Dry January benefits and tips

A New Year means a fresh start, and for some that means going alcohol free the first month of the year, what's become known as "Dry January."

The trend has grown in popularity over the years and is popular with those looking to reset after a month of holiday celebrations. Experts say there are benefits to going booze-free including better sleep, improved mood and a greater sense of well-being.

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"I think it’s a really great idea for a lot of people," said Dr. Michelle DiBlasi, the chief of inpatient psychiatry at Tufts Medical Center. "Dry January kind of gives some people the opportunity to maybe reduce the amount of alcohol that they are drinking or just to say maybe I’ll just try going a month without doing it and see what sort of benefits there are."

A study from the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases found beer drinkers usually have less healthy lifestyles than drinkers who prefer wine, liquor or a combination of alcohol types.

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Pat Doling, the owner of Dray Drinks, sees the trend firsthand and says people are looking for different options. His stores in Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts, sell alcohol-free wine, cocktails and beer.

"Many of the things here today are pretty comparable to the alcoholic version," Dooling said. "I think post-pandemic there’s been a lot of focus on just health generally and the various things that keep your body good all the time."

For anyone going to try to give up drinking this month, here are some tips:

Find a non-alcoholic substitution
Find someone who will help you stay on track
Keep a positive mindset
Write down your goals and keep track of your drinking

The results can be long-lasting. A study by the American Psychological Association found those who successfully completed Dry January drank on average one day less per week even six months later.

"I've seen this with people where they’ve tried it, just trying not drinking at all or just drinking less and they often times see such an improvement in their mood, their wellbeing, their energy levels, that often they don’t really want to go back to doing it," DiBlasi said.