A Scoping Review of Dry January: Evidence and Future Directions
Journal Article
Going Alcohol-Free For One Month Comes With Multiple Health Benefits, Study Reveals
Researchers from Brown University and the University at Buffalo explored the health benefits of an alcohol-free month – and the results are inspiring.
Researchers analysed data from 16 studies on Dry January for the review, which was published in the journal Alcohol and Alcoholism. They found that people who participated in Dry January were more likely to be female, younger, have higher incomes, have a college degree, and were engaging in heavy alcohol use before the challenge started.
The participants reported feeling happier when they went alcohol-free for the month. They also were more likely to say that they lost weight, were able to concentrate more, and had better energy than they did before. The researchers even noticed physical changes, like the participants had better blood pressure, vascular health, and liver function, and had less insulin resistance, which is considered a precursor to diabetes.
The study also showed that people who reduced alcohol consumption without going alcohol-free entirely experienced health metrics improvements.
Overall, participants were also more likely to consume less alcohol and have fewer signs of alcohol use disorder during a six-month follow-up.
Dry January likely provided an opportunity for self-reflection,” says Megan Strowger, PhD, study co-author and post-doctoral research associate at University at Buffalo, as per Women’s Health Magazine.
Dry January is a great opportunity to re-evaluate your relationship with alcohol.”
Megan Strowger, PhD, study co-author and post-doctoral research associate, University at Buffalo,
Why Does Going Alcohol-Free For a Month Benefit People’s Health?
Alcoholic drinks have calories, and they also impact how much people eat, as per Women’s Health Magazine reporting.
People often eat after [consuming alcohol] in an attempt to decrease the impact of the alcohol and so consume extra calories.”
Susan Kelly-Weeder, PhD, researcher and dean of the George Washington University School of Nursing
Being at an unhealthy weight can raise the risk of a host of health issues, while going alcohol-free can help with healthy weight loss.
Alcohol also affects sleep negatively, which can impact physical and mental health.
Most adults do not get enough quality sleep and we know that alcohol use interferes with deep restful sleep. Once alcohol is eliminated, people begin to sleep better.”
Susan Kelly-Weeder, PhD, researcher and dean of the George Washington University School of Nursing
Concerning mental health, researchers highlight that alcohol affects the human brain.
Alcohol is fundamentally a depressant. Over time, that can impact mood, happiness, and mental health. By removing that influence in a short period [like Sober October or Dry January], it allows the brain to stabilize.”
Megan Strowger, PhD, study co-author and post-doctoral research associate, University at Buffalo,
What Happens When People Lower Alcohol Intake But Don’t Quit?
The study also found people who don’t go alcohol-free entirely also can experience some health benefits from reducing alcohol intake. Even if people didn’t fully go alcohol-free for the entire month, cutting back from their usual amount resulted in some health benefits.
The key takeaway is that any reduction in alcohol consumption helps.”
Megan Strowger, PhD, study co-author and post-doctoral research associate, University at Buffalo,
Ultimately, experts say it’s a good idea for a person to lower alcohol use because “every little bit helps,” according to Dean Kelly-Weeder.
Abstract
Dry January is a temporary alcohol abstinence challenge where participants commit to abstaining from drinking alcohol for one month. It has grown in popularity since its inception >10 years ago.
The current scoping review sought to broadly characterise the peer-reviewed literature on Dry January, summarize its main findings, strengths and limitations, and delineate future research directions.
In total, 90 publications were screened and 16 were reviewed.
Findings revealed that compared to alcohol consumers in the general population who did not participate, Dry January participants tended to report having higher incomes, completed university education, reported being female, younger, and engaging in heavy alcohol consumption at baseline.
Those who consumed light to moderate amounts of alcohol were more likely to report successfully abstaining than people with heavier alcohol intake. Among successful abstainers, short- and mid-term sustained reductions in self-reported alcohol use and improved biological outcomes, well-being, and alcoholic drink refusal self-efficacy were observed. Benefits were also reported among those who did not fully abstain.
Most Dry January participants would participate in the program again. Overall, Dry January demonstrates significant promise and warrants more rigorous research. As nearly all extant research derives from the United Kingdom, future research should investigate applications and effects beyond that population.