The “dry” January, also known as Dry January, is no longer a phenomenon. Many consider self-castigation to be an appropriate response to sometimes excessive indulgences during the holidays. You can find out what speaks for and against it in The Cube.
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New year, new me? Every January, most of us resolve to do something for ourselves, whether it’s exercising or reading more books. For some, this also means reducing alcohol consumption.
This post-holiday tradition is also known as “Dry January”: abstaining from alcohol for an entire month.
But does abstaining from alcohol for 31 days really work? Let’s take a closer look. At this moment, your social media is probably flooded with self-improvement posts and maybe even a few announcements from your loved ones that they’re staying sober throughout January
“Significant benefits”
But can such a short-term drinking break really have health benefits?
We have this question for Dr. Rajiv Jalan, professor of hepatology at University College London, who has studied the effects of dry January.
He said in the interview: “We found that observing Dry January brings significant health benefits. The most important thing we noticed in patients was the feeling of energy, their concentration and their sleep. Most of them reduced their weight, almost two to three kilograms in a month. We followed up with the participants after three to six months to find out what impact Dry January had on them. And in general, this is how they felt in the last month Good thing they were more afraid to drink, especially during the week. Over the next six months, their alcohol consumption remained low.”
When does drinking behavior become suspicious?
According to the World Health Organization, there is no safe level of alcohol consumption. And avoiding alcohol is the only way to avoid its harmful effects.
Almost one in five Europeans reported heavy drinking – i.e. more than 6 units of alcohol at once – at least once a month in 2019.
But some experts have warned that Dry January could trigger a negative boomerang effect, similar to a strict diet where you go abstinent and then go into a binge.
The British Liver Trust recommends not drinking alcohol two or three days a week to allow the liver to recover regularly, rather than staying abstinent for a month and then returning to old habits.
Expert: “Myth of the boomerang effect”
However, according to Joe Marley, communications director for Alcohol Change UK, the charity that launched the Dry January campaign in 2013, studies have shown the opposite: “It’s a bit of a myth that taking part in Dry January is a boomerang. Seven “One in ten people are still drinking in a more conscious and healthy way six months later. So there’s not really any evidence that people are falling back into old habits at the end of January.”
So is there anyone who shouldn’t take part in Dry January? According to every expert we spoke to, the campaign is aimed at social drinkers, not people looking to relax.
But if Dry January seems too daunting, you can also try Wet January. This means that you only treat yourself to a drink or two on special occasions like a birthday or a wedding.
Thanks for watching and Happy New Year!
2024-01-01 05:15:59
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