Between Thanksgiving, New Year’s Eve, and all of the major the holidays in between, you likely spent some of that time sipping wine with your family at dinner, trying festive cocktails with your S.O., and taking shots with your hometown besties. Now that the holiday season has passed us by and 2025 is officially here, you may be feeling a little sluggish and sleepy after all of the sweet treats and libations. (It was all totally worth it, though!) If you’re looking for a fresh start to the year and want to get back into your normal routine, you may benefit from taking a month away from alcohol, otherwise referred to as Dry January, and IMHO, it’s totally worth a try. But you may be wondering, what exactly is Dry January? Here’s everything you should know about the concept and what alternatives you can take that are just as beneficial to your health.
So, what exactly is Dry January?
Dry January is when someone takes a break from consuming alcohol for the entire month of January, usually as a follow-up to the heavy drinking that often comes with celebrating the holidays. This trend originated in the UK via the organization Alcohol Change UK, so it’s something we can “blame the Brits” for. It’s a relatively new idea as it officially started in 2013 with just 4,000 people committing to the practice. However, in 2023—just a mere decade later—175,000 participated, per reports. While Tonic argues that “no one gives a sh*t about your Dry January status,” their argument doesn’t stop people from trying it for themselves. In fact, you can sign up as a Dry January participant right here.
The benefits of Dry January
Of course, cutting alcohol out of your diet can have a major impact on your physical and mental health. These include, but are not limited to, things such as better skin, better sleep, increased energy/focus, and weight loss.
During Dry January, you might wonder if it’s worth omitting alcohol for the entire month, but the benefits will completely outweigh any drawbacks. And hey, at the end of the month, you can reward yourself with a nice glass of wine or beer.
Mocktail recipes for Dry January
If you’ve decided to partake in Dry January, congrats! As an added assist, I can personally suggest some mocktails you’ll want to make. Consider checking out our comprehensive mocktail guide full of recipes to inspire you during your alcohol-free month. And if you don’t want to mix anything up yourself, you can grab these canned mocktails and non-alcoholic drinks to sip all this month.
Alternatives to Dry January
Some people consider partaking in Dry January an unattainable task, and that’s totally fine. Enjoy your hard seltzers, ciders, and beyond. To those of you who still want to grab a casual drink with friends, Damp January is a different approach to try.
Damp January is an approach to drinking less that is totally dependent on the individual and their ability to commit to certain actions. For example, SELF suggests that participants may choose to drink only on weekends, avoid hard liquors, etc. in January. Finding what works for your schedule and social life is much less daunting if you’re not ready to fully give up alcohol for the month.
No matter what option you end up going with, at least consider partaking in Dry January. It might not be the most appealing decision from the get-go or the one that you feel is the most feasible to try, but please do your best to keep your options open this holiday season and into the new year.