Dry January: What are the pros and cons?

Whether or not you’re taking part in Dry January - you’ve probably heard of it. Some people take part just to see if they can do it, some do it for their health, and some take part with the end goal of having a teetotal year. But when it comes to booze, is going cold turkey actually good for your health?

Positive impact

Let’s kick things off with the positives, taking part in Dry Jan can have a positive effect on both your physical and mental health. The more you drink on a regular basis, the more you’re likely to feel the effects of Dry January. Some of the most noticeable changes to your health include:

• Immune booster. Alcohol naturally weakens your immune system, so after a few weeks without your regular tipple, you may find your day-to-day health has improved.
  
  
• Improvements to your sleep. During the beginning of your alcohol free stretch, you might find yourself struggling to get into a deep sleep and as a result, feeling more tired. Alcohol has a sedative-like effect on us so that’s why it feels easier to doze off when you’ve had a couple of drinks, however, the downside to this is that you miss out on the all important Rapid Eye Movement (REM) stage of sleep. As you get used to sleeping without the help of alcohol, you’ll find yourself feeling less tired as the month progresses.
  
  
• Weight loss. Alcohol is made from natural starch and is more often than not, high in sugar. Your favourite pint of beer could set you back a massive 239 calories (kcal) which is the equivalent to eating a standard Mars Bar. So if you’re a regular drinker then even a month off alcohol could help you shed a little bit of weight.
  
  
• Lower your blood pressure. If you have high blood pressure then Dry Jan could help lower it - even just a few weeks without alcohol can help to lower your blood pressure.
  
  
• More switched on. As a result of sleeping better and with little to no alcohol in your system, you may find yourself feeling more alert and suffering less from brain fog. Even after a four week stretch of no drinking, you will likely find your concentration improving.
  
  

Free health checks with your life insurance

If the reason behind doing Dry January is based on improving your overall health then finding out where your health is at is a good place to start. If you have a policy with AIG, one of the UK’s leading life insurance providers, they offer a service called Smart Health which is a free additional benefit included with your cover.

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Understanding the challenges of going booze free

While there are many potential benefits to taking part in a Dry January, there are also some drawbacks. No one’s perfect and slip ups are natural so don’t let it deter you from continuing with your new venture.

It’s normal to experience some physical changes when you give up alcohol, some are positive and some can be negative. When you first take your month-long vow of no booze, bodily changes can include increased fatigue, decreased concentration, and sometimes even headaches due to withdrawal from booze. You may initially struggle to fall asleep without the assistance of alcohol as the effects of booze can affect your sleep and sleeping pattern.

However, these downsides should only be short-lived and the positive effects of quitting drinking should begin to take over after the initial week.

Week by week

Even though Dry January is only 31 days long, your body can go through so many changes during that time. Here is just a small breakdown of the week by week changes that you can experience when taking part in Dry Jan:

• Week one of no alcohol should improve your quality of sleep, you’ll be more hydrated and you may feel a boost of energy.
  
  
• Week two can consist of a reduction in stomach pain, nausea and digestive issues. Alcohol can be irritating to the stomach lining, so by taking a month long vow of no booze, it can give your body time to heal. If you were more of a heavy drinker, you may even begin to feel a small difference in your weight after two weeks of no drinking.
  
  
• Week three of a booze free diet could see your blood pressure start to reduce. Heavy drinking is often linked to hypertension (high blood pressure) which can also be linked to stroke and heart attack.
  
  
• Week four of no drinking means you’re coming to the end of Dry Jan. By this time, you may begin to see noticeable differences in the way you look and feel. Having a booze free month can help improve your liver function as your liver will begin to shed excess fat.
  
  

Life insurance freebies*

One of the main benefits of having any sort of life insurance policy in place is peace of mind for you and your loved ones. But did you know you can often access free benefits, included in your life insurance policy, that could help with your long term health and fitness goals and your new year's resolutions.

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The benefits you can get with your life insurance policy will vary from provider to provider and you’ll be informed about which benefits you’ll have access to when you take out your policy. If you’ve already got a life insurance policy, you can either check your policy documents, call us on 0161 241 6146 or contact your life insurance provider to find out what free life insurance benefits you may have access to.

Dry Jan tips, tricks and key takeaways

• If you’re beginning your drink free journey with the goal of sticking to it long term, then surrounding yourself with like-minded people could really help when it comes to motivation.
  
  
• Whether you’re for or against them, alcohol substitutes have levelled up and these days there is pretty much a booze free version of every different type of drink you can think of. If you’re struggling with the habit side of things then replacing your normal tipple with its alcohol free counterpart could help with the transition.
  
  
• Money is a great motivation and depending on how much you normally drink, doing Dry Jan could save you a decent chunk of cash. You could save the money up or even funnel the funds you’ve saved into a new hobby or venture to fill your time. If you’ve gotten into the habit of having a glass of your favourite wine to help you relax and/or sleep after a long day of work, then try filling some of your evenings with physical activity. Whether it’s a 20 minute run on the treadmill or swapping your drive home for a walk, a weightlifting session or even a kickboxing class, the endorphins released from exercise can boost your mood and help you sleep.
  
  
• Knowing yourself and your drinking triggers is essential if you’re on the road to drinking less or doing Dry Jan. It could be hunger, smoking, seeing a certain group of friends or being around particular family members. If you know what your triggers are can really help you know what to avoid when it comes to your booze free journey.
  
  
• If you’ve felt considerably better in yourself during Dry Jan, both mentally and physically, then you don’t need to stop. One month sober doesn’t have to be where your journey ends, especially if your relationship with alcohol was previously a negative one. If Dry Jan has given you time to reflect on your relationship with drinking, why stop here?
  
  

 *These benefits are not contractual and can be amended or withdrawn at any time.