Dry January: Tips for Success

Date: 01/02/2025

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, alcohol use among older adults had been steadily increasing. The pandemic caused a significant increase in alcohol consumption, the largest seen in the past 50 years. Unfortunately, this led to a rise in alcohol-related illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths.

Heavy drinking, defined as five or more drinks for men and four or more for women, was reported by a quarter of individuals aged 18 and older.

If you are looking to explore sobriety or reduce your alcohol intake, consider participating in Dry January. This movement, joined by millions, involves abstaining from alcohol for the month of January. By doing so, you may see improvements in your heart health, liver function, memory, and relationships.

Why try Dry January?
Are you looking to cut down on your alcohol intake or start the new year fresh? Consider taking the Dry January challenge by abstaining from beer, wine, or spirits for a month. Since its launch in 2012 as a public health campaign in the United Kingdom, millions of people worldwide now participate in this health initiative annually.

While previous studies hinted at potential health benefits associated with moderate alcohol consumption, recent research questions whether any amount of alcohol truly improves overall health. Heavier or long-term drinking is known to increase physical and mental health risks, particularly for older adults, such as heart and liver damage, higher cancer risk, weakened immunity, memory problems, and mood disorders.

However, eliminating alcohol for just a month can have significant health benefits. According to a study in BMJ Open, regular drinkers who abstained from alcohol for 30 days experienced improved sleep, energy levels, and weight loss. Additionally, they saw a reduction in blood pressure and cholesterol levels and lower levels of cancer-related proteins in their blood.

Tips for a successful Dry January
A month may seem like a long time, but most people can be successful. Still, you may need assistance to stay dry in January. Here are some tips:

• Find a substitute non-alcoholic drink. For social situations, or when you crave a cocktail after a long day, reach for alcohol-free beverages like sparkling water, soda, or mocktails (non-alcoholic cocktails.) Non-alcoholic beer or wine also is an option, but some brands still contain up to 0.5% alcohol by volume, so check the label. Sugar is often added to these beverages to improve the taste, so try to choose ones that are low in sugar.
• Avoid temptations. Keep alcohol out of your house. When you are invited to someone's home, bring your non-alcoholic drinks with you.
• Create a support group. Let friends and family know about your intentions and encourage them to keep you accountable. Better yet, enlist someone to do the challenge with you.
• Use the Try Dry app. This free app helps you track your drinking, set personal goals, and offers motivational information like calories and money saved from not drinking. It's aimed at cutting back on or cutting out alcohol, depending on your choices.
• Don't give up. If you slip up, don't feel guilty. Just begin again the next day.

Check your feelings
People also use Dry January to reflect on their drinking habits. It's common for people to lose their alcohol cravings and realize drinking need not occupy such an ample space in their lives. If this is you, consider continuing for another 30 days, or just embrace your new attitude toward drinking where it's an occasional indulgence.

If you struggle during the month, or give up after a week or so, you may need extra help cutting back. Talk to your doctor about getting the help you need.

The Rethinking Drinking site created by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) is also an excellent resource. For the record, NIAAA recommends limiting alcohol to two daily drinks or less for men and no more than one drink a day for women.

Be aware of problems that might crop up
Dry January can reveal signs of potential alcohol problems, including symptoms of alcohol withdrawal ranging from mild to serious, depending on how much you usually drink.

Mild symptoms include anxiety, shaky hands, headache, nausea, vomiting, sweating, and insomnia.

Severe symptoms often kick in within two or three days after you stop drinking. They can include hallucinations, delirium, racing heart rate, and fever.

If you decide to go dry this January (and beyond!), best of luck!