What happens to your body throughout the month of January? According to experts, here's what happens when you abstain from alcohol for 30 days during Dry January.
For some drinkers, the champagne toast at midnight on New Year's Eve is usually the last drop of alcohol they touch for the following month. That marks the formal start of Dry January, an effort launched in 2012 by Alcohol Change UK to educate people on the mental, physical, and even financial benefits of abstaining from alcohol.
However, most Dry January participants have no intention of stopping alcohol permanently – the objective is just to complete the month-long fast. But, if the goal of Dry January is to feel better and be healthier in general, is 30 days (or, in January's case, 31) even enough?
Unfortunately, the specialists Yahoo Life consulted with all agreed that 30 days is insufficient time to reset your body after years of frequent drinking. However, there may be additional unexpected benefits to experimenting with sobriety in the short run.
Participating in Dry January, according to Dr. George F. Koob, director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, may be a terrific opportunity to learn more about your drinking patterns, which can help you make healthier decisions in the future.
"If done correctly, there are numerous potential benefits to taking a vacation from alcohol," Koob tells Yahoo Life. "At the very least, abstaining from alcohol allows a person to assess their connection with alcohol and develop alternatives for relaxing, socializing, coping, and other reasons why people drink.""
It can also shed light on how alcohol affects your physical and mental health. "Some people may discover that their alcohol use was irritating their stomach, disrupting their sleep, contributing to weight gain, interfering with their morning exercise routine, affecting their relationships, or that they relied on alcohol for stress relief more than they thought," says Koob "Waking up without the fatigue, malaise, and other common hangover symptoms may improve a person's quality of life. And the financial savings might be significant for certain folks."
Dr. Tyler Oesterle, medical director of the Mayo Clinic Health System's Foundation Centers, tells Yahoo Life that heavy drinkers may see the most bodily changes as a result of Dry January. "Alcohol is harmful to several organ systems in the body," adds Oesterle, "including the liver, pancreas, heart, and neurological system, to mention a few." If any of these organ systems is affected, one month of abstinence might alleviate acute symptoms. For example, if a person is a frequent drinker who has had some liver damage, anomalies in their liver enzymes can improve within the first 30 days."
"There may also be other improvements for heavy drinkers in the first 30 days depending on the physical impact of their alcohol use," Oesterle adds. "If an individual is a light drinker, the one month abstinence can be used to establish a new abstinence-based habit, but it is not really enough time to make any significant physical difference for light drinkers."
While 30 days may not be enough time to make any meaningful physical changes, Elective Sobriety Coach Amanda Kuda agrees that it can be a great start for someone who is sober curious. For those who are concerned about the stigma of giving up alcohol, Dry January provides a built-in excuse to be sober, especially after what is most likely the "most intense drinking period of the year," she says.
"Dry January is a socially acceptable approach to take a step back from drinking in a culture preoccupied with wine," says Kuda. If you live in an area where you are expected to consume alcohol, Dry January is an excellent chance for you to abstain without anybody questioning your motivations. It allows you to take a step back and ask yourself, 'Is this something I want to pursue further?' 'I view 30 days as a terrific springboard to a longer-term transformation as well as a short-term rest for your body."
While she cautions that people who believe they may be addicted to alcohol should consult with a medical professional before going cold turkey, even for 30 days, Kuda believes Dry January can be a "great opportunity to be observant about our behavior around alcohol," and it may even encourage you to continue the sober experiment past January 31.
"Anyone can do anything for 30 days," Kuda adds, "but the actual transformation in your relationship with alcohol comes when you can continue it and see how it works in the long run."
Even in the short term, it's now simpler than ever for individuals who are looking forward to or inquisitive about trying out alcohol-free life, according to Kuda.
"There are so many fantastic non-alcoholic options that you probably love to drink right now," Kuda adds, "non-alcoholic wines, spirits, beers that come quite close to the genuine thing." There are now so many possibilities to make you feel included if you're seeking for something unique to appreciate."
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SOURCE: Yahoo
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