If your idea of a good weekend involves a drink or two, then give into the trend of Dry January

Holiday season starts a couple of days before Diwali and continues till a couple of days after the New Year’s celebrations. It’s the season where people get together with family and friends to celebrate their favourite festivals. For most of us, that celebration is simply not complete without our favourite drinks.

The winter nights along with all the partying makes for the perfect excuse to pick up a drink or two. The end of 2020, too, had millions of people closing the year with a lot of drinking and partying. With the holiday season ending, and people recovering from their hangovers, many people are looking to get back on a health-first schedule and this where Dry January can help.

So, when did the trend of Dry January start?

The concept of Dry January originated in the United Kingdom in 2013, when a non-profit group called ‘Alcohol Change UK’ initiated the movement, with the goal of raising money for alcohol abuse awareness and treatment. Since then, this trend has caught on in many parts of the world, with a number of people choosing to take part in Dry January.

What is Dry January and how do you observe it?

The idea is to simply drink less or reset (not drink at all) in the month of January which is the post-holiday season month.  

This trend, though a yearly event that lasts a month, has been a positive reinforcement to move towards a path of complete sobriety. In fact, if you are looking to quit drinking in 2021, Dry January can be helpful, as it involves staying away from booze for an entire month. 

The campaign, endorsed by Public Health England, propagates that Dry January is based on sound behavioural principles, and it helps reset drinking patterns for weeks or even months.

Dry January has become a trend because of how it helps consumers perceive both alcohol and sobriety from a lens of wellness.

Should you try it out?

Let’s be honest, most people use weekends to not just catch up with friends but also drink. So, consuming alcohol is a weekly feature for many. What most people don’t realize that it can lead to multiple mental as well as physical repercussions:

• Your liver can get damaged and lose its ability to efficiently get rid of toxins from the body
• It can have a harmful impact on your reproductive system
• Alcohol can damage the tissues in your digestive tract, preventing healthy digestion and absorption of nutrients
• It can affect your circulatory system, putting you at risk for serious heart issues
• Drinking reduces your ability to make rational choices
• Over time, it can make it difficult to manage mood and reduce your brain’s ability to make long-term memories

The weekend activity, which only becomes more regular during the holiday season, can have multiple health consequences. So, Dry January is something you should definitely try. It can lead to two key changes:

1. Understanding your behaviour better

This trend has already explored several people to rethink their relationship with alcohol in order to lead healthier lives. The challenge to successfully abstain from alcohol for an entire month, makes people explore the ‘why’ behind the habit, and introspect on whether they have control over alcohol intake.

2. You’ll see some positive physical effects

People tend to sleep better and have higher energy levels, as even a few drinks can be a hindrance for your body to not reach the deep sleep/REM sleep. People also experience an improvement in the quality of their skin, as alcohol is a diuretic, meaning it can leave you a bit dehydrated. Dry January has also caught on as a trend because it helps improve immunity systems of people since alcohol consumption makes you more vulnerable to pathogens that cause cold and flu. The added bonus, of course, is that people lose weight when refraining from alcohol consumption

So, ladies, how about trying out this trend this month?