The Why Behind the Dry

About mid-way through the 2022 holiday season, someone asked me if I was going to do “Dry January” this year.

I promptly laughed so hard that wine dribbled out of my mouth.

Now, I am not trying to be mean or to degrade the concept. In general, I think the idea behind dry January is wholesome. Taking time to reset your body and focus on healthy habits is great, and even a New Year ritual at this point. I think it’s a great way to take stock of your drinking habits and  to be intentional about what, why, and how much you’re drinking.

I laughed because, as a hearty Wisconsinite, January seems like the absolute worst month to perform this effort.

It’s cold, it’s dark, and the holiday magic dissipates fast. All I ever want to do in January (and usually February too. February sucks.) is curl up next to a roaring fire with a good book and a good hearty beer.

If anything, I’ll do a “Dry May”. At that point in Spring I’m aching to get outside and be as active as I can, and holing up a glass of red wine is nowhere in my psyche.

However, more and more across internet platforms people talking and sharing about Dry January. So, when did this really become part of the social media zeitgeist? Who or what made it popular? And perhaps more importantly, do health benefits exist for going 31 days without alcohol?

When did Dry January become a thing?

The whole shebang is a fairly new phenomenon. Seems as though the entire concept was thought up by a UK resident named Emily Robinson, who decided to give up alcohol for the month of January at the start of 2011 as part of her half marathon preparations.

She promptly saw that people were interested in the idea whenever she mentioned it, and also noticed some health benefits from the month off the slosh (though I think that could also been from the fact she was training for a half marathon… but I digress).

The next year she joined the organization Alcohol Concern (now called Alcohol Change UK) to start a campaign called “Dry January”.

On a related but not-at-all related note, I would highly recommend going to the Alcohol Change UK website just to see their tea cup logo; it’s so British. I love it.

Yeah, but do people actually do it?

Like any campaign, it had a slower start with just 4,000 UK residents signing up in 2012, but it’s only grown in popularity since then, both in the UK and internationally. In 2022, over 130,000 UK residents signed up!

Social media has really helped to spread the message and the Dry January campaign now has official partners in 5 other countries (including the U.S.) and unofficial people all over the world giving it a try.

A poll from Morning Consult in 2022 showed that 35% of Americans said they were participating in Dry January. That’s more Americans than can normally agree on anything!

Are there health benefits?

Yes… but be careful how you look at it.

There certainly are some immediate effects you could experience.

For one, not drinking (and/or drinking less) is linked to better sleep. Time in REM sleep is decreased with increased alcohol. And who doesn’t like to sleep more?? Sleep is honestly one of my favorite activities.

Another immediate effect Dry January can result in is a stronger immune system. Binge drinking in particular can really wreak havoc on your body, causing big issues with your microbiome. Removing alcohol in those quantities can help restore balance in your gut, and reduce inflammation too.

Those two effects ^^ can happen fairly immediately. Woohoo!

There are other stated effects, but here is where my “be careful” voice comes in. Listed benefits such as losing weight, improved mental health, and better overall health certainly could be affected by sobriety, but removing alcohol for just one month is not going to suddenly have you drop 10 lbs and keep it off. Usually life changes like those listed are the result of multiple and sustained life & health changes.

Could Dry January be one of those changes? Sure. But keep your expectations within appropriate limits here.

Should you try Dry January?

I mean, sure, why not. It’s not going to make matters worse, and at the very least it’s a good practice in willpower and forming new habits.

If you decide to give it a try, there are a few things you can do to help you stay dry for all 31 days. Breaking old habits are hard! So why not set yourself up for success as best you can?

1. Get rid of the temptation. Throw away any alcohol currently in your home. Now, I would never do this, even if I was participating, but perhaps re-home it to a trusty friend or family member for a month?
2. Try other fun drinks. The mocktail game has been FIRE recently, and most restaurants and bars do much better these days than the classic Shirley Temple.
3. Tell people about your commitment.The more people you tell are that many more people who can hold you accountable.
4. Change your routine. If you used to sit on the couch and watch a specific episode of whatever while sipping a glass of wine nightly, then MIX IT UP. Change the timing, place, or people who are normally with you during that time and activity.

Serious moment

One thing I do not want to skip over or make light of is those that might be struggling with alcoholism. If this is something you are battling against, I would strongly NOT suggest Dry January; please continue reading for better resources.

If you feel your drinking is dominating your time, energy, or life as a whole, please consider reaching out for help. Even if you’re just interested in finding a like-minded community in sobriety, below are resources you can use to get started:

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) - an organization run by those in recovery which helps folks with AUD (alcohol use disorder) learn how to stay sober long-term.

SMART Recovery - Support group for people suffering from all types of addiction. Provides both in-person meetings and many digital resources.

Secular Organizations for Sobriety (SOS) - Similar in purpose and structure to AA, just with more secular leanings.

Women for Sobriety - designed to help women-identifying people who suffer from alcoholism or substance abuse become committed to continued abstinence.

Most of these organization have both online & in-person meeting places.

Less serious moment

May we all start January & 2023 with health, contentment, and an appreciation for our own choices!

Like I mentioned up top, I will not be participating in dry January. I’m going to cradle and sip my Glencairn of Ardbeg 10 while stoking a fire and binge-watching Peripheral on Amazon Prime.

As we get closer to summer, and I remember I eventually have to replace my leggings and oversized sweater with shorts and a tank top, I may decide to press the pause button on alcohol. Summer in Wisconsin is all about lake life, lawn games, and in general trying to be outside as much as possible before it gets cold again, and with all those fun things on the calendar, I’d like to be conscientious with how and when I’m drinking.

For me, I think taking a month off - or a week off, or 6 months off - would act as a reminder to be intentional with my intake. I want to ensure I’m enjoying it, and I mean really enjoying it, not “downing it” or drinking because everyone else is at the cookout.

Now, who’s in for Dry May?

Cheers,

Molly

References:

https://www.alcoholrehabguide.org/resources/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dry_January

https://www.drinksurely.com/a/blog/dry-january