Why ‘Dry January’ Can Be Great For Your Health And Well Being In The Long Run

With New Year's Eve behind us, most of us would have had our fill of alcohol. If you’re still at it you may want to get done with it soon, as adopting the annual tradition of ‘dry January’ can be immensely beneficial for your health and well-being.?

While some consider it to be detox others might take it as a part of their New Year’s resolution; often a consequence of drinking excessively over the holidays. Researchers from the University of Sussex in the UK, however, stated that a ‘dry January’ can help people curb their drinking habits, control their spending and improve their well being.?

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A study conducted by them revealed that Dry January participants were drinking less in up to August. They reported that the frequency of being drunk dropped from 3.4 per month to 2.1 per month on average, as reported by PTI.?

"The simple act of taking a month off alcohol helps people drink less in the long term: by August people are reporting one extra dry day per week," said Richard de Visser, from the University of Sussex.

"There are also considerable immediate benefits: nine in ten people save money, seven in ten sleep better and three in five loose weight," he said.

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"These changes in alcohol consumption have also been seen in the participants who didn't manage to stay alcohol-free for the whole month - although they are a bit smaller. This shows that there are real benefits to just trying to complete Dry January," said de Visser.

The research showed that 88 percent saved money; 70 percent had generally improved health; 71 percent slept better, and 58 percent lost weight.

Here’s what you stand to gain from having a dry January:

Your overall health improves

Considering that about a half of all liver-related deaths are due to alcoholic liver disease or relating to alcohol in some manner, taking the strain you put on your kidneys can go a long way to save your life.

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You change the relationship with alcohol

Going off alcohol after a longstanding stint with it gives you chance to reconnect with your body, without being in a state of inebriation. There’s a good chance that’ll you’ll reevaluate your consumption post a month of abstaining from it.

You’ll better your sleep?

Sleep is one of the aspects that is much improved after you reduce your consumption of alcohol. You clock in a better quality of sleep, your energy levels are higher and your motivation also tends to remain boosted through the day.?

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The inflammation in your body will reduce

Alcohol causes inflammation throughout your body, causes reactions that could lead to some serious illnesses. One of the drawbacks of consuming too much alcohol is that it can take a toll on your immune system, compromising you to viruses.

Can lead to a much-needed loss in weight

As a regular drinker, it’s difficult to assess the number of calories you consume while you’re drinking. Considering an alcohol beverage has around 100-150 calories, drinking every day could result in an accumulation of several extra calories over the week.?