The Nuance
Does Dry January Actually Improve Your Health?
The evidence is mixed on whether taking a month off drinking makes a difference
Every week, the Nuance will go beyond the basics, offering a deep and researched look at the latest science and expert insights on a buzzed-about health topic.
Maybe you’ve heard of “Dry January”? It’s an alcohol abstinence campaign, launched a few years ago, that encourages people to give up drinking for the first month of the year. (“Sober September” is a similar public health initiative.) Dry January’s organizers say a month without booze can promote weight loss, improve sleep and energy levels, and offer many other health benefits.
Many Americans are boozing more than they should. Roughly one in seven adults meets the criteria for an alcohol use disorder, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). These criteria include occasionally drinking enough to black out or drinking to the point that alcohol is interfering with your work or social life.
By some estimates, men are actually drinking a little less than they used to, while women are drinking more. Between 2002 and 2013, rates of binge drinking jumped 14 percent among women and declined slightly among men. “Men and women are…
