Dry January

Alcohol use has been part of different cultures and societies for thousands of years. While many people find that alcohol is an enjoyable part of their lives, it can have a tendency to create some difficulties and even throw their health out of balance. Some of the things people want to avoid may include the calories from alcohol that can create weight gain, as well as the cost involved with drinking alcohol. Taking the month of January to reset and rebuild new, healthy habits is what #DryJanuary is all about.

While the term first made an appearance in the early 2000s, the official day didn’t happen until about a decade later. It all started in 2011 when Emily Robinson signed up to run a half marathon in February and realized she needed to get her body ready during the month of January. Because her training regimen included giving up alcohol, she found that she was sleeping better, losing weight and had more energy.

So the following year, Emily joined Alcohol Change UK and decided to give up drinking for the month of January again. The following year, Alcohol Change UK launched its official celebration of Dry January and the practice has been catching on over the years since then. In 2014, Dry January became a registered trademark by the Alcohol Change UK charity. As it turns out, many people have been finding that Dry January offers a variety of benefits to their lives.

When a group of people who had participated in Dry January were surveyed, it was discovered that the celebration of the day had helped them to establish healthier habits around drinking.

Each year, many of the people who participate in Dry January have considered it to be a positive experience, saying that they have lost weight and are drinking less even six months later. Many of them have dropped from ‘harmful’ categories of drinking to ‘low risk’. In a few countries, like in Czech Republic or Canada, the non-drinking month is actually celebrated as Dry February.

But no matter when it is, the concept is the same – bringing balance and health to thousands of people by helping them reset their drinking habits. *

#AlcoholFree #Sobriety #SoberLife #RecoveryIsPossible #DryJanuary

*Source: https://alcoholchange.org.uk/get-involved/campaigns/dry-january