Oxford,
10
January
2018
|
10:24
Europe/London

Are you doing “Dry January”? How’s it going?

Have you decided to go for Dry January this year? If so you should be right about now starting to feel fitter and healthier – and it’s never too late to help others do the same.

Cutting out alcohol helps people sleep better, lose weight, feel better and have more energy. On top of that, people who do Dry January cut down on their alcohol intake even after the month is finished – and so could feel the benefits of Dry January all year round!

Over 3.1 million people in the UK to ditch the booze for January 2018

An estimated 3.1 million people in the UK are already planning to do Dry January in 2018. They will ditch the booze for one month to feel healthier, save money and re-set their relationship with alcohol.

Alcohol costs the NHS an estimated £3.5 billion each year, which amounts to £120 for every taxpayer.

Dry January is run by national charity Alcohol Concern, which merged with Alcohol Research UK in April to become an even stronger advocate for a world in which alcohol causes no harm.

Who is doing Dry January?

  • The group most likely be planning to do Dry January this year are those with children aged 12-16, as well as those with three or more children in their household (11%).
  • Those aged 35-54 were most likely to be planning to do Dry January (7%).
  • Northern Ireland is the area of the UK where people are most likely to be planning to do Dry January (10%), closely followed by the North East (8%).
  • Those working full-time are more likely to do Dry January (7%) than those who do not work, who are working part-time, full-time students or retired.
  • People who have tried Dry January in the past are more likely to want to sign up for support, suggesting a higher proportion see its value compared to people who have not previously attempted Dry January.

Councillor Hilary Hibbert-Biles, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Education said: “Alcohol is one of the biggest causes of death, ill-health and disability for people aged 15-49 in the UK – but these tragedies are avoidable. Dry January is a national campaign which changes lives and is growing year-on-year as more people across the country decide to take control of their drinking and reap the benefits, both in how they feel now and for their future health.”

Benefits of Dry January

• Feel healthier – alcohol puts strain on our bodies, can disrupt our sleep, have a negative impact on our skin, and cause weight gain. Cutting it out for a month can result in some amazing benefits to health.

• Save money – the average person in the UK spends £50,000 on booze over their lifetime. Cutting out alcohol for a month could help you save more than you’d think – no bad thing post-Christmas!

• New relationship with alcohol – learn the skills you need to say no when you don’t fancy a drink.

• Set yourself a challenge for the New Year!

People can sign up for Dry January at dryjanuary.org.uk, or by downloading the Dry January & Beyond app via the App Store or Google Play.