How to get through Dry January without missing out
Whether it’s a couple of beers during the football, a glass of wine with dinner, or a wee sherry with friends over a Bridge game, many of us enjoy a drink or two. And if something should interrupt the little habits and rituals we’ve become used to and look forward to, it can be quite frustrating.
It may be that your doctor has told you that you need to limit your units for a time in order to protect your health, or perhaps you’ve started taking a new type of medication that doesn’t mix well with alcohol. Whatever the case, if you’re facing a period of time with less of your favourite tipple than you’d usually like, here’s how to embrace the ‘Dry January’ vibes without feeling like you’re missing out too much.
What’s Dry January?
Appearing some time in the early naughties, Dry January is a term commonly used to describe the temporary abstinence from alcohol for the first 31 days of the year. It is seen as an opportunity to give the liver a break, curb excessive drinking, and to reset the bad drinking habits formed over the festive season.
In short, Dry January offers a New Year opportunity to boost your health, address potentially problematic drinking and give yourself a gentle nudge to reduce alcohol consumption.
What are the benefits of Dry January?
There are big health benefits associated with cutting out the booze, even just for a short period of time. You might find you get more, uninterrupted sleep when you’ve not been drinking, and you might wake up fewer times during the night.
There are reports your skin could improve and you’ll feel less fuzzy headed in the mornings, thanks in part to a reduction in the dehydration that alcohol brings. Some people even find they lose weight during Dry January, although that does depend on how much you’re cutting out and what you choose to drink instead.
Importantly, even with only a month’s abstinence, it’s possible to reduce your risk of serious health conditions. Your chances of liver disease and heart disease will diminish, thanks to a reduction in cholesterol and blood pressure. And you should also notice a strengthening of your immune system, meaning you’re less likely to catch all those pesky bugs that are around during the winter.
Oh, and did we mention the cost savings? If you drink a couple of £7.50 bottles of wine in a week, you could save £60 over the course of Dry January.
Why should you consider reducing your alcohol intake as you get older?
As we age, it’s no secret that our tolerance for alcohol reduces. This is thought to be due to changes in our body’s composition, leading to toxins being broken down more slowly. This means that as we get older, we tend to feel the effects of alcohol much more keenly the morning after.
Our risk of breaking or fracturing a bone rises with age too, as our bones become more brittle. Healthcare professionals suggest we should consider reducing risky activities, and unfortunately there is more risk to us when we’re under the influence of alcohol. Our cognition, judgement and balance become impaired leading to accidents, falls and painful breaks.
And there are also a number of conditions that are thought to be related to prolonged periods of drinking. These include liver disease, a number of different mental health issues and a specific type of dementia called Korsakoff Syndrome.
Losing alcohol without losing the social life
For many people, one of the most challenging things about giving up alcohol is the social impact. Many of us drink with friends, whether that be at a pub, a restaurant or in the comfort of our own homes. But just because you choose to give up the booze doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy spending time with others.
For a lot of people the ritual of having a drink is actually more important than the alcohol. So why not try out one of the huge range of non-alcoholic beers, wines and mocktails that have now appeared on the market. Some of them are really delicious, especially when served in your favourite glass with ice and a slice. You could even arrange a taste-testing party to encourage your friends to get involved too. Social drinkers don’t have to be alcohol drinkers.
It may feel strange at first, to have a non-alcoholic drink in hand when you’d usually have wine or a pint. But once you get used to the idea and start to feel the benefits, you’ll be inspired to get to the end of those 31 days. And after that? Well you can decide if you want to continue or not.
What about when the choice is taken from your hands?
It’s not uncommon to find that following a diagnosis or prescription for medication, you’re advised by a healthcare professional to go easy on the alcohol. While this can be difficult to wrap your head around at the time, consider the benefits above and start to build your non-alcoholic drinks collection.
At least if you’ve taken part in Dry January you’ll know that reducing your alcohol intake is not the end of the world and in fact has many, almost immediate health benefits. Make sure you focus on those and remember it is absolutely possible to still have fun without alcohol.
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