Dry January is all about taking a break from alcohol for the month, offering a chance to reset your habits and give your body a much-needed break after the holiday season’s indulgences. While 31 days might seem like a long time, with the right mindset and strategies, it can be a rewarding journey to focus on cutting back on alcohol and boost your energy levels, or feel more in control. To help you succeed, we’ve gathered key reasons to embrace Dry January, along with practical tips to keep you on track with your goals.
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What Is Dry January?
Dry January is a challenge that encourages individuals to stop drinking for a month. Participating in Dry January does not mean you commit to stop drinking indefinitely, but taking a break from alcohol can be enlightening and helpful. Some individuals may continue alcohol abstinence well after the month ends, but this does not have to be the case for everyone. However, you may reap the health benefits of Dry January and decide to adopt a sober or sober curious lifestyle.
Dry January Benefits
There are numerous reasons to try Dry January this year. For example, abstaining from alcohol for a month could help you reflect on your alcohol use, develop healthier coping skills, or increase your overall mood. Consider the benefits if you are on the fence about taking the Dry January challenge.
Possible benefits of Dry January:
It Allows Your Body to Reset
“If drinking has become a daily habit or you drink more than the recommended amount of alcohol per week (Women: up to 10, Men: up to 15), you should consider a Dry January to detox your body due to the health risks associated with excess alcohol as well as the dependence that can easily develop.” – Diane Konkin, RTT
It May Help With Seasonal Depression
“If you struggle with seasonal depression and tend to get low and gloomy in the winter months, drinking alcohol is going to increase those feelings of depression and gloom, so it might be a good idea to take January and dry out.” – Sarah E. F. O’Brien, LCSW, LCSW-C, CCATP, CTMH
It Gives Your Body a Break After the Holidays
“Dry January is a great way to start the year and give your body a chance to recover from all the alcohol you might have drank over Christmas. Giving up alcohol for a month can help you reset your drinking habits and maybe even drink less in the long term. When you drink less, you’ll also reduce your risk of heart disease, liver cirrhosis, and cancer. However, it is crucial to incorporate lots of healthy foods into your diet during the month. Fruits, vegetables, and water are great for your body and will keep you full between meals. And if all else fails and you’ll still crave the taste of alcohol, there are many mocktails that you can try.” – Candace Kotkin-De Carvalho LSW, LCADC, CCS, CCTP, Clinical Director at Absolute Awakenings
It Provides Time to Reflect on the Effects of Alcohol on Your Life
“Dry January could provide insight into the effects of our drinking and a frame of reference from which to compare our drinking and non-drinking experiences with others. For instance, one gentleman I worked with a few years ago discovered he had a better relationship with his adult children as he stopped drinking. What started as an experiment provided insight into how his drinking negatively affected the people he loved. He ultimately chose to stop drinking completely.” – Jim Schlinsog, PhD, LPC-MHSP
It Gives You a Chance to Use Better Coping Skills
Jeanette Lorandini, LCSW, Owner and Director of Suffolk DBT, elaborates on how Dry January offers a chance to identify healthy alternatives to drinking. She states, “Dry January can be a great way to assess how your drinking habits may impact your physical and mental health, as well as the impact it has on your relationships. During Dry January, many people also develop healthier coping mechanisms for stress or other difficult emotions without relying on alcohol. It can be empowering to experience your strength without needing something external like alcohol or drugs to cope. You could also use this time to explore different ways of having fun and connecting with friends that do not involve alcohol, such as attending sober events or exploring new activities.”
It Will Improve Your Sleep & Energy Levels
“Alcohol has a negative impact on sleep, as it disrupts the natural sleep cycle. When you drink alcohol, it can make you feel drowsy and fall asleep faster, but it also reduces the amount of time spent in the deeper stages of sleep,” Colleen Wenner, LMHC MCAP LPC says about the benefits of Dry January. “Alcohol is a depressant, which slows down the body’s processes and can lead to fatigue. Additionally, alcohol can interfere with the body’s ability to absorb essential vitamins and minerals, leading to a lack of energy.”
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19 Tips for Dry January
If you are worried about making it through Dry January successfully, numerous steps can help you stay motivated. Seeking support from loved ones, starting a new routine, or revisiting an old hobby can provide novel ways to adopt a sober lifestyle. Getting through Dry January may seem scary initially, but reminding yourself of your goals will help keep you on track.
Here are 19 tips to help you stay motivated during Dry January:
1. Tell People You Trust About Your Dry January Goals
“Telling people could inspire others to do it with you; and just like a gym buddy, this can help with motivation. Even if nobody joins you, people you trust can check in with you and keep you accountable for your goal. Choosing someone you trust can ensure this person is a good cheerleader for you and your dry January goals.” – Andrea Rowell, MSW, RSW
2. Use an App
“If you have been using an advent calendar in December with little chocolatey treats, then you have proven to yourself that you can have a daily routine. Whether it’s a calendar or a Dry January app like Reframe or I am Sober App, this could provide that satisfying checkmark to keep yourself on track.” – Andrea Rowell, MSW, RSW
3. Up Your Mocktail Game
Dry January does not mean you cannot have fun beverages. Candace Kotkin-De Carvalho LSW, LCADC, CCS, CCTP, clinical director at Absolute Awakenings, explains, “Finding enjoyable mocktails to enjoy during the month can also help satisfy your desire for alcohol without consuming any calories. If you struggle to stay motivated, find a partner who will commit to doing Dry January with you. This can help keep you accountable and provide support when dealing with cravings or temptation.”
4. Consider Setting Some Goals for Yourself During the Month
“If your goal is to reduce your alcohol intake in general, track your drinking habits throughout the month and try to set a new limit each week. If you want to improve your health, focus on incorporating more exercise into your routine or working on healthy eating habits.” – Candace Kotkin-De Carvalho LSW, LCADC, CCS, CCTP
5. Find Alternative Activities
Jeanette Lorandini, LCSW, owner and director of Suffolk DBT, states that Dry January offers participants opportunities to discover healthy alternatives to drinking. She says, “Replace drinking with other activities that make you happy or bring joy into your life. This could mean going for a walk, playing a sport, joining an online class, or even attending virtual events where alcohol is not the focus.”
6. Reach Out for Support
“If you feel like you need extra support and accountability during this time, reach out to people who have also completed Dry January in the past or join supportive online communities. You can also seek professional help from medical professionals if needed.” – Jeanette Lorandini, LCSW
Help for Alcohol Use
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Want to drink less? Sunnyside helps you ease into mindful drinking at your own pace. Think lifestyle change, not a fad diet. Develop new daily routines, so you maintain your new habits for life. Take a 3 Minute Quiz
7. Develop a Daily Accountability Plan With a Friend
“This could be as easy as a nightly confirmation text indicating you didn’t drink that day. Have them text you as well to help keep them accountable. Be honest with yourself. Don’t try to cheat the system and find loopholes. You’ll only be shorting yourself.” – Adam Wick, MA, LADC-S
8. Change Your Thought Patterns
“As with any change of habit, you need to change your underlying habit of thought in order to be successful, otherwise you will struggle with your mind resisting you which is 97% of what drives our behaviors, actions, and decisions,” Says Diane Konkin, RTT about Dry January. “This is achieved by focusing on and reminding yourself of all the positive reasons you want to be alcohol-free and how you can’t wait to feel so good being clean and energized.
Visualize yourself waking up energized and clean, ready to do more and achieve more of what you want since how we shift our behaviors is through the words we say to ourselves and how we feel when we visualize what we want. This scientifically creates a blueprint for our minds. Also when we use the word ‘decide’ instead of ‘try’ we are more likely to succeed. Saying, ‘I have decided to,’ shifts your mind to support you rather than resist you.”
9. Make a Plan for What You’ll Drink When You Go Out
“Plan what you will drink when you go out to dinner, bar, or party where alcohol is served. Planning is key here as you will likely feel like having a drink and so you will need to lean on your bigger goal of not drinking. Try having a seltzer with juice or a non-alcoholic drink that you enjoy and can keep refilling.” – Anna Hindell, LCSW-R, CIYT
10. Be Mindful of How You Feel When Sober
“Pay attention to how you feel in your body and mind from not drinking,” Anna Hindell, LCSW-R, CIYT continues. “You will likely feel less sluggish in your body over time and your mood will be more stable. Pay attention to this benefit if it is your experience because it will motivate you to stay on course.”
11. Rid Your House of Alcohol
Removing alcohol from your home during Dry January is one key tip for success. “Of course, getting all of the alcohol out of your home would be a good idea! If it’s not there, it makes it just a little harder to obtain if the urge hits.” – Sarah E. F. O’Brien, LCSW, LCSW-C, CCATP, CTMH
12. Find Your Go-To Replacement
“Find something else, non-alcoholic of course, that you like to drink instead. Kombucha? Soda? Tea? Smoothie? Coffee? Water, even?! And keep it handy.” – Sarah E. F. O’Brien, LCSW, LCSW-C, CCATP, CTMH
13. Understand Your Relationship With Alcohol to Develop Your Plan
“Your relationship with drinking and your drinking behavior will determine how you can make Dry January easier. If you tend to drink in social settings, try encouraging outdoor activities like going on a hike or playing a sport instead of going to a happy hour. If you tend to drink after work, consider swapping out your alcohol with tea, or identify a stress-relieving hobby you have always wanted to start. Gardening tends to be something that people enjoy starting as a hobby. Start with a small indoor plant or indoor herbs to cook with. Alcohol turns to sugar in the body, so be careful about trading out alcohol for sweets. Try eating some fruit if you are craving something sweet.” – Gabrielle Jones, PhD
Want to drink less? – Sunnyside helps you ease into mindful drinking at your own pace. Think lifestyle change, not a fad diet. Develop new daily routines, so you maintain your new habits for life. Take a 3 Minute Quiz.
14. Be Mindful of Your Triggers
Being mindful of your drinking triggers can help you stay on track during Dry January. Colleen Wenner, LMHC MCAP LPC explains, “Identify situations or emotions that may trigger cravings for alcohol and plan to avoid them. Verbalize these triggers to your support system and ask for help in avoiding them.”
15. Reward Yourself
“Celebrate your success by rewarding yourself with something special at the end of the month. This could be a massage, a new outfit, or a night out with friends. Rewarding your accomplishment can motivate you to continue making healthy lifestyle changes.” – Colleen Wenner, LMHC MCAP LPC
16. Set Another Goal for Yourself
“Dry January focuses on eliminating alcohol from your routine. But this can sometimes create a scarcity mindset. To shift from that thinking, ask yourself, What can I add to my daily routine? Maybe you’ll, for example, decide to meditate for 10 minutes a day. Or, you’ll commit to working out 3x a week.” – Trisha Wolfe, LPCC and owner of CBUS Therapy
17. Check In With Yourself Regularly
“Consider keeping a journal and writing down a few sentences every night about how your day went. Acknowledge any triggers you may have had that compelled you to want to drink. Discuss what you did instead.” – Trisha Wolfe
18. Practice Self-Compassion if You Drink
Trisha Wolfe explains that offering yourself grace after a slip-up is important during Dry January. She states, “Try to avoid assuming that drinking is synonymous with failure. Instead, try to be curious about what happened. Assess the situation. Ask yourself what you learned. Consider if you want to try abstinence again.”
19. Repeat Your “Why” Phrase to Yourself
“Find that one phrase, that one solid statement, that connects you to purpose. Maybe you are the only person in your family or social group to consider Dry January or are alone in questioning the relationship to alcohol, in general. Maybe your phrase is ‘I am a powerful outlier’ or ‘Sameness is boring; I am proud to challenge myself and conquer,’ or if you have kids maybe it’s ‘I will be the adult showing my kids how to experience life without alcohol’s crutch.’ Find your motivating statement and post that message everywhere–mirrors, the steering wheel or dash, the fridge, the washing machine, your computer, and even your forearm. Surround yourself with messages that cheerlead.” – Nikki Eisenhauer, LPC, LCDC
Who Should Not Do Dry January?
“If you are concerned about your drinking in any way, Dry January may not be for you. You may need additional support. Two indicators of a more severe problem are not being able to control the amount you take in when you start drinking, and not being able to stop for a period of time on your own devices.” – Adam Wick, MA, LADC-S
“I don’t recommend Dry January for people who have active eating disorders because it is another extension of the diet merry-go-round of either allowing or not allowing a certain food or drink. If you have an eating disorder and want to drink less, it is best to approach it as a lifestyle change versus a month off alcohol.” – Anna Hindell, LCSW-R, CIYT
Getting Help
Dry January can help provide insight into your drinking habits. If you think you may benefit from therapy, consider asking for a referral from your primary care physician or a trusted loved one. You can also use an online therapist directory to search for a provider by location, expertise, and insurance coverage, or use an online therapy platform to receive virtual therapy from home..
“If you feel like you are having a difficult time with Dry January, seeking out therapy to further explore your relationship with alcohol can be helpful as well. Most importantly, do it for you. It is intended to be a fun challenge, not a burden.” – Gabrielle Jones, PhD
In My Experience
“I’ve seen many individuals take on the Dry January challenge with varying emotions—from excitement to apprehension. One common theme that emerges is how transformative the experience can be when people take the time to reflect on their relationship with alcohol. Many find the first week to be the most challenging, often facing temptations during social gatherings or habitual drinking times. However, with proper support and strategies, they usually report feeling more energized, experiencing better sleep, and gaining a clearer sense of well-being as the month progresses.
Individuals who succeed in Dry January often do so by developing healthier coping mechanisms and replacing drinking with other fulfilling activities like exercise, hobbies, or socializing in non-alcohol-centered settings. What I’ve observed is that those who engage in this process with a mindset of curiosity—rather than self-criticism—tend to have a more positive experience. They’re able to assess how they feel without alcohol and often carry that knowledge with them beyond January, whether they choose to reduce their alcohol intake permanently or not.”
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Dry January Tips Infographics
