The unexpected long-term health benefit to Dry January revealed - YOU Magazine Fashion Beauty Celebrity Health Life Relationships Horoscopes Food Interiors Travel Sign in Welcome!Log into your account Forgot your password? Password recovery Recover your password Search Sign in Welcome! Log into your account Forgot your password? Get help Password recovery Recover your password A password will be e-mailed to you. YOU Magazine Fashion Beauty Celebrity Health Life Relationships Horoscopes Food Interiors Travel Home Life There’ s an unexpected long-term health benefit to taking part in Dry January By You Magazine - January 2, 2019 It’s officially January, and for many people that means one thing: laying off the juice. Dry January has never been more popular, with an estimated three million UK residents giving it a try last year. And word on the (science) street is that taking part in Dry Jan can actually have an unexpected health benefit for our bodies. Getty Images A study led by The University of Sussex has revealed that those who do Dry January tend to drink less for months after, meaning they experience a longer-term health benefit well beyond the first month of the year. In fact, those who chose not to drink for the whole month of January in 2018 were still drinking less than normal eight months later. The study monitored the drinking habits of over 800 people who took part in Dry January last year, and found that the benefits of doing so were long term and continued on into the rest of the year. MORE: 11 of the best alcohol-free drinks you can buy ‘The simple act of taking a month off alcohol helps people drink less in the long term: by August people are reporting one extra dry day per week,’ explained Sussex psychologist Dr Richard de Visser, who led the study. ‘There are also considerable immediate benefits: nine in ten people save money, seven in ten sleep better and three in five lose weight.’ Indeed, on average, by August most participants were drinking 3.3 days per week rather than their usual 4.3, and units consumed per drinking day dropped on average from 8.6 to 7.1. Getty Images In addition, participants also found a number of other benefits. For example, 88 per cent saved money, while 71 per cent slept better and 54 per cent had better skin. ‘Put simply, Dry January can change lives. We hear every day from people who took charge of their drinking using Dry January, and who feel healthier and happier as a result,’ concluded Dr Visser. A YouGov poll for Alcohol Change UK has revealed that an estimated 4.2 million people in the UK are planning on taking part in Dry January this 2019. You can sign up to join in at Alcohol Change UK. RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR Everything we know about The Crown season 5 Aldi s exercise equipment is on sale with up to 50% off The best Halloween events for 2022 across the UK Popular in Life The You magazine team reveal their New Year s resolutions December 31, 2021 Susannah Taylor The TLC tools your body will love January 23, 2022 How to stop living in fear February 6, 2022 Susannah Taylor My pick of the fittest leggings February 27, 2022 Women’ s Prize for Fiction 2022 winner announced June 17, 2022 These BBC dramas are returning for a second series June 30, 2022 Susannah Taylor gives the lowdown on nature s little helper – CBD April 17, 2022 The baby names that are banned across the world April 27, 2022 The Queen has released her own emojis May 26, 2022 Sally Brompton horoscopes 27th June-3rd July 2022 June 26, 2022 Popular CategoriesFood2704Life2496Fashion2240Beauty1738Celebrity1261Interiors684 Sign up for YOUMail Thanks for subscribing Please check your email to confirm (If you don't see the email, check the spam box) Fashion Beauty Celebrity Life Food Privacy & Cookies T&C Copyright 2022 - YOU Magazine. All Rights Reserved