What Does a Dry January Do to Your Body?

The latest stats from YouGov reveal that 63% of Brits make New Year resolutions. Needless to say, giving up alcohol is always a popular decree. According to the study, 11% of people pledge to stop drinking altogether, or at least significantly reduce their alcohol intake.

Of course, health and wellbeing is a major motivator. And now, science has confirmed that committing to a Dry January does unlock a host of health benefits. So what can quitting the sauce do for you?

Liver fat drops by 15%

Heavy drinking can fast-track the accumulation of fat cells in the liver. But the good news is that just one month on the alcohol free bandwagon can reverse the damage by up to 15%.  

Appetite decreases

In 2015, a study published in the journal Obesity revealed that people under the influence of alcohol gobbled down 30% more than their sober counterparts.

Increase workplace efficiency

Alcohol tends to fog the mind, which makes it no surprise that volunteers in a recent New Scientist trial admitted to being 17% more efficient after giving up booze for a month.

Sleep quality increases

While some people wholeheartedly believe in a nightcap, a study in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research found that pre-bed drinks actually increase the brain’s alpha wave patterns, which contributes to a low-quality sleep.

Cancer risks drop

The National Cancer Institute maintains that like smoking, excessive alcohol use is linked to a host of cancers. Mouth, liver, breast, colon and rectum, to name a few.

Shed weight

Wine, beer and other drinks can be laden with calories, which means that giving them up for a month can trigger significant weight loss. A recent New Scientist trial found that on average, volunteers lost around 2% of their total body weight.

Get a healthy glow

Alcohol is a notorious dehydrator, which means giving up the drink can get skin glowing, as well as improve dry skin conditions like eczema and dandruff.

So, for all those musing over whether it’s worth slogging through an entire month without alcohol, the answer is yes! Plus, a recent ‘Dry January’ study found that committing to an alcohol free month could change drinking habits for good, with participants drinking less heavily, even after taking up again in February.

For more information on how science is being used to augment human health, ‘Testing Wheat Grain Authenticity with Fast, Non-destructive Multispectral Image Analysis’ is a fascinating read.