Dry January can make a health difference, even if you just quit alcohol for a month. Experts say it can help you become aware of how much you drink, while delivering health benefits ranging from improved sleep and mental health to a lower risk of cancer and heart disease.
1. Withdrawal Symptoms Can Emerge
If you’re a heavy drinker, you might notice symptoms of alcohol withdrawal as soon as eight hours after going sober.
“People often become anxious, irritable, and restless. They may begin to develop sweatiness and become clammy,” Anne M. Larson, MD, a clinical professor of medicine at the University of Washington, told Verywell in an email.
These symptoms peak within 72 hours, but people with serious alcohol withdrawal symptoms should work with a healthcare provider, as the experience can be fatal.
2. Your Liver Health May Improve
About 90% of heavy drinkers will develop some form of alcoholic liver disease, while 20% to 40% will develop alcoholic hepatitis, which occurs when the liver becomes damaged and inflamed.
According to Larson, severe alcoholic hepatitis could be fatal in 30 days in half of the patients who develop this condition. She said that patients who survive and make an effort to avoid alcohol can still improve liver function, even though the healing could take months.
“A short-term break from alcohol will allow the liver cells to recover from the persistent toxic injury from the alcohol,” Larson said.
3. You May Boost Your Metabolic Health
Research from 2018 showed that a month-long break from alcohol was enough for moderate-heavy drinkers to see improvements in:
- Insulin resistance
- Blood pressure
- Body weight
These factors, along with blood sugar and cholesterol levels, all contribute to metabolic syndrome, a condition that can lead to diabetes and heart disease. Lifestyle changes, like reduced alcohol use, can limit these related risks.
4. Digestive Symptoms May Ease
Alcohol consumption is thought to cause gut inflammation and alter the gut microbiota.
If you stop drinking for a week, you might notice some positive changes in your gastrointestinal system. The digestive tract heals quickly after someone cuts out alcohol, according to Debbie Petitpain, MBA, RDN, a registered dietitian based in Charleston.
“Alcohol is an irritant to the lining of the GI tract. At a week out, the lining will start to repair, and symptoms of heartburn should lessen or go away,” Petitpain said.
5. Your Brain and Mental Health Get a Boost
Alcohol use increases the risk of stroke and brain injury because of its effects on your nervous system and the specific nerve pathways in the brain. Permanent brain damage is possible.
After 30 days without alcohol, your brain and thought processes might become clearer, according to Larson. The improved hydration can also help with overall wellness, including your brain power.
Drinking is also associated with less impulse control, so even one day without drinking could reduce the chance of getting accidental injuries.9 Even if you don’t drink a lot, an alcohol-free month is a good time to reflect on your relationship with alcohol.
“People often describe to me that they now realize how much the alcohol altered their behavior and relationships. They are more introspective about their alcohol use,” Larson said.
6. You May Have Better Sleep Quality
Insomnia is common in people who use alcohol, especially those with an alcohol misuse disorder. Treatments for insomnia include cognitive behavioral therapy and medication.
Since alcohol is linked to poor sleep quality, you might start to feel more energized after a week without alcohol.
7. Your Immune Function May Improve
Alcohol use disrupts the immune system in the short term, and long-term use can lead to changes in how the immune system works. Research results suggest alcohol use is linked to the following changes, all of which can increase inflammation and/or infection risk:
- Damage to the intestinal lining
- Changes in high-sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hsCRP)
- Lower levels of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF‐α)
- Higher levels of interleukin 6 (IL‐6) and IL-10
There's some evidence that three weeks of alcohol abstinence can improve the levels of these biomarkers in the blood. You might even get an immune system boost within the first day; it’s harder for the body to fight infections for 24 hours after drinking.
8. You May Start to Lower Your Cancer Risk
Alcohol use may increase the risk of certain types of cancer, including:
- Liver cancer
- Colon cancer
- Pancreatic cancer
- Breast cancer
- Esophageal cancer
- Head and neck cancers, including oral cancer
The liver inflammation caused by alcohol use can lead to conditions that may make liver cancer more likely.
The Benefits Beyond 30 Days With No Alcohol
Quitting alcohol for one month seems like a short time, but research suggests health benefits for people who participate in Dry January. There's also evidence that participants continue to drink less, even six months later.
“A lot of times people engage in behaviors that are habitual, and they’re not even aware of why they do what they do or when they do what they do,” Tavis Glassman, MPH, PhD, a professor of public health at The University of Toledo, told Verywell. “Simply tracking your alcohol over a month would be a good idea.”
How Do You Know If You're a Heavy Drinker?
Moderate drinking is defined as two drinks or less in a day for men and one drink or less in a day for women.
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism defines heavy alcohol use as:
Consuming five or more drinks on any day or 15 or more per week for men
Consuming four or more on any day or eight or more drinks per week for women19
Talk with your healthcare provider if you have concerns about your level of alcohol use, or if you notice disruptive patterns in your relationships, work, or sense of self due to drinking.
