Posted 09 Jan, 2026
You’ve probably heard of Dry January and its growing popularity. You might well be joining in or considering participating yourself through the rest of this month, or trying a different alcohol-free period further down the line.
But is Dry January good for you? We’ll take an honest look at the potential benefits of taking a break from alcohol and consider whether there are any drawbacks.
Dry January is a challenge where people attempt to spend an alcohol-free month at the start of the year. The aim is to give participants a January reset, as well as encouraging them to look at their relationship with alcohol and adopt healthier drinking habits. Some people may decide to quit drinking entirely, but this is not necessarily the end goal and is certainly not the result for everyone.
Dry January was formally started as an organised campaign and challenge by the charity Alcohol Change UK in 2013, with 4,000 people participating. In 2025, 200,000 people officially took part around the world. Many more will have taken their own personal challenges without officially signing up, however, while other groups and organisations may continue to hold their own versions of Dry January.
People might try Dry January for a number of different reasons. They may be looking for a post-holiday reset or to boost mental clarity and energy. It may be about saving money. For many it’s about re-evaluating existing drinking habits and a desire for balance and moderation rather than abstinence. Some people may simply see it as a genuine challenge and to see if they can get through it.
There are a number of potential benefits to Dry January, including:
Many people find that regular drinking, especially if over-indulging during the holiday season, can impact their mental clarity and focus. Some may experience this but not even realise it until they stop drinking for a while.
Taking a break could reduce brain fog, help achieve a more consistent mood and set a better daily rhythm.
With improved sleep patterns, more stable mornings and fewer highs and accompanying crashes, a break from alcohol can boost energy and day-to-day balance.
Dry January can provide an opportunity for people to reevaluate their relationship with alcohol. What this means can vary from one individual to another, but it could involve adopting more mindful drinking. Some people may feeling more in control of their choices moving forward, be more aware of triggers and have more awareness of their drinking habits.
Everyone is different and some will get more out of Dry January than others. Some who drink lightly or moderately anyway may not feel much difference. Others may feel a difference straight away while others might find the whole thing more of a challenge. They may also feel worse initially as the alcohol leaves their system.
It’s also worth noting that Dry January and similar events are not suitable for people with a clinical alcohol dependence or who experience strong physical withdrawal symptoms when they stop drinking. Alcohol Change itself says that such people should seek urgent medical advice. Sudden withdrawal outside a structured or supervised detox programme can be very dangerous.
Even without the effects of alcohol dependency, cutting out alcohol can have a number of effects that can be hard to deal with at first. For example, while alcohol has a negative effect on the quality of sleep, it can help some people to drop off in the first place.
Cutting out alcohol can disrupt habits, and it can take time to adjust, especially if you have a regular drink to unwind, for example. There may be a period of adjustment to energy and emotional fluctuations. You may struggle with social situations if these previously involved drinking.
All these changes require gentle but constant support, and there are a few things you can do to help ease yourself through the process. Focus on nutrition, hydration and rest, setting up healthy daily routines and practising good sleep hygiene techniques. This can help you feel better both physically and mentally and may reinforce any benefits you start to experience from cutting out alcohol, as well as balancing out any negatives.
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Dry January can be seen as a way to explore your drinking habits and reevaluate your relationship with alcohol.
For some people, it serves as a springboard to longer-lasting lifestyle changes, which may involve quitting drinking entirely, but certainly don’t have to. Every individual has their own journey, and different people take different things from the challenge.
The answer is that it can be, especially when approached with curiosity, support and realistic expectations. Benefits can come from new awareness as much as the short-term break from alcohol itself. Sober Relief may be able to help with honest, supportive daily supplements, but each individual should pay attention to their own experience and take what they need from it.
