- In 2013, Alcohol Change UK started the “Dry January” campaign, where people could commit to abstaining from drinking alcohol for the entire month.
- In January 2025, about 200,000 people worldwide signed up to participate in Dry January.
- A new study reports that abstaining from alcohol for just one month can offer meaningful physical and psychological improvements.
In January 2025, Alcohol Change UK reported that about 200,000 people globally signed up to participate in their Dry January challenge.
Past studies show that taking part in Dry January may offer some positive health benefits. For example, research presented in January 2019 found that those who followed Dry January had higher energy levels and a healthier body weight.
Now, a new study recently published in the journal Alcohol and Alcoholism reports that abstaining from alcohol for just one month can offer meaningful physical and psychological improvements, including better sleep, weight loss, and improved mood.
For this study, researchers analyzed data from 16 previously published studies on Dry January, encompassing more than 150,000 participants. Scientists focused on who took part in Dry January, the impact it had on them, and what helped them be successful in the campaign.
“Our decision to conduct this systematic review stemmed from a recognized research gap,” Megan Strowger, PhD, who at the time of the study was a postdoctoral fellow at the Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies (CAAS) in the School of Public Health at Brown University, and lead author of this study, told Medical News Today.
“Since its launch in the U.K. in 2013, Dry January’s popularity has exploded globally, turning it into a massive public health phenomenon fueled by media and online discussion,” she said.
“However, the robust, peer-reviewed scientific findings on its actual effects were not centralized or widely known,” Strowger continued. “We saw an urgent need to move past anecdotal evidence, to systematically identify all existing rigorous studies, and provide an unbiased, comprehensive assessment of the campaign’s true impact on participants’ overall health and long-term drinking behavior.”
At the study’s conclusion, researchers found that Dry January participants who abstained from alcohol for the entire month reported improved sleep, better mood, enhanced ability to lose weight, increased energy, and healthier liver function and blood pressure.
“The significance of these findings is that they reveal the subtle, wide-ranging, and often unnoticed cumulative burden that alcohol places on mental and physical health,” Strowger said.
“Our review found that just a one-month break is sufficient to achieve measurable improvements across multiple systems, including better sleep, reduced blood pressure, and healthier liver function. This is incredibly encouraging.”
— Megan Strowger, PhD
“More importantly, this short-term pause serves as a powerful recalibration tool,” she added. “It gives individuals an opportunity to reflect on their relationship with alcohol and establish healthier long-term patterns, leading to sustained behavior change well beyond January.”
Additionally, researchers discovered that study participants who used Dry January tools, like apps and daily motivation emails and texts, had a higher likelihood of completing the month alcohol-free and to continue drinking less after the month was over.
“The significance of these findings is that they underscore a crucial principle of behavioral health: willpower alone is often not enough for sustained change,” Strowger explained.
“The study demonstrates that digital tools such as the tracking apps, motivational content (emails/texts), and online community groups, are not just supplementary; they are highly effective mechanisms that significantly increase the likelihood of success and long-term reduction.”
— Megan Strowger, PhD
“These tools cumulatively provide the necessary structure, real-time tracking, motivation, and, critically, social support that helps participants maintain abstinence and build habits that last long after the 31-day challenge ends,” she added.
MNT spoke with Rachel Rohaidy, MD, psychiatrist with Miami Neuroscience Institute, part of Baptist Health South Florida, about this research, who commented her first reaction was that the findings align with what she observes clinically.
“Many of my patients who participate in Dry January report noticeable improvements in their mood, social interactions, and family relationships,” Rohaidy continued.
“Taking a break from alcohol often allows them to engage more meaningfully with loved ones, feel more present, and experience an overall sense of mental and emotional clarity. It reinforces the idea that even short-term reductions in alcohol consumption can have tangible benefits for emotional well-being and social functioning,” she explained.
Alcohol negatively impacts sleep
MNT also spoke with Sarathi Bhattacharyya, MD, pulmonologist, critical care medicine specialist, sleep medicine specialist, and medical director of MemorialCare Sleep Disorders Center in Long Beach, CA, about the study’s sleep-related findings.
“Alcohol has long been known to have a negative impact on sleep. While drinking alcohol can make you feel sleepy and reduce sleep latency (the time it takes to fall asleep), it results in a shorter overall sleep duration and fragmented sleep.”
— Sarathi Bhattacharyya, MD
“REM sleep is suppressed by alcohol, especially in the early portion of the night,” Bhattacharyya continued. “Alcohol can also worsen or unmask underlying conditions, such as sleep apnea. Finally, it can disrupt sleep further by increasing the need to urinate overnight,” Bhattacharyya said.
For readers who want to try ‘Dry January’ or ‘Damp January’ — where you cut back on drinking during the month — we asked our experts for their top tips.
“The most successful approaches rely on preparation and social support, not sheer willpower,” Strowger said. “Registering (at Dry January USA or Alcohol Change UK) is important. Successful participants used the associated apps, emails, and online communities for structure, tracking, and motivational support. Don’t try to go it alone.”
“One key strategy I recommend is open communication. Let friends, family, and colleagues know about your goal so you can gain support and avoid feeling isolated during the process. Framing it as a shared journey or involving loved ones can make it more of a social endeavor, which increases accountability and enjoyment.”
— Rachel Rohaidy, MD
“Additionally, setting realistic goals, planning alcohol-free activities, and celebrating small milestones can help maintain motivation throughout the month,” she added.
And whether it’s Dry January or not, Bhattacharyya advised avoiding alcohol as a sleep aid or consuming alcohol at least four hours before bed.