Between Halloween and New Yearâs Eve, the end of the year involves a lot of festivities accompanied by alcohol. But over the last decade, the concept of taking a break from booze for the entire first month of the year has grown in popularity.
The modern trend of âDry Januaryâ has its roots in a campaign by charity organization Alcohol Change UK in 2013. However, a similar campaign, called âSober January,â or Raitis Tammikuu, happened in Finland in 1942. While Dry January aims to get the public to reconsider their relationship with alcohol, Finlandâs Sober January was seen as a way to conserve resources during its war with the Soviet Union.
There are many reasons to participate in Dry January. According to the World Health Organization, no amount of alcohol (ethanol) is safe, and it considers it a Group 1 carcinogen. In addition to benefits like weight loss, better skin, better sleep, decreased risk of cancer and diabetes, and lower blood pressure, going dry also saves participants money. And, lest we forget, Gen Z is drinking less, and they prioritize moderation.
