Dry January: 7 Things I Learned When I Stopped Drinking Alcohol for a Month

It’s been 5 years since I first wrote this post about Dry January, so I figured it was time to share a few updates on the topic. Yes, Dry January is as popular as ever. In fact, for the sober-curious, there are now a couple of times per year when it’s ‘acceptable’ to stop drinking. Not only is there a Dry January, but now there’s a Sober October. The idea of cutting out booze completely has hit the mainstream.

For me, the biggest difference I have recognized with my relationship to alcohol is that the older I get, the less my body is able to metabolize it. Now, a night out with just two or three drinks could mean a severe headache and/or fogginess the next day. Sometimes, that is still worth it to me. If it’s a special occasion, or I want to let loose and have fun, then I’m willing to accept the consequences of how I will feel the next day.

But more and more, I’m choosing to forego the cocktail or glass of wine at dinner. Aside from my overall health, I think the biggest driver for this is that I am in the process of expanding my career and starting my own business as a travel advisor. (You can learn more about this in my Life Lately post.)

Starting your own business at any age is no small feat. But I’m 50, and at my age, I need to do everything I can to protect and preserve my energy and brain power. If I want to put 110% into this new business, it will take all of my focus and bandwidth. So drinking alcohol is out. At least for now.

What does that mean? My husband and I are kicking things off with another year of Dry January. And honestly, it’s been very easy this year. I think it’s because I have a really important ‘why’. I know why I’m doing this and why it’s important.

As you continue to read this post and learn about all the benefits that come with a month of not drinking, I ask you to keep this in mind. Like most things, if you figure out the ‘why’, then the rest will come easily. So keep reading to find out more about what I learned – and what still applies – to Dry January.

PS – Are you interested in doing this but didn’t start on Jan 1? That’s fine! Start today. It’s never too late to see how giving up alcohol for a few weeks can benefit your health and well being.

7 Things I learned During Dry January When I Gave Up Booze:

I know, dry January, or ‘Drynuary,’ as the NY Times calls it, has become a bit of a thing. It makes sense. After the debauchery of eating and drinking in excess over the holidays, people are looking to detox and lose a few pounds. And while that was part of the impetus for me to try dry January, I also wanted to see if I had the willpower to give up booze for 31 days.

Let me give you some context. I am a social drinker. But living in NYC, where you can easily find yourself out 4-plus nights a week, the socializing adds up to a lot of drinking. Plus there are the occasional weekend nights where I meet up with friends around 8 pm and we’re still be at the bar or a house party, drinking at 1 am. So the idea of trying dry January was appealing to me. And more than anything, I was curious about what changes – if any – I would experience.

Now that I made it through 35 days of not drinking, I want to share with you what I learned.

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 1. My Sleep Patterns Improved

Typically when I go out and have a couple of drinks, I don’t get a good night’s rest. I’ll fall asleep easily enough, but then constantly wake up throughout the night. But once I stopped drinking, I noticed a dramatic change in my sleeping patterns. I slept without waking and went to bed earlier, (since I wasn’t socializing as much) which was a win-win for my sleeping patterns. Also, I didn’t wake up in the morning feeling groggy. Instead, I felt well-rested, ready to tackle the day.

If you give up the booze and still find yourself having trouble falling asleep, I recommend trying CBD oil. I’ve been using it for a few months now and it has really helped with my overall anxiety and stress levels during the day, (because who hasn’t been stressed in 2020?!) and with the quality of my sleep at night. My go-to brand is Equilibria and right now they are having a major, end of year sale. If you’re a new customer, you can get 50% off the first month of a subscription, or 15% off a one-time purchase. Make sure to use the code letsbemerry.

Related: How to get better sleep – 6 tips

2. My Energy Levels and Ability to Focus Increased

I’m sure part of my surge in energy levels had to do with the better sleep I was getting. But alcohol is a depressant, so it actually decreases our energy and impairs our rational thinking. After a few days of not drinking, I definitely felt more energy throughout the day. An added bonus was my increased ability to concentrate. I could focus more easily and I accomplished much more throughout the day.

3. I Lost Weight

Even when I’m trying to lose a few pounds, I never add alcohol to the equation. I’ve rationalized that a glass of wine is only about 90 calories, so how bad could that be? But wine (my drink of choice) is also full of sugar. All calories are not equal, so our bodies don’t break down and utilize sugar in the same way as healthy fats and complex carbohydrates. So it was a good lesson to see that alcohol can indeed impact my weight.

Related: Affordable Home Workout Gear and Equipment

4. My Social Life Decreased

This is one of the only downsides I discovered during my month of not drinking. It’s not that I didn’t see friends or socialize in January because I had plenty of coffee and lunch dates. But I almost completely stopped going out at night, for dinner and cocktails. I realized that if I wasn’t drinking, I had no desire to spend a couple of hours in a bar, watching everyone else around me get buzzed or drunk. And while this was very beneficial to my budget and my sleep, I d0 feel like I missed out a bit on a couple of social events. But overall, sacrificing my social life for a month was worth it for the other benefits I received.

Pro-Tip: If you’re wondering what to do with all the extra time you now have, try reading a new book or start a new exercise routine. Your mind and body will thank you later!

5. I Saved Money

With a less active social life, I was definitely able to save more money. But what I also realized is I have a habit of treating friends to a round of drinks when I’m out at a bar. While I love being generous with my friends, until I stopped drinking, I didn’t take into account how much this habit was impacting my wallet. So Dry January was definitely an eye-opener in terms of my budget.

6. I Tackled More on my To-Do List

By the second week of not drinking, I felt super productive. It’s not just that I had more energy. I also had a more positive attitude. The more I accomplished, the more engaged I felt. I also had a tremendous boost in creativity. I attribute this to cutting out the booze and doing a 7-day whole-food, plant-based cleanse at the beginning of the year. I really believe that when we rid our bodies of toxins, we have the capability to do extraordinary things.

Related: How to keep your new year’s resolutions

7. I Started Reading More

I have always been an avid reader, but on nights that I came home after a glass or two of wine, I would forego reading and head straight to bed. One reason is I typically stay out later if I’ve been drinking, so I’d want to get to sleep as soon as possible. Or, I’d often come home hungry and catch up on TV while eating a snack. Once I cut out alcohol, I had much more time to dig into a good book in the evenings. I was also less prone to turn on the TV to keep me company.

Related: 9 life-changing books I can’t live without

Is Dry January Worth It and a Month of Sobriety Worth It?

For me, the answer is a resounding YES! I definitely felt many positive impacts from cutting out alcohol for a month. It was also a great way to jump-start my year on a positive and productive note. Does this mean I will never drink again? Of course not. I love wine, especially when paired with food, and I love meeting up with my girlfriends for a lively chat over cocktails. But what dry January has taught me is how important it is to moderate and find balance. So now, I’m much more aware of when I drink and how much. It has been a welcome change to my lifestyle, and I’m actually looking forward to dry January next year.

Now I’d love to hear from you! Have you ever tried dry January or a month without drinking? If so, how was your experience, and what did you take away from it? I’d love to keep the conversation going so please share in the comments below! 

And if you’re looking for other ways to give yourself a healthy refresh, try this 7-day plant-based cleanse or jumpstart your morning with these smoothies.

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