First of all, we are going to start this article by explaining what the Dry January movement is and how it was born. Dry January is the Spanish translation of the well-known movement originating in the United Kingdom called Dry January. This movement is said to have been started around 2013 by the non-profit organization Alcohol Change UK who officially launched the " Dry January " campaign as a way to promote a healthier relationship with alcohol and raise funds for alcoholism research. .

What began as a local initiative soon became a global phenomenon, to the extent that today many governments of countries, mainly in Europe, including the United Kingdom, use the Dry January campaign as a public health incentive to reduce subsequent risks. to the holiday season where statistically the greatest alcohol-related damages of the entire year are suffered, especially those related to car accidents but also include severe damage to health, intra-family violence and violence in general.

Why take a Dry January?

For many reasons, but let's say you over-partyed a little and took Guadalupe-Reyes too seriously and your body needs a break. Although alcohol for many is a form of fun, the truth is that it causes serious damage to the health of the physical, mental and emotional body, not to mention the financial one.

You can make it your first goal of the year and give yourself a month of self-care that doesn't include alcohol, where you can use the time where you would normally be consuming alcohol for something more productive. You can make sure that alcohol is not the reason for not starting to meet your goals. And you may be surprised by the additional benefits it will bring you.

What are the benefits?

Improvements in your general health

Reduced blood pressure, improved sleep quality, and overall improvement in physical health.

Mental Wellness

Possible reduction of stress, anxiety and depression.

Financial Savings

Saving money by not buying alcohol for a month.

Self-knowledge

Increased awareness of alcohol consumption habits and their effects on the body and mind.

Practical Guide

If your relationship with alcohol is moderate, doing Dry January may not cost you much, but for those who have a relationship with constant consumption, it can be a challenge in itself to complete a full month. So we leave you our 10 recommendations to achieve it with as few ups and downs as possible.

1. Define an intention

Be very clear about why you are participating and what you hope to achieve. The more tangible and measurable it is, the easier it will be for you to identify if you reached your goal. Intention is not a goal, but rather a state of mind and a direction.

2. Create community

Share your goals with friends or family to feel accompanied, but if there are no people in your close circle with whom you can do it, you can also seek professional help from a therapist or even from a group specialized in stopping drinking.

3. Reduces the visibility of alcohol

We recommend that if you have a bar at home or a cabinet with liquor, drinks or beers in the fridge that could be a temptation in this process, that you keep them in a box and put them in a place away from your sight to avoid temptations.

4. Look for alternatives for moments of consumption

Although we invite you to leave alcohol aside, that does not mean that your moments of consumption will necessarily change. If you are used to having a beer when you get home from work, you may want to continue doing that, find an alternative that you like for that moment. It is highly recommended since if this is not foreseen, temptation may prevail.

5. Define how you are going to use the time that you previously dedicated to the activity of drinking alcohol

If part of your weekly routine is “going out drinking” or there are recreational activities that you enjoy only with alcohol, then plan alternatives to these activities. You can make your Bucket List of things you've wanted to do before but haven't done due to lack of time or because you were hungover!

6. Use a progress tracking system

Measure how you feel in the 4 areas that most commonly benefit: physical health, mental health, productivity and economy

7. Get creative

These are moments where you can bring out your creativity. During this month is there an important celebration in your life where you would normally drink alcohol? Have fun exploring alternative options on how to enjoy that day without alcohol. Look for recipes for non-alcoholic cocktails (they usually contain non-alcoholic liqueurs or distillates and replicate traditional drinks) or mocktails (creative non-alcoholic drinks)

8. Read about the benefits of giving up alcohol

This is a great time to read about all the good things that can happen to your body if you give up alcohol for long periods of time. The physical body usually benefits the most, but also mental health, focus, productivity and efficiency.

9. Set a savings goal

Decide how much money you want to “save” by stopping drinking. If, for example, in a month you spend $1,000 on alcohol and $300 on curing a hangover. Aim to save $1,300 by the end of the month.

10. Share it and applaud your effort

Although for many it is not difficult, the truth is that for many it is. The relationship with alcohol is often more complex than a simple drink. From experience I can tell you, celebrate every day that you achieve more than you have before and share your progress.