Happy Dry January! 10 Inspiring Benefits Of Dry January

Happy New Year!

And happy Dry January!

Seems like the perfect time to begin sharing the many hidden possibilities of going dry and indulging in mocktails and other nonalcoholic beverages!

There are SOOOOOOO many NA options out there…but they’re hard to find and few people know about them.

You actually CAN drink like an adult without drinking liquor, beer, or wine!

So far, my Dry January is working out great. Are you doing it too?

Or is the concept totally new to you?

What Is Dry January?

After the December holidays, many people opt to quit drinking alcohol beverages for the month of January—they “dry out.”

Funny thing about Dry January: I totally thought I invented it.

Yep.

Back in 2019, I decided to try my own Dry January, before I knew it was a thing. I admit, I got some weird looks. And I even felt a bit sheepish about it when I was hanging with friends and explaining why I’m not drinking.

(And can I tell you, that every one of those conversations had to start off with the caveat, “I *swear* I’m not pregnant, but…”). I’ll be honest, I think some people were puzzled as to why I was skipping the wine for the month of January.

So imagine how happy I was when I discovered that LOTS of people participate in Dry January all over the world!

And it turns out, I didn’t invent it. Bummer. But I’m way happier with the idea of normalizing sobriety than I would be with my own Wiki page!

Anyhoo…

Dry January started back in 2011 (according to the very scholarly source called Wikipedia) when a marathoner gave up alcohol to improve her speed and health.

And since then, it has taken off. Now, about 1 in 10 Americans are participating in Dry January. That’s a lot! And it does my heart good.

Taking care of yourself—resisting the social bombardment that says “you MUST drink”—is straight-up is a great resolution.

What Are The Benefits Of Dry January?

Let’s break down the reasons that people dare to tackle the Dry January Challenge.

You might lose weight. You already know that drinking booze brings in lots of extra calories without many (any?) nutritional benefit. BUT—did you know that alcohol makes it easier to eat MORE because it deadens the senses? So you might not get those “I’m full and satisfied” feelings if you’re drinking. Skipping the hootch could help with your pooch (ok, sorry for that lol).

How would you feel if you lost a few pounds?

You might sleep better. Alcohol might seem relaxing in the evening—until you realize that it disrupts your sleep cycles. And being tired all the time sucks. (Plus, some studies have suggested that fatigue leads people to reach for sugar—and that leads to all kinds of probs.)

How would you feel if you were getting better, more luscious, more satisfying sleep?

You’ll save money. Alcohol is a drain on your wallet. Nuff said.

What are you gonna do with the extra money you saved by not drinking? Will you reward yourself?

You’ll have more free time. You know how you’re always talking about your bucket list? How you want to “learn to knit,” or “see more art house movies,” or “volunteer for a good cause”? Drinking might give your brain the impression that you’re “doing something,” when really, you’re just drinking. If you’re not busy drinking, you have to find something else to do. No more excuses—time to start checking things off your life wish list!

What are you going to do with your evenings “off” alcohol?

You’ll be in a better position to have a healthy relationship with alcohol. Let’s face it—if you drink booze enough, it can start to take over. You might find yourself reaching for a drink even when you don’t want one.

Dry January helps you reinforce the idea that YOU are in control of what you drink—and really, everything you do. People who participate in Dry January report having a better long term relationship with healthy drinking (although, some people say, there’s *no* drinking that’s healthy drinking).

How will it feel one month from now when you have taken control of your health in this way?

You’ll have a clearer mind. Not gonna lie—if you’re drinking a lot, the first few days of Dry January (or week of it?) might be hard on your brain and body. But once you get over the hump, you’ll discover a new mental clarity that will fuel your zest for life. If you ever had that “I feel like something’s missing” feeling, Dry January might just help you figure out what that is—and what to do about it?

Are you ready to “see” your problems (and their solutions) with a clearer mind?

You might see a snowball effect. Making one good choice (even a little one) can make it EASIER to make more good choices. First you give up alcohol for January, and next thing you know, you’re giving up other bad habits too. You won’t know what you’re capable of until you try. And soon, you might be feeling better and better!

How would you feel if you knew you could do hard things—even anything you sent your mind to?

Not Sure You Can Stick With The Dry January Challenge?

Don’t worry.

Nobody’s keeping score.

You don’t have to judge yourself harshly if you end up having a drink—or ten. You can just dust yourself off and try again! Dry January is whatever you make of it.

There Are Things You Can Do To Make Dry January WAAAAAA Easier.

I’m going to be talking about them in a future post. But for now…