Dry January Dropout Like LauRen? Experts Say It’s Okay
Are you a Dry January dropout? If you started the New Year off with plans to take a break from drinking for a month, but didn’t make it to the end, you’re definitely not alone. Even LauRen from the Maney, Roy & LauRen Morning Show had a sip of alcohol this month, after swearing she wouldn’t.
Millions of people try it as a way to reset after indulging freely during the holidays or as a way to examine their relationship with alcohol. But this year, many didn’t even make it past the first week of 2021 after the riots at the Capitol on January 6th and the ongoing stress of the pandemic. And experts say Dry January can be successful even if you quit early.
Of course, there are benefits to limiting your alcohol intake, especially since people have been drinking more during the pandemic. Doing Dry January may help you sleep better and give your immune system a boost, as well as give you a chance to reevaluate your relationship with alcohol and self-monitor. That’s the most important part, according to Dr. H. Westley Clark, Dean’s Executive Professor of Public Health at Santa Clara University, and he says that can happen even if you don’t keep it up for the whole month.
So if you’re in the dry-ish January group, don’t beat yourself up. Instead, psychologist Dr. Rachel Goldman advises thinking about the goals you set with drinking. Maybe you decide to drink less instead of going cold turkey, or if this month was too stressful to quit, you could reschedule and do a Dry February or March.
Source: Today
