Kicking off the new year with Dry January? Here are six tips for success

December 6, 2023

Dry January is a time when people take a break from drinking and examine their relationship with alcohol. There are many potential reasons to take advantage of this time to examine your relationship with alcohol. It may be part of a New Year’s resolution to incorporate healthy behaviors into your routine. You may have overindulged during the holidays, and it affected your sleep and energy.

Whatever the reason, taking a break from alcohol for an entire month provides you with an opportunity to assess your patterns of alcohol consumption and how they affect you physically and mentally. It may also provide the space to cultivate alternatives for relaxing, socializing, and coping with stress. As a result, you may experience benefits such as improved sleep and vitality, or waking without the fatigue, malaise, and upset stomach of a hangover. You may also find that you lose weight without the extra calories from alcohol. Participants in Dry January have also noted positive effects on their relationships as well as saving money.

If you participate in Dry January, here are some tips to help keep you on track: 

• Identify why you choose to drink alcohol—for example, is it to have fun, to deal with stress and anxiety, or to fall asleep? Think about ways you could accomplish those objectives without alcohol, such as playing games instead of drinking at a party, meeting friends for a hike, taking a walk, or doing yoga.
• Let friends and family know about your plan to participate in Dry January. Consider asking them to join you and support each other throughout the month.
• Make sure alternative alcohol-free beverages are available at parties and gatherings.
• Have a polite, assertive "no, thanks" ready for when you are offered a drink.
• As the month progresses, pay attention to how you feel. Are you sleeping better? Do you have more energy? When you notice benefits, make note of them. It will help you keep your momentum going.
• Have a plan in place for when the month ends. As is the case with changing our eating habits, it’s easy to resume old patterns without a long-term plan.

Remember, if you feel better when you are not drinking, or when you decrease your drinking, then your body is telling you something. Listen to your body.

If you decide to return to drinking after January is over, stay within the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020–2025, which provide advice on what to eat and drink to meet nutrient needs, promote health, and prevent disease. The guidelines recommend that adults, who choose to drink, limit alcohol intake to 1 drink or less for women and 2 drinks or less for men—on any single day, not on average. Keep in mind that drinking less is better for health. Research shows that even small amounts of alcohol can carry health risks, including for certain cancers and cardiovascular issues.

Some people should avoid alcohol completely. It’s safest to avoid alcohol altogether if you:

• Take medications that interact with alcohol.
• Have a medical condition that can be made worse by drinking.
• Are under the legal drinking age of 21.
• Plan to drive a vehicle or operate machinery.
• Are recovering from alcohol use disorder or unable to control the amount you drink.
• Are pregnant or might be pregnant.
• Have a genetic predisposition to experience facial flushing and dizziness when drinking alcohol.

For more ideas to help you explore your relationship with alcohol and tips for cutting back, visit NIAAA’s Rethinking Drinking website. If you think you have an alcohol problem and need support for cutting back or quitting, visit the NIAAA Alcohol Treatment Navigator.

Best wishes and Happy New Year,
George F. Koob, Ph.D.
NIAAA Director