As a non-drinker, 'Dry January' is something I've never been able to get my head around.
To be clear, I've got no issue with drinking, most of my friends, co-workers and family members love the occasional bev.
However, the idea of not drinking for one month, when you drink for the other 11 months did sound a bit pointless.
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That was until I looked at the benefits of going teetotal for 31 days.
Dry January started in 2013 with just 4,000 people and the trend is now in its 11th year.
And according to Alcohol Change UK, over 175,000 took part in 2023, so there seems to definitely be some advantages on offer.
If you're one of the thousands who are thinking to take part, here are the benefits you can enjoy:
Skin
One of the first things you might notice is a change to your complexion.
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Reducing, or cutting out, the booze means your body is able to freely produce heaps of the anti-diuretic hormone vasopressin, which gives your skin a nice glow.
And that's not all, less alcohol also allows your pores to shrink, meaning fewer spots.
Liver
It will come as no surprise to many of you reading this that overdoing it with the beer and wine, etc. is not exactly great for your insides.
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The liver is where the contents of your trip to the pub have to be broken down, and depending on the amount you've drunk during the sesh, it can be a tough ask.
However, if you give it a little break, even just a few weeks, you can drastically reduce something called liver ‘stiffness’, an early sign of liver disease, which can, in the most extreme of cases, develop into cirrhosis.
Brain
After a week of no booze, once you get through the initial cravings and withdrawal, you can expect to see some general improvements to your day-to-day life including better sleep quality, better decision-making, and you might even notice that you feel more creative.
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Blood pressure
Drinking too much booze can seriously weaken the muscles in your blood vessels, causing them to become narrower.
This in turn makes it more difficult for your heart to get blood around your body, increasing your blood pressure, which can cause a whole host of issues such as the risk of a stroke as well as heart and kidney disease.
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But the good news is that if you are abstaining this month, you should notice a drop in your blood pressure in as little as four weeks.
Cancer
Studies have found that going sober can also help reduce the risk of a person developing several forms of cancer, such as mouth, breast, bowel and liver.
Immune system
Consuming too much alcohol can give the immune system a good kicking, meaning you're more susceptible to germs and bugs going round the office.
And with the weather turning, that could be pretty useful.
Topics: Food And Drink, Health
Anish Vij