It's that time of year again, we might be spouting 'New Year, New Me' but what we're actually planning on is 'new month, temporary new me, then back to the same old crap', because January - the month most people dread - is also the month we decide to give up something we typically love in the name of health.
Whether it's dry January or veganuary, with every one around you is hopping on some sort of health bandwagon, it's hard not to be pulled in. Here, we're discussing the health benefits of dry January with personal trainer, naturopathic nutritional therapist and certified functional medicine practitionerDanny Ly, while life coach Ben Bidwell points out the questions we should ask before embarking on a month of restriction.
5 Health Benefits Of Dry January, According To Danny Ly
Is dry January good for you? Wonder no more.
1. Better sleep
'It’s no surprise that staying away from alcohol can have a dramatic improvement on your sleep quality given the extensive amount of research on it,' says Ly. 'Whilst initially acting as a sedative, this effect typically wears off later in the night, resulting in fragmented and disturbed sleep. It can also increase the amount of times you wake up throughout the night, creating broken sleep which can leave you feeling unrested the following day.'
2. Improved gut health
The effects of alcohol on the gut are wide and varied, but is generally not good news. By abstaining from alcohol, you can generally expect better gut health.
'Drinking too much alcohol can increase intestinal permeability, which is essentially damaging of the gut lining. This can then cause intestinal inflammation as well as disturbing the intestinal microbiota composition (the balance of ‘good’ bacteria and ‘bad’ bacteria). These can all lead to unfavourable changes to the way that the digestive system functions as well as putting strain on the immune system. Common symptoms of a disturbed gut microbiota include bloating, constipation and diarrhoea.'
3. Improved complexion
'For those with blemish prone skin there is a chance that your skin might feel clearer but it’s hard to conclusively say that it’s from the abstinence of alcohol alone. It’s likely that whatever alcohol that was consumed over the festive period would have been accompanied by more indulgent foods like cakes, confectionary, fried foods, chocolate which might be contributing to overall acute inflammation load on the body. Disturbed sleeping patterns, less water consumed, more processed foods could also be adding to this huge cocktail which can make it very difficult to pin it down to alcohol alone,' explains Ly. 'In saying that, evidence has also shown that alcohol can dehydrate your skin which leads to signs of aging and those that abstain from alcohol are likely to see positive changes in their skin by noticing brighter and more hydrated complexions.'
4. Boosted mood
'Whilst drinking alcohol can stimulate our reward system (meaning that you feel happy at the time of drinking), it is also acting on the central nervous system as a psychomotor depressant. This partly explains the mechanisms of hangovers and why many of us experience depressed or anxious symptoms after a night of drinking. Giving it up should make you feel happier in the long run.'
5. Improved levels of blood glucose
'As far as blood glucose, alcohol again, has a less than favourable effect,' explains Ly. 'It sends glucose levels up initially, and can then have a hypoglycaemic effect which sends it back down. This creates feelings of hunger and partly explains why we so often find ourselves heading to McDonald’s after a night out!'
10 Questions You Should Ask Yourself Before Partaking in Dry January
1. Are you doing it because you feel like you should, or because you actually want to?
If it’s the former, you could just be embarking on a month of guilt and failure.
‘The more deeply connected we are to our motivation, the more chance we have of being strong in the face of temptation,’ says life coach Ben Bidwell, ‘Get clear on why you’re doing it and make sure that stays fresh in your mind if you're serious about seeing it through.’
2. What else could you spend your booze-fund on?
‘Whether saving money is a major motivation for you or not, you will most probably be saving yourself some good money by not drinking,’ says Bidwell, ‘Can you make an agreement with yourself before you start that you will put that money to good use, for example donate it to a charity that matters to you - because helping others is a great way to help yourself feel good about you- or use it to treat yourself for a healthy weekend. That can be a great carrot to dangle to aid motivation.’
3. Is there anything else to do in January but drink?
But who said you can't go out for a drink when you're sober? Introducing London's first non-alcoholic cocktail bar, Maya's. Hosted at Kahaila Cafe on Brick Lane, Maya's is open from 12th January, Thursday - Saturday 7-11pm, where you can indulge in the best mocktails with zero hangxiety the next day.
‘Be organised and line up some activities or weekends away so that you aren’t sitting around twiddling your thumbs while your friends head out for a drink,’ says Bidwell, ‘With boredom the temptation gets stronger, so occupy yourself with activities that take your mind away from alcohol.'
4. Should I try and rope my mates in?
‘Can you bring someone else on board to make you one, accountable and two, give you someone to hang out with at times when you would normally be drinking?’ asks Bidwell, ‘Staying dry becomes much easier when you’ve got someone to share it with. ‘
5. How will I cope being around all my mates getting pissed?
‘See this as a test for yourself: Can you go out, be sociable and have fun without needing alcohol?,’ says Bidwell, ‘If you really don’t think it’s possible, perhaps look at why not and stay away from the parties. If you think you can, give it a go and see if you can have a great night that costs very little with the added bonus of still feeling good in the morning!’
6. Is one month long enough?
‘If you’re reasons for doing this are very compelling and inspire you, perhaps consider if you want to extend this to 3 months or beyond’ says Bidwell, ‘There are all sorts of health benefits to having an extended period without any alcohol.’
7. Can I actually do it?
‘Be honest with yourself, is this a realistic target?’ asks Bidwell, ‘Get very clear on this rather than giving yourself an excuse half way through the month and then think to yourself that it wasn’t ever realistic in the first place. Set a realistic target before you begin and make sure you stick to that.‘
8. Is my drinking actually that bad?
'I am a huge advocate for balance. Sometimes we overly punish ourselves to such a degree that we are unhappy, all because we want to be "healthier",' says Bidwell, 'Having a healthy and happy mind is also important, so if you think you have a healthy and balanced approach to drinking alcohol at the moment, do you definitely want to go down the route of changing something that doesn't necessarily need fixing?'
9. Is a month full of hangover-free weekends worth it?
‘Not only will you have a few more spare evenings but you'll also be feeling fresh every morning,’ says Ben, ‘It’s a great opportunity to try something new, do something different, experiment, it may be that you discover a whole new hobby you love. Give it some good thought before the month quickly flies by.’
10. How can I make sure I actually do it?
'If you are worried you might not succeed based on your own will power, can you make yourself accountable to something beyond yourself?' asks Ben, 'Raise money for charity, promise your friends you are going to do it, put down a deposit with someone! If you're not sure you can trust yourself, making yourself accountable to something else that is bigger than you, is a powerful motivational tool.'
So what have you decided? Are you going to go ahead with dry January or is it not that necessary? According to Ben, even if you're drinking in moderation now, committing to anything that will give you a healthier relationship with yourself can be amazing for your own personal development.
'The relationship you have with yourself is the most important relationship of all,' he said, 'If you say to yourself that you are going to do this and you mean it, then having the courage to see it through is so important in keeping a healthy relationship with yourself.'
If you're interested in working with a life coach, visit the Life Coach Directory.