Dry January: Why you should join in

Anyone who takes part in Dry January voluntarily abstains from alcohol for the first month of the year. Here you can find out how useful the trend is for your health.

The resolution to consume less alcohol in the New Year is not new. However, anyone who takes part in the so-called Dry January abstains from alcohol completely for a month from New Year’s Eve.

The “Dry January” trend comes from Great Britain. There, alcohol is the most common cause of death for people aged 15 to 49. Germany is also considered a high-consumption country, as everyone aged 15 and over drinks an average of 10 liters of alcohol per year.

No matter what your motivation is, it is always a good idea to critically reflect on your own drinking behavior.

How Dry January promotes health

The Dry January campaign promises that a month without alcohol will have a positive effect on your health: participants will sleep better, lose weight and have better skin.

In fact, physical well-being can increase in Dry January, or generally when abstaining from alcohol:

• According to the AOK, abstaining from alcohol for a while can strengthen your immune system and increase your ability to concentrate.
• Better and deeper sleep can also be a positive result.
• Alcohol also contains a lot of calories. Dry January is also a good option for people who want to lose weight.
• If you want to put less strain on your liver after drinking too much mulled wine and sparkling wine, Dry January also makes sense. However, this is only of any use if you don’t continue the same way after the break as before. The Federal Center for Health Education also recommends taking regular breaks from alcohol for several weeks. During this time the liver can produce new cells. By the way: You can’t really detoxify the liver, you can only protect it.

Attention: Participating in Dry January is no guarantee that you will suddenly feel completely healthy and fresh. If you previously drank alcohol almost every day, you may have (mild) withdrawal symptoms in the first week or two. These include the following symptoms:

• inner unrest
• Anxiety attacks
• Headache
• Craving for alcohol

Alcohol: Less is better

In general, drinking less alcohol is always a good idea, not just in January. However, there is no evidence that Dry January has any long-term positive effects on health. This is especially true if you drink alcohol again afterwards.

There is no amount of alcohol that is safe for health – it causes harm from the first drop. Because it is a toxic, psychoactive and addictive substance, according to the WHO.

According to the BZgA, the most common health problems associated with excessive alcohol consumption are:

• Cirrhosis of the liver
• Concentration and memory problems
• Heart muscle diseases
• High blood pressure
• Cancer diseases
• impotence
• Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
• Gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining)
• Overweight

Also read: Alcohol: Everything about legal principles and medical findings

Dry January: A good thing under certain conditions

Conclusion: Temporary alcohol abstinence in Dry January is an opportunity to reflect on alcohol consumption and, if necessary, change it. Be realistic:

• How much alcohol do you drink?
• Why and when do you drink alcohol?
• Why do you want to give up alcohol?

If you find yourself having a hard time giving up alcohol in January, you may already have a problem with alcohol. Take advantage of Dry January and get help if necessary.

In the Utopia podcast we interviewed Nathalie Stüben, who was addicted to alcohol for years and is now explaining it:

We recommend delicious drinks without alcohol:

• Non-alcoholic cocktails: delicious recipes for mocktails
• Non-alcoholic Caipirinha: Delicious basic recipe for Virgin Caipi
• Alcohol-free strawberry punch: basic recipe and possible variations
• Frozen Aperol Spritz: Recipe with an alcohol-free version
• Peach punch: alcohol-free recipe with fresh fruit
• Melon punch: alcohol-free recipe with watermelon
• Non-alcoholic Hugo: A recipe for the summer cocktail

Read more on Techzle\.com:

• Shopping addiction: How to recognize it and what you can do
• What helps against a hangover? Tips and home remedies for drinking too much alcohol
• Lemon juice treatment: This is how detoxification and purification with lemon works

Edited by Luise Rau

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