Are you taking part in Dry January 2020?16 Jan

Enjoy a booze-free month to start your New Year by taking part in Dry January! Throughout this month, you will see how the lack of alcohol can benefit your body.

Dry January was formed by two charities to help show the benefits of not drinking alcohol; though not being anti-alcohol, they wanted to show how you can celebrate with a drink or two but not abuse it to harm yourself and those around you. Alcohol Change UK intends to help drinking become a conscious decision and not a default.

Here are some benefits of Dry January!

• Improved sleep – Alcohol influences your sleep leading to a lack of REM sleep which is essential for the development of the brain and health. It can take a couple of weeks for your body to adjust to a regular sleeping pattern again.
• Better hydration – Drinking alcohol makes you dehydrated as it causes you to go to the toilet regularly; by drinking more water, you’ll find you get fewer headaches, helping your brain concentrate and feel more energised!
• Fewer calories – Alcohol has a lot of calories in it, even when you feel like you’re spreading your drinks out, like having six glasses of wine across a whole week, can increase your calorie intake. Just six glasses of 175ml wine are nearly 2,000 calories! Cutting this down, or with Dry January cutting this out, it can help you lose weight and cut down on the calories.
• Lower blood pressure – Heavy drinking can lead to higher blood pressure, from as little as three drinks your blood pressure can rise! Having more than three drinks often can cause your blood pressure to rise long-term. High blood pressure contributes to the risk of strokes, heart attacks and more; but within three weeks of not drinking alcohol, your blood pressure will start to reduce.
• Helps to save money – Drinking soft drinks or even water when you go out, can really help you save money! Throughout Dry January, why don’t you save the money you would otherwise spend on drinks towards something fun. Start saving towards a summer holiday, or a weekend away with family!Dry January doesn’t just have health benefits, but it’s excellent for saving money too. You don’t need to limit yourself to January to stop drinking alcohol, why not see whether you can beat two months!

Related articles