If you're planning to resume drinking when Dry January ends, chances are you'll do it less often, new research has found.
Researchers in the UK surveyed 800 people who went without alcohol in January 2018, and found that by August, they were drinking fewer days per week and getting intoxicated less often.
"The simple act of taking a month off alcohol helps people drink less in the long term," said University of Sussex psychologist Dr Richard de Visser, who led the study.
"By August people are reporting one extra dry day per week. There are also considerable immediate benefits - nine in 10 people save money, seven in 10 sleep better and three in five lose weight."
Drinking days per week dropped on average from 4.3 to 3.3, and units consumed from 8.6 to 7.1. The number of times drinkers would get intoxicated each month fell from 3.4 to 2.1.
"Interestingly, these changes in alcohol consumption have also been seen in the participants who didn't manage to stay alcohol-free for the whole month - although they are a bit smaller. This shows that there are real benefits to just trying to complete Dry January."
Three-quarters of participants said they learned more about just why they drink, and just over half reported better concentration and nicer skin.
"Being alcohol-free for 31 days shows us that we don't need alcohol to have fun, to relax, to socialise," said Richard Piper, head of Alcohol Change UK.
"That means that for the rest of the year we are better able to make decisions about our drinking, and to avoid slipping into drinking more than we really want to."
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The Ministry of Health estimates there are nearly 800,000 problem drinkers in New Zealand, with recent rises in the number of older New Zealanders drinking hazardously.
More than 4000 were hospitalised last year due to alcohol consumption.
Newshub.
