Dry January 2023: Celebrating 10 years of sobriety - benefits of cutting back on alcohol including better skin
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With Christmas now in the rear view mirror and New Year’s just around the corner, January has always been a month of resolutions both kept and broken. One tradition, Dry January, returns next month celebrating ten years of sobriety in the United Kingdom - and a decade of tackling alcohol problems many Brits suffer through silently.
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Hide AdStarting life back in 2013, Alcohol Change introduced the concept of going the first 31 days of the year without a drop of alcohol. The charity has always been quick to point out they are not “anti-alcohol” but rather “for alcohol change”.
“We are for a future in which people drink as a conscious choice, not a default; where the issues which lead to alcohol problems – like poverty, mental health issues, homelessness – are addressed. Where those of us who drink too much, and our loved ones, have access to high-quality support whenever we need it, without shame or stigma” the charity’s website states.
“The harm doesn’t end with the individual; each of us who drinks too much is part of a family and a community who feel the effects too, whether through frequent use of emergency services, drink driving, violence or neglect.”
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Hide AdThose who have undertaken Dry January in previous years have shared with Alcohol Change some of the benefits they’ve felt giving up the demon drink; 70% of those polled having undertaken Dry January have benefitted from better sleep, with 86% saying they’ve saved money and 65% claiming they’ve felt health benefits since going off the sauce.
Those health benefits not only include better looking skin and a winning smile, but only one month off alcohol can see lower blood pressure, a reduction in diabetes risks, lower cholesterol and a reduction of levels of cancer-related proteins in the blood. Dry January also boasts that going through January without a drink helps set a healthy precedent for those who like a tipple all year round, according to a study by the University of Sussex.
If self-motivation is a problem, Alcohol Change have provided a number of tools for those who need a bit of coaching to get through the month; these include a daily blog on the Dry January website with testimonials from other people taking on the challenge, alongside the Try Dry app available for both Android and iPhones.
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