For many people, the beginning of a new year is all about forming healthy habits and setting goals. From crowded gyms to long lines at health food stores, the signs of collective self-improvement are all around us–and there’s one popular ritual in particular that can make a major difference in your overall wellness. Yes, we’re talking about the infamous “Dry January,” in which people commit to cutting out alcohol for the entire month. Although this is a short term commitment to wellness, especially compared to lofty new year’s resolutions (find tips for sticking to yours here!), it’s certainly an opportunity to evaluate the prevalence of drinking in your life–both social and private–and possibly plant the seeds for a longer term healthy relationship with alcohol. In fact, when you pay attention to the improvements in your overall health, it may be enough to make you want to keep the alcohol consumption to a minimum year round.
So, what are all of these great benefits of staying sober, you may ask? While some are obvious (no hangovers, less embarrassment, and even a slimmer waistline), there are a few upsides to going alcohol-free that you may not have considered. To learn more, we spoke to health experts Lisa Richards, nutritionist and creator of The Candida Diet, and Conor O’Flynn, MD of O’Flynn Medical. They told us that among numerous other benefits, participating in Dry January can improve your mood, sleep, and skin. Find out more below!
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1. Improved mood
Many people drink alcohol in order to have a good time, relax and unwind, or even forget the things that are troubling them. However, although a nice buzz may cause some temporary good feelings, alcohol consumption can actually worsen your overall mood over time. “Because alcohol is a natural depressant, consuming it over time can cause a decrease in dopamine receptors in the brain, leading to poor mood,” Richards warns. On the other side of things, that means cutting it out could help you feel better than ever. “Abstaining from alcohol for a month can lead to improved mood and overall well-being,” O’Flynn confirms.
2. Better sleep
Another fantastic benefit to cutting out alcohol that you may not already be aware of is the fact that you may see an improvement in your sleep. “Removing alcohol for a month can improve your sleep by allowing you to get deeper and more rejuvenating sleep,” Richards tells us.
Despite the fact that you may feel sleepy after a drink or two, O’Flynn and Richards both say that you’re likely not going to get the best night’s sleep after consuming alcohol. “A lot of people claim that a glass of wine or two in the evening can help them sleep, but this may not be the case,” O’Flynn says. “Alcohol can disrupt sleep patterns, leading to insomnia and poor quality sleep.”
These sleep issues are largely due to the fact that alcohol typically disrupts your REM sleep cycle. “Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep cycles are important for emotional regulation and memory and when they are interrupted the individual is more likely to be groggy and irritable the following day. Alcohol is known to interrupt REM cycles by causing more frequent wakings interrupting these roughly 90 minute cycles,” Richards explains.
O’Flynn also notes that alcohol can lead to “vivid and/or disturbing dreams,” which could affect how well-rested you feel upon waking. Alcohol may also “reduce the overall amount of time spent in deep sleep, which can lead to feelings of fatigue and grogginess the following day.” You’re likely better off swapping your red wine for some chamomile tea. It’s at least worth a shot for the month of January–you may be surprised how much better you feel!
3. Healthier skin
As it turns out, cutting out alcohol won’t just make you feel good on the inside. After all, you know what they say: you are what you eat–or, in this case, what you drink. Like anything else you put in your body, drinking alcohol can, in fact, make a difference in your physical appearance, especially when it comes to the health of your skin. “Alcohol dehydrates the skin, making it appear dull and tired,” O’Flynn says. For this reason, reducing your alcohol intake or refraining from drinking alcohol at all for the month of January can bring life, vibrance, and hydration back to your skin. It can even make you look younger! “A prolonged break from drinking alcohol can lead to improved skin appearance, including fewer wrinkles and age spots,” he says. Sign us up!
Tips for tackling dry January
Okay, so now that you know about all of the incredible benefits, you might feel ready to take the leap and cut out alcohol for a month. But for some people, that’s easier said than done. Luckily, Richards offers some advice for making the process a little more manageable.
“There are several alternatives to drinking alcohol, whether socially or alone, as you take part in Dry January,” she says.” One is to opt for seltzer water during social settings. This allows you to keep a drink in your hand while avoiding alcohol and calorie dense alcohol-free beverages like sodas and juices.” And if you prefer a drink to unwind on your own each night, she suggests reaching for relaxing teas or kombucha instead.
Not ready to go cold turkey? That’s okay! Reducing your alcohol intake for a while, even if you don’t give it up completely, is still a good idea and still offers many benefits.”One way to cut back is to switch to drinks with a lower alcohol content,” Richards suggests. “These tend to be lower in calories and sugar while also having less alcohol, which is the primary concern. It can also be beneficial to cut back on the number of wet days you partake in and increase your dry days.”
At the end of the day, it’s important to remember that just like most things in life, the key to healthy alcohol consumption is moderation. If you limit your intake, drink water between alcoholic beverages, and choose options with lower alcohol content, you’ll be well on your way to a healthier body and mind.
