When January comes around, we may feel the need to take a break from alcohol. An alcohol-free month is the best choice we could possibly make for our health & wellbeing, British researchers conclude.
Christmas and new year is a time for celebrating with family and friends, and like the most of us, alcohol consumption generally increases throughout the month of December. Office parties, family gatherings, Christmas day, New Years Eve are all times when we drink and indulge more. Supermarkets even offer deals on alcohol throughout this time leading us all to temptation.
Dry January is an initiative of the charity organisation Alcohol Change United Kingdom, which encourages people to try giving up alcohol for 1 month at the start of the year .
Make the change..
It is fairly obvious that giving up alcohol for 31 days can only benefit our health, since drinking regularly is a major risk factor for cancer, liver disease, and cardiovascular diseases, among other issues.
However, a study from the university of Essex has quantified the improvements by skipping alcohol for one month can have on the body, both short and long term of our health & wellbeing, not to mention the money we may save.
Research says..
The research, which Dr. Richard de Visser from the University of Sussex led, found that people who took part in Dry January in 2018 reported higher energy levels and healthier body weight along with many other benefits:
- 93 percent of participants reported experiencing a sense of achievement at the end of the alcohol-free month
- 88 percent had saved the money that they would otherwise have spent on drinks
- 82 percent of participants reported an enhanced awareness of their relationship with alcohol
- 80 percent felt more in control of their drinking habits
- 76 percent understood when they felt more tempted to drink and why
- 71 percent of participants learned that they did not need alcohol to have fun
- 71 percent said that they enjoyed a better quality of sleep
- 70 percent reported better overall health
- 67 percent had higher energy levels
- 58 percent of participants lost weight
- 57 percent reported improved concentration
- 54 percent said that they noticed better skin health
Take the challenge..
Based on this, why not take on Dry January as a team as a wellbeing activity within the workplace. Not only will this help you achieve all the above, it will also be easier with the help and support of your peers.
Getting the whole team involved in Dry January is a great opportunity. So much can come from the team taking a month off booze together:
- Reduced absenteeism and lost productivity from alcohol, which are estimated to cost businesses £7.3bn each year
- Social ties between employees that aren’t based around just drinking
- A greater understanding of your legal responsibilities as an employer
- Plus, you can raise money for Alcohol Change UK https://alcoholchange.org.uk/