After the excess of the holiday season, dry January offers people the chance to start 2025 the right way. Abstaining from alcohol for the first month of the new year can kickstart better habits and give your body and mind a chance to recuperate after 2024.

Here, we look at dry January, how to do it right, and how good it’ll feel to check off a New Year’s resolution after just one month. 

What Is Dry January?

While people have taken time off alcohol in January for generations, the modern iteration of dry January was started by the now CEO of London Sport, Emily Robinson, in 2011. In preparation for a half marathon, Robinson quit alcohol for a month in January and documented her journey.

Buy this vape from Vessel

Alcohol Change UK, formerly known as Alcohol Concern, has since trademarked Dry January as a term. Nowadays, people participate in dry January all over the world.

One recent study on French participants concluded “a stable level of awareness, but encouraging participation in Dry January in France” and that “temporary alcohol abstinence campaigns primarily attract high-risk drinkers and individuals reporting harmful consequences related to alcohol.” 

Dry January Health Benefits

Dry January can save you money and give you more time to pursue more important things than drinking, but perhaps most importantly, it has several associated health benefits.

A prospective cohort study states that completing dry January is “associated with short- and longer-term benefits to well-being that are not observed in the general population.” Here are the main health benefits of shelving the liquor and leaving the beer in the fridge for a month. 

Liver Health

It’ll come as no surprise that livers can do with a break, especially if you drink a lot of alcohol. Cirrhosis of the liver is a chronic liver disease that can occur in people who consume too much alcohol over long periods.

One study concluded that “alcohol abstinence improves prognosis across all stages of portal hypertension in alcohol-related cirrhosis, including in patients who have already progressed to high-risk portal hypertension.” Even people who don’t have chronic issues will benefit from reducing or stopping alcohol intake. 

Sleep

While alcohol provides people with initial sedation, it disrupts sleep architecture later in the night, leading to sleep apnea and insomnia in some cases. A study into Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) found that the condition leads to “sleep disturbances, alterations of sleep architecture, and the development of insomnia.” Giving up alcohol for a month will improve your sleep and help you feel better during the day. 

Weight Loss

Due to the high amounts of sugar and calories in alcohol, giving up for a month can lead to significant weight loss, especially in people who consume lots of alcohol daily. People who cut alcohol out during January also report less snacking and eating unhealthy foods, which is often associated with a lack of inhibition from drinking alcohol. 

Immune System

Alcohol affects how the body makes white blood cells and can inflame the organs. If you decide to give up alcohol during January, you may find that your body is better able to fight infections. Most people will see improvements within a few days of stopping. 

Mental Health

It’s not just the body that needs a break from alcohol. Many symptoms of a variety of mental health issues, including anxiety, stress, and depression, can be reduced by stopping alcohol for a month.

People who abstain from alcohol are better able to make good decisions surrounding other aspects of their mental health as well. Without a hangover on the weekends, more money in your pocket, and a need to fill the time you used to spend drinking, taking part in Dry January also means you may be able to complete your other New Year’s resolutions more easily in 2025. 

Tips For Dry January

The decision to participate in dry January shouldn’t be taken lightly, especially if you are a heavy user of alcohol. 

Set Goals

Before you ditch alcohol, outline why you are doing it and how it will help others. Consider whether you want this to be a refresh or if you want it to be the start of a new way of life. 

Build New Routines

Instead of drinking with friends, why not go for long walks with them? This is a time to focus on building good relationships that require a bit more work than drunken chats in the bar. 

Invite the Crew

Just like a good drink is better shared, an experience like dry January is better if you do it with others. Find a community of people who are also participating, or invite friends to join you on the journey. 

Vaping Cannabis

Instead of going completely sober, why not try going California sober? Stopping the use of alcohol or hard drugs cold turkey can often lead to returning to old habits. Instead, California Sober helps people find balance through moderate indulgence versus total abstinence.

Buy the Helix one hitter from Vessel

Vessel can help you with their range of cannabis products, including one hitter for a quick nighttime replacement for a nightcap or try a Trail Edition vape pen for a few more than one hit. 

Buy this vape pen from Vessel

Conclusion

Dry January is an invitation to build your willpower, save money, and start the year the right way. Dry January can give you more time to pursue more important things than drinking and has several associated health benefits that could make you feel like a new person in the New Year. Remember to set goals and remind yourself why you’re taking part and what you want to achieve from abstinence from alcohol.