholic drinks often contain a lot of sugar and carbohydrates, along with empty calories that contribute to weight gain.
Drinking alcohol causes blood sugar levels to rise and fall, which stimulates feelings of hunger in the brain.
This prompts drinkers to crave unhealthy and salty foods, explaining why fast food and kebabs are popular after a night at the pub, studies show.
But it means those partaking in Dry January may have cut calories both from alcohol and any junk food they would have had when drinking.
Dr Agusala cites a 2018 study, which found regular drinkers who took a month-long break lost weight and improved insulin resistance, which influences hunger and feelings of fullness.
She adds: ‘Alcohol provides empty calories, which don’t add nutritional value but can contribute to weight gain.’
Skin
Those avoiding alcohol for Dry January should benefit from more hydrated skin, that is less flushed and prone to spots, experts say
Another welcome knock-on effect of cutting back on alcohol is a boost to complexion.
The diuretic effect of beer, wine and spirits dehydrate the body, leading to the loss of fluid and nutrients that are vital for healthy-looking skin.
As a result, skin can look dull, grey, bloated and puffy within 24 hours of drinking, as well as wrinkled due to a loss of elasticity. This is one reason that people may be able to tell if you’re hungover.
On top of this, alcohol inflames the body’s tissue which leads to red, blotchy and flushed skin.
Alcoholic drinks – especially wine, cocktails and the mixers used with spirits – tend to be high in sugar, which is also bad for skin and can trigger breakouts.
Those avoiding alcohol for Dry January should therefore benefit from more hydrated skin, that is less flushed and prone to spots, experts say.
Gillian Tietz, who is a Massachusetts-based alcoholic turned podcaster, says she noticed a big improvement to her skin when she gave up booze.
She says: ‘Alcohol can dehydrate your skin no matter how many creams or treatments you invest in, and dry, dehydrated skin wrinkles much faster than properly hydrated skin.
‘If you stop drinking, your existing wrinkles won’t magically disappear. However, you will likely see less dry skin, redness, and puffiness.
‘In fact, a 2018 report on Dry January from the University of Sussex found that 54 per cent of participants saw better skin from the month-long challenge.
‘And in my experience, those mysterious dry patches on my face that wouldn’t go away no matter what product I tried finally disappeared when I stopped drinking.’
Liver
One major health benefit that Dry January partakers won’t visibly notice is the improvement in their liver health.
Alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream from the stomach and intestines. Blood then passes through the liver – the organ responsible for breaking down alcohol.
Enzymes in the liver break down alcohol into other chemicals so it can be removed from the body – processing roughly one unit per hour. But the toxicity of alcohol kills off liver cells in the process.
This is why alcohol causes the most damage to the liver out of all the body’s organs.
When not drinking, the liver replaces these lost cells.
But heavy drinking over time causes serious damage to the liver, which can lead to fatty liver, inflammation of the organ and, eventually, liver failure.
In terms of how quickly your liver heals, Ohio-based liver specialist Dr Christina Lindenmeyer says it ‘depends on how much damage has already been done and if there are any complications related to the damage.’
According to a 2021 review of research, multiple studies have indicated that two to four weeks of abstinence from alcohol by heavy-alcohol users helped reduce inflammation in the liver.
The downside?
But while those who have shunned spirits all month may be basking in their new-found health, experts warn these benefits won’t be permanent if they return to drinking.
Kaylie Brown, a clinical dietitian based out of Texas, says placing such sudden restrictions could lead to cravings and overindulgence down the road.
Instead of ditching alcohol completely, she recommends cutting back and having a longer-term plan for your health.
Dr Fuller also warns that if you are a heavy drinker and have a history of alcohol withdrawal, then quitting alcohol cold turkey could prove dangerous.
Withdrawal symptoms typically begin within six to 24 hours of stopping or significantly decreasing heavy, long-term alcohol use.
Symptoms can include headaches, anxiety, excessive sweating, heart palpitations. tremors, confusion, hallucinations and seizures.
Dr Fuller explains: ‘Alcohol withdrawal symptoms can be dangerous and even deadly.
‘For this reason, alcohol treatment recovery centers can help slowly wean you off alcohol by giving you medications such as benzodiazepines to minimize and eliminate any dangerous alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
‘If you have signs and symptoms of a severe alcohol disorder or have a history of alcohol withdrawal, Dry January may not be the best solution for you.
‘Instead, it may be wise to seek professional help at an alcohol rehab center where you can have a team of professionals guide you through a safe recovery journey.’
DO YOU DRINK TOO MUCH ALCOHOL? THE 10 QUESTIONS THAT REVEAL YOUR RISK
One screening tool used widely by medical professionals is the AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Tests). Developed in collaboration with the World Health Organisation, the 10-question test is considered to be the gold standard in helping to determine if someone has alcohol abuse problems.
The test has been reproduced here with permission from the WHO.
To complete it, answer each question and note down the corresponding score.
YOUR SCORE:
0-7: You are within the sensible drinking range and have a low risk of alcohol-related problems.
Over 8: Indicate harmful or hazardous drinking.
8-15: Medium level of risk. Drinking at your current level puts you at risk of developing problems with your health and life in general, such as work and relationships. Consider cutting down (see below for tips).
16-19: Higher risk of complications from alcohol. Cutting back on your own may be difficult at this level, as you may be dependent, so you may need professional help from your GP and/or a counsellor.
20 and over: Possible dependence. Your drinking is already causing you problems, and you could very well be dependent. You should definitely consider stopping gradually or at least reduce your drinking. You should seek professional help to ascertain the level of your dependence and the safest way to withdraw from alcohol.
Severe dependence may need medically assisted withdrawal, or detox, in a hospital or a specialist clinic. This is due to the likelihood of severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms in the first 48 hours needing specialist treatment.
