Don’t think of dry January as a punishment. Think of it as improved mental health.
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Does the phrase “dry January” invoke the same energy as “New Year, New Me,” or some other resolution-related saying?
Dry January sounds like some sort of punishment, like dry cake on your birthday. Or cracked knuckles in the winter. Or that time you forgot to use fabric softener and now your shirt is crunchy.
However, if done right, dry January can help you lose the hangover — and gain positive mental health habits. It’s not about a full detox but the intention to curate positive habits.
“When we hear dry January, we often believe those participating must not have a good relationship with alcohol, or even worse, they might be an alcoholic. However, that’s simply not true, said Charlotte-area mental health therapist and life coach Veronda Bellamy. “Alcohol use — which compounds both anxiety and depression — has increased significantly for Americans during the coronavirus pandemic. Therefore, choosing to participate in dry January doesn’t just present physical health benefits, but also the chance to reset negative habits that could be affecting your mental health long term.”
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Alcohol and mental health
During the early parts of the COVID-19 stay-at-home orders, research firm Nielsen reported a 55 percent increase in national alcohol sales in the third week of March, compared with the same week in 2019. Similarly, online alcohol sales were up 234 percent since last year.
In addition to sales, the frequency of alcohol consumption increased as well, especially in women, according to a study published in September 2020. The widespread increase in alcohol sales and consumption prompted a World Health Organization warning that cited a weakened immune system and the harmful effects of substance abuse as reasons to limit intake.
The increase in alcohol consumption amid the pandemic is often linked to the anxiety and depression felt as a result of the virus. Alcohol abuse is common in those suffering from depression, as many use it as an escape to numb the pain. However, since alcohol is a depressant, it can ultimately worsen depression on a long-term basis — even as far as rewiring the brain and causing chemical imbalances.
“In general, any increases in the frequency or amount of one’s alcohol use during the current crisis could be cause for concern, particularly if the increases stem from an attempt to cope with negative emotions associated with the crisis,” George F. Koob, director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, said in an interview with SELF.
What happens if you slip?
After the deadly siege at the Capitol, those who vowed to eliminate alcohol consumption throughout the first month of the year were taking to Twitter to say something to the tune of “dry January is canceled.”
While it’s been a rough start to the year, there’s still time to get back on track and meet dry January goals.
“You have had what we refer to as a lapse,” Kim Fromme, a clinical psychology professor at the University of Texas, told USA Today. “You broke your promise to yourself about Dry January, you had a drink or drinks, but a single slip of drinking does not mean you have to completely blow off your goal.”
If anything, it’s even more reason to keep going — if for nothing else than your mental health.
Dry January, done right
Dry January began in the U.K. in 2013 as an initiative where people pledged not to drink alcohol for the entire month of January. It started with 4,300 people in 2013 and spiked to more than 5 million in 2017, with participants joining from the U.S.
When you commit to limit alcohol consumption for the month of January (or any month) — and actually follow through — you’ll reap positive mental health benefits. Here’s what to expect:
You may sleep better.
“By abstaining from alcohol, even for this short period of time, your sleep quality will improve,” Bellamy said.
Initially, it may feel as though alcohol helps you fall asleep, but the body quickly develops a tolerance to this effect. Alcohol is also shown to cause sleep disturbances, especially during the ever-important REM stage of sleeping.
Sleep is vital to your mental health, and a good night’s sleep is thought to foster mental and emotional resilience, versus the negative thinking and emotional vulnerability associated with sleep deprivation.
Your immune health may improve.
In a time when immune health is especially important, watching your alcohol consumption could affect your overall health. Alcohol disrupts the immune system’s ability to defend against infection and has been linked to adverse immune-related health effects, including susceptibility to pneumonia, acute respiratory stress syndromes and certain cancers. And getting drunk even just one time can impede your body’s ability to fight infection.
In addition, poor immune health is often linked to depression. Habits you create during Dry January could improve both your immune and mental health, especially when supplemented with other healthy practices.
You may adopt healthy coping mechanisms.
“You’ll learn other ways to cope with anxiety and depression such as increasing exercise, which releases endorphins,” Bellamy said.
Endorphins are released during exercise and are what’s often attributed to a “runner’s high,” though you can feel the mood-boosting effects during any aerobic activity.
In addition to improving your mood, exercise can also reduce the negative effects of stress, such as the fight or flight response. Working out can lower symptoms of mild depression and anxiety, so you can engage in a healthy coping mechanism when you’re feeling anxious about a situation.
You may find someone to keep you accountable.
We’re almost through January, but that doesn’t mean it’s too late to start. There’s no rule book stating dry January has to start on Jan. 1 or even in January at all — no one is going to come after you if you decide to do say, dry February. Bellamy suggests going public with your challenge to help you stay motivated.
“Post it on your Instagram or Facebook, and you might find a group who is going through the same thing,” Bellamy said. “There is power in community, especially when it comes to bettering your mental health.”
