Rethinking drinking: Dry January's impact week-by-week

"Dry January" is an annual event initiated in 2014 by the British non-governmental organisation Alcohol Change UK. The challenge involves abstaining completely from alcohol during the first month of the new year. January was deliberately chosen, as following the excesses of New Year's Eve, vows to abstain from alcohol seem to come naturally.

In an interview with Metro, addiction specialist Dr. Niall Campbell outlined the weekly benefits for those who manage to last through the entire Dry January. The World Health Organization (WHO), based on decades of data, has established that there are no "safe" levels of alcohol consumption. On the WHO website, it states: "Alcohol and alcoholic beverages contain ethanol, which is a psychoactive and toxic substance with dependence-producing properties. Alcohol has been widely used in many cultures for centuries, but it is associated with significant health risks and harms."

Dr. Campbell reminded us that alcohol disrupts the natural sleep cycle. Drinking causes immediate deep sleep, skipping the crucial rapid eye movement (REM) phase. Even a shorter sober sleep results in feeling more rested than sleep aided by alcohol. Apart from better sleep, the first week of sobriety will make your body more hydrated. The doctor explained: "When drinking alcohol, we lose about four times more fluid than we actually consumed."

Dehydration is harmful to the entire body and particularly detrimental to the brain. Dr. Campbell emphasised that as early as the first week without alcohol: "Your mood and concentration will become more stable, and headaches will likely lessen." He added: "You also won't experience dehydration effects such as lack of motivation and fatigue, allowing you to have more energy throughout the day."

In the second week of Dry January, you'll notice a reduction in stomach pains and digestive issues. Alcohol irritates the stomach lining, so taking a break gives your body time to heal. Dr. Campbell also noted that you'll start losing weight by cutting out the empty calories found in alcohol. She calculated: "By the end of Dry January, you are likely to have reduced your calorie intake by 3,840 for the month if you used to drink six glasses of 175ml wine a week, or 4,320 calories over the month if you used to drink six pints of lager a week."

After three weeks without alcohol, your blood pressure will begin to drop. Heavy drinking is closely associated with hypertension, which is a major cause of strokes and heart attacks.

Making it to the end of Dry January means you'll notice differences not only in how you feel but also in your appearance. Dr. Campbell explained: "Your boosted hydration levels will have a positive effect on your skin. As more water will have been absorbed rather than wasted, you are likely to have more hydrated-looking skin, as well as reduced dandruff and eczema."

Your liver will also feel better. Dr. Campbell emphasized: "Removing alcohol from your diet for four weeks can also help to improve your liver function, as your liver will start to shed excess fat. If your liver function is not too badly affected by alcohol, it can recover within four to eight weeks." It's important to remember that frequent drinking, even small amounts of alcohol, damages the liver, which continually removes toxins from the body without getting a chance to regenerate.

Source: metro.co.uk