Dry January brings health benefits

As the new year begins, some are taking a break from drinking in a challenge called Dry January,.

The challenge started in the United Kingdom more than a decade ago. It was created by the charity Alcohol Change UK, and has since grown into a global trend.

“The number of people participating in Dry January is continuing to go up. In Wisconsin we see drinking slowly going down, but especially in our younger generation. So while we still are above the national average for underage drinking, that has dropped significantly in the last twenty years,” says Maureen Busalacchi.

Busalacchi is the Director of the Division of Alcohol Policy Prevention and Research in the Comprehensive Injury Center at the Medical College of Wisconsin.

She also runs the Wisconsin Alcohol Policy Project (WisAPP), which provides training, technical assistance and tools to reduce alcohol-related harm in Wisconsin.

Busalacchi says although drinking rates are going down, Wisconsin is still well above the national average of excessive alcohol use.

She adds the benefits from refraining from alcohol for just a month can be significant.

“There can be weight loss, people can have more energy so they might eat better, they might get back into their exercise routine, and be able to do some of things that they have been feeling fatigued about. And it’s especially important in January for folks, because January is a tough month here in Wisconsin,” says Busalacchi

She adds that it can also improve sleep, increase energy, and reduce liver fat and your blood sugar, which helps with long term health.

“It also can be a time to reflect on your relationship with alcohol. You know, how much do you really want to drink,” says Busalacchi.

Last year, a fifth of Americans said they were likely to participate in Dry January, according to a YouGov poll.