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'Dry January': How cutting out alcohol — even temporarily — can improve your health

"Dry January" is a trend that's surged in popularity over the past few years, likely in large part, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

INDIANAPOLIS — The new year is just one day old and already, people are lining up their New Year's resolutions of what to start and what to cut out in 2023.

This year, thousands of people all around the country are pledging to do a "Dry January" by cutting out alcohol for a month. Experts say it's a small change that can make a big difference.

"We know that there's a tremendous amount of benefit to giving up alcohol, especially for extended periods of time," said Dr. Brian Quinn, an addiction psychiatrist with Ascension St. Vincent.

And, according to Quinn, the more you typically drink, the more benefits you're likely to notice from a Dry January.

"It's not just a good New Year's resolution, there's actually documented health benefits to doing so," Quinn said.

It's a trend that's surged in popularity over the past few years, likely in large part, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I think the increased attention to Dry January has probably been borne of, now that we're coming out of the pandemic, people reflecting on their potential changes in behavior surrounding alcohol use, especially over the pandemic," he said.

Nationally, U.S. adults stepped up excessive, or binge drinking, habits during the pandemic by more than 20%. Many people turned to alcohol to cope with anxiety, stress, even boredom as they were initially stuck at home during lockdowns.

By cutting out drinking, even for a month, Quinn said you're likely to see improvements to your quality of sleep and energy levels. It can also help you to lose weight or improve your mental health by decreasing anxiety and depression.

"Usually someone can start to appreciate those benefits within a matter of days to a week or more," Quinn said. "The benefit of doing something like this for a month-long period is, we know people, the longer somebody starts to practice something, the more likely it is that their habits are going to change."

And getting a handle on that habit could be critical.

Alcohol-related deaths have been rising for the past two decades, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, spiking 25% in 2020.

Slowing down or cutting off alcohol intake, even temporarily through Dry January, can help to get a handle on how much we consume overall.

"That's gaining some traction and recognition, and that's encouraging to see because, if nothing else, it gets people thinking, it gets a conversation started," Quinn said. "I really encourage people to try something like this, to try replacing alcohol with healthier lifestyle changes."

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