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What Is Dry January, And What Are The Health Benefits?

The holidays are definitely the time for imbibingmystery punch, wine, champagneand honestly, you should go right ahead and partake if you want to.

What Are The Health Benefits Of Dry January?

But when January 1 rolls around , many people are looking to get back on a schedule and feel more like their pre-holiday selves. If you're searching for a healthy reset that doesn't involve revamping your entire eating plan , you might be interested in Dry January.

Honestly, it's pretty straightforwardyou steer clear of alcohol for the entire month of January.

The concept actually originated in the UK in 2013; a non-profit group called Alcohol Change UK began it with the goal of raising money for alcohol abuse awareness and treatment.

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The trend caught on, and now lots of people choose to take part in Dry January as a way to simply drink less or reset after a month or two of holiday partying.

There are a lot of, tbh (you know, in addition to saving money, because alcohol is expensive AF). Here's what you can expect.

It may sound counter-intuitive, since most of us are likely to quickly pass out asleep after a night of drinking more than usual, but too much alcohol actually screws with your sleep status, says Brigitte Zeitlin, RD, owner of BZ Nutrition in New York City, adding that, after having a few drinks, your body doesn't get a chance to reach the deep sleep (a.k.a. REM sleep) that you need to help your body de-stress, repair, and replenish itself for the upcoming day.

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When you ditch the alcohol, however, you won't have those sleepy-yet-restless nights. "Practicing a sober month will actually boost your sleep help and have you feeling more restful and energized in the mornings," says Zeitlin.

Alcohol is a diuretic, which means it can make you go to the bathroom more frequentlyand ultimately leave you a bit dehydrated, says Zeitlin. And that dehydration can take a serious toll on your skin.

We tend to forget that we still need to focus on hydration during the cold months because we arent sweating, but the winter dries out your skin and body more than you realize, she says. By ditching the alcohol and upping your water intake, its really a win-win for your hydration status and will leave your skin feeling healthier and looking more radiant.

Plus, the high levels of salt and sugar content in alcoholic beverages may trigger the hormone IGF-1, which causes an over-production of oil in your skin (hi, pimples!). Team this with spiking insulin levels that cause inflammation and youve got yourself a recipe for acne . A booze hiatus can potentially improve acne for those who have it, as previously reported in Women's Health.

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Dropping pounds when you take a break from booze is pretty standard, says Zeitlinin fact, if you were to make zero other changes to your diet (except for cutting alcohol), you'd still probably lose weight .

One alcoholic drink is typically 150 to 200 calories, which can really add up, Zeitlin says. Additionally, when we drink a lot we tend to eat more than we realize as well, so cutting back on the alcohol will likely help you to also cut down on some of the mindless overeating that usually happens after the third (or fourth or fifth) round of cocktails.

As an added bonus, you may also find that you are less bloated or puffy without those nights of drinking too much, which in turn will make you feel naturally leaner and better, Zeitlin says.

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First, determine and understand why youre committing to Dry January.

Knowing your motivation will keep you more mindful of triggers or moments of wanting to give in, Zeitlin says. Tapping into your personal reasons as to why youre doing this will help you hit that 31-day marker.

Then, commit yourself to ditching the booze. Zeitlin suggests possibly recruiting a friend or family member to do it with you, as you may find it easier to stay sober on Saturday nights if youre not doing it alone.

You can also make it a bit easier on your self by avoiding thinking about what youre supposedly missing out onand when you do go out, drinking other hydrating beverages like water (flat or sparkling), tea (hot or iced), or something like a matcha latte, Zeitlin says. Mocktails , or alcohol-free cocktails, are always a good swap.

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You can also swap the drinks dates with your friends for dates to take a walk, go to a workout class, or just grab dinner, because honestly, you don't need alcohol in every social situation.

The first thing Zeitlin advises is checking in with yourself (another benefit of Dry January is having a chance to assess your relationship with booze, she says).

Ask yourself how youre feeling without the booze. Did you have more energy, save more money, or lose the few pounds you wanted? she says. Then use this as a starting point to re-adjust your relationship to alcohol, if its needed."

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In some cases, those who voluntarily quit alcohol for a month may end up drinking less even after the period endsthat's what happened in a 2016 study published in the journal Health Psychology . After participating in Dry January, participants reported healthier drinking habits even after the month was over.

Still, if you don't feel any changes, it's fine to go back to how your relationship with alcohol was before the month started. Just keep in mind that it's still a good idea to limit your booze to one or two drinks a night, says Zeitlinor no more than seven drinks per week for a woman, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism .

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