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Try Semi-Dry January challenge to reset your relationship with alcohol if quitting is hard
If the Dry January challenge is too hard to keep up with, perhaps you should try the Semi-Dry January challenge, also known as Damp January, as it doesn’t require you to quit alcohol entirely.
The annual challenge, in addition to resetting your relationship with alcohol, is beneficial to your health in numerous ways, and there are tips you can follow to navigate the dry month with ease. But, if you can’t stay without consuming liquor for a whole month, the Semi-Dry January is just the right option for you.
What is the Semi-Dry or Damp January challenge?
The Semi-Dry January challenge is for those who can’t refrain from drinking alcohol for a whole month.
Dubbed “Damp January”, the annual challenge allows you to cut back on drinking without having to give up on it completely. Professionals believe this can have a profound impact on your overall health.
More often than not, participants end up losing the challenge as they try to go cold turkey. So, the slightly modified version of the main challenge is created keeping in mind the plight of alcohol lovers.
There are a lot of health benefits, such as an improvement in your sleep, a boost in your energy, and better skin. The reduction in alcohol would also help in maintaining your blood pressure, and helps improve mental and liver health.
If you think you can do a month without any form of liquor, then stick to Dry January. There are plenty of non-alcoholic beverages to serve as alternatives.
Tips to navigate Damp January successfully in 2024
We understand it isn’t easy to cut down on alcohol if you’re an active drinker, despite making up your mind. So, let us give you a few pointers to help you finish the challenge successfully in the first month of next year.
- Firstly, make sure you only drink on special occasions and track the amount of alcohol you’re consuming per serving so you don’t overdo it.
- Reduce the number of days you usually drink and add more dry days to your month.
- Try to substitute alcohol with non-alcoholic beverages on certain days.
- Make it a point to have a specific number of dry days every week to reach your goal.
Following the above tips can still impact your health significantly.
Katie Witkiewitz, director of the Center on Alcohol, Substance Use told Detroit News: “Any reduction in drinking is associated with improvements in health. As your drinking increases you have increased health risks, and as your drinking decreases you have decreased health risks.”
“Even if you didn’t drink for one day, that’s still one day less of drinking,” she added.
