Why Dry January Might Be the Best Thing for You
By Movieguide® Contributor
It’s almost 2025, and that means setting goals and resolutions you want to keep in the new year.
While resolutions often center around adding things in — more exercise or more time in the Bible, for example — some entail cutting things out, and for many, that’s alcohol.
Dry January can be an excellent way to jumpstart your goal to stop drinking, especially following Christmas and New Year’s celebrations.
“Recent polling suggests more than 25 percent of people 21 and older plan to participate in Dry January, and the numbers increase with younger generations more inclined to give up alcohol,” NewsWire reported. “75 percent of people 21-24 years old said they were at least somewhat likely to take part in dry January compared to just 31 percent of drinkers 55 and older, according to data from Statistica. Many of those that aren’t ready to go completely ‘dry’ are joining a growing ‘sober curious’ movement.”
Beyond being sober, dropping alcohol has numerous other health benefits.
READ MORE: DRY JANUARY: HOW A MONTH OF SOBRIETY IMPROVES YOUR HEALTH
A recent study from the American Association for Cancer Research found that “In the United States 40 percent of all cancers are associated with modifiable risk factors, which necessitates a robust emphasis on and support for public health-focused research.”
One of those modifiable risk factors is alcohol.
An oncologist with Hackensack Meridian Health’s John Theurer Cancer Center, Dr. Jamie Koprivnikar, explained the research: “Think of it this way, alcohol is like a sneaky guest at your party, it might seem fun at first, but it can wreak havoc on your body’s cells. Over time, this damage can lead to mutations that increase your risk of developing cancer.”
If you decide to participate in Dry January, you’re in good company. SPIDER-MAN star Tom Holland hopped on the trend in 2022 and hasn’t had a drink since.
“I couldn’t quite wrap my head around how much I was struggling without booze in that first month — and it really scared me,” he said. “I decided, as a sort of punishment to myself, that I would do February as well as January.”
Food Network star Valerie Bertinelli got sober in January 2023 to help regulate her emotions. “I would go out and have a fun time, drink, and the next day, I’d be so sad,” she told PEOPLE. “Because there was so much sadness in my life, and alcohol amplified it. I think it’s important to really not numb emotional pain.”
READ MORE: WHY SPIDER-MAN STAR TOM HOLLAND IS LOVING SOBRIETY
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