What is Dry January?
Dry January is a national public health campaign ran by British charity, Alcohol Change UK, to “ditch the hangover, reduce the waistline and save some serious money by giving up alcohol for 31 days”. Millions of people now take part every year, even in the US and Europe.
The growing awareness comes as studies have shown the benefits an alcohol-free month can have, both for your health and for your pockets.
But signing up is the easy part… when January comes around, the challenge is often harder than you expect. Check out some of our facts and figures to stick to dry January and stop temptation from becoming too much!
What are the health benefits of doing dry January?
After all the food and drink enjoyed over the Christmas and New Year period, going dry for a month can help give your liver a rest and a chance to recover. Not only that, we all know alcohol is full of calories, so why not kick start your new year’s gym resolution by binning the booze to encourage weight loss.
A recent study published in 2018, conducted by the Royal Free Hospital and published in the British Medical Journal, shown that a month off the alcohol can have some amazing health benefits such as:
- Lower blood pressure
- Reduces diabetes risk
- Lowers cholesterol
- Reduces levels of cancer-related proteins in the blood
According to Alcohol Concern UK, 71% of people had better sleep by cutting out alcohol for a month, while 67% said they had more energy. And of course, with more sleep comes more energy, waking up without a hangover headache you are sure to feel much better in yourself.
How much money can I save?
Not only will your body thank you, but your wallet will too. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the average brit spends on average £40 a month on alcoholic drinks, adding up to nearly £500 a year! Of course, a regular drinker who has a couple of trips to the pub and a meal out, on top of a few bottles of wine or lager a week. That all adds up to a hefty amount every month.
Here is an example of a couple who are both regular drinkers, and how much they could save:
2 bottles of wine at £8 each: £16
A trip to the pub: £20
Four bottles of ale: £8
Weekly total of = £44
Monthly total of = £176
So why stop at a month? Dry January helps people drink more healthily all year round. Research carried out by the University of Sussex found that 6 months after taking part in dry January, more than 70% of people stick to drinking more healthily. Now you know the long-term benefits both financially and for your wellbeing, think how much you could save if you stayed dry for February or even longer! Spare cash saved could go towards a holiday or maybe even into a pension pot, the choice is yours.
You may also be able to claim back some tax from HMRC if you are a mobile worker by claiming a tax with us at Swift! Get started here to claim up to £2,500 back from HMRC.
