Sarah Bardens - Dry January

Sarah Bardens, Head of Learning & Development is speaking about Dry January and the wealth of benefits a simple break from our vices can help our mind and body. 

Transcript

I have volunteered to sponsor this month’s theme of Dry January and this, our first podcast of 2025!   As someone who enjoys a drink (anyone that knows me well, will confirm that), this year will be my 3rd time taking part in Dry January and I am a keen advocate of the initiative so wanted to encourage others to give it a try!

In 2024 I started with Dry January and actually enjoyed it so much I carried on and completed Dry February & Dry March! And whilst I did return to having a drink afterwards it definitely helped change my view of my own alcohol consumption and last year I would say I drank less than I have in any of my other adult years.  This year my goal is to tick off April too (at least!)

In 2013, the Dry January campaign was launched by the charity Alcohol Change UK to reduce the harm caused by alcohol. The campaign started with 4,000 participants and quickly become a worldwide movement.  2024 saw this increase to the highest levels with over 196,000 people taking part via the ‘Try Dry’ app (with many joining in informally- estimated to be in the millions!!)

The month-long challenge encourages people to embrace a sober start to the year and take a break from alcohol – bringing a range of physical & mental health benefits!  And many use it as an opportunity to raise money for this or other charities close to their heart. 

By cutting back on alcohol, you could be in for some pleasant changes to the way you look and feel within just a few days, as well as cutting your risk of medium and longer-term health problems.  A good night’s sleep, brighter skin and improved mood could be some of the benefits you enjoy quickly, but longer term, you could see significant improvements to your overall mental health as well as reducing your risk of alcohol related illness such as Cancer, liver or heart disease!  For those of you that (like me), like to watch your weight – alcohol is a major factor in weight gain, so by reducing those alcohol calories, you will find it much easier to lose those unwanted pounds (we could all do with that after the festive feasts!).

Of course, socialising can present a challenge, especially if your friends aren’t joining in your efforts, but there are so many great alcohol-free options available now, Lager, Cider – even spirits, so you can still have a drink at the pub with your pals without having to face the dreaded hangovers or ‘beer-fear’ waking up questioning what you said or did the night before.   

Less drinking also means more pennies in your pocket – you could set aside any money you would have spent on drink and watch the savings mount up – based on the average price of an alcoholic drink being around £5, having 3 drinks per night each weekend in January – by the end of the month you will have a nice little £135 to get yourself a treat! That would pay for a spa day, a new handbag, a new pair of shoes or trainers, some console games, 2 tickets to a show or a nice dinner for you & a loved one! 

And whilst you are waking up fresher each morning or weekend, you could take the opportunity to enjoy other activities that will help your health & wellbeing!  Enjoying the outdoors, going for a walk, doing a sport you love – as you will probably find you have more energy to do these things too!

So, if you haven’t started yet and are thinking of taking the plunge with Dry January, here are a few tips to help you smash it this year!!

1)       Write down your reasons for doing it – keep it close by to remind yourself of your motivation!

2)       Tell others – this is a commitment strategy! By telling others you are far more likely to stick to it (even if only to avoid embarrassment that you didn’t see it through!)

3)       Team up – any goals are easier with others sharing the highs and lows and keeping one another on track!

4)       Don’t aim for perfection! – Any reduction is beneficial! So set yourself a realistic target, and even if you slip up, forgive yourself, regroup and go again! You’ve got this! 

5)       Focus on the quick wins – long term goals can be hard! Start by thinking about that great night’s sleep, or how much better you will feel the next day.  Take one day at a time! 

6)       Have a plan - If you have a social event coming up, decide in advance that you’ll order a non-alcoholic or soft drink. Most of the time, as long as you have something in your hand, no-one will notice its not alcohol (including you!) 

7)       Plan distractions - a list of distracting activities that you can do to keep your mind occupied if you experience cravings! Go for a walk, call a friend! Whatever works for you!

8)       Eliminate triggers – consider the times and places where you are most likely to be exposed to alcohol and reduce these where possible.  It may be helpful to remove alcohol from the home if that might be a temptation!

However you approach Dry January, whether it is simply reducing your drinks by 1 glass, or going for it with a full month off, be confident this is something you can absolutely do, and imagine how good you will feel at the end of the month in the knowledge you have been kind to your mind, body and bank balance! 

If you have any concerns about your alcohol intake, or need professional help to stop drinking, please speak to your GP for support services in your area.  You can also speak with your People Champion, HR Manager or Line Manager.