Iowa Fall-Winter 2022-2023 - 43

D
o you have a post-work ritual that involves a favorite
alcoholic beverage? Perhaps your favorite time to tipple is
right after dinner, or just before bed. Maybe you save your
drinks until nights out with your friends.
Whether your drinking is a welcome ritual, a stress
reliever or an aspect of socializing, you may have
wondered about its long-term effects. After all, alcohol
is high in calories. Moderate drinking is associated
with potential health benefits, but heavy and longterm
drinking can cause physical and mental problems,
especially among older adults. Alcohol
consumption can lead to heart and liver damage, a
higher cancer risk, a weakened immune system,
memory issues, and mood disorders. So what's a
lover of alcohol to do? If you don't want to give up
this part of your life, you have options. Try tackling
Dry January, a month of sobriety.
AN IDEA WHOSE TIME HAD COME
One man joined his fiancée in a dry January in 2007,
to compensate for a holiday season of overindulgence.
He coined the term " Drynuary. " Others have
called it " Dryuary " and " Janopause. "
A British woman kickstarted the practice in the UK
after she stopped drinking for a month to prepare for
her first half marathon, in February 2011. She slept
better, lost weight, and had more energy. After she
joined the team at Alcohol Change UK in 2012, the
alcohol safety organization introduced her experiment
to the public, naming it " Dry January. "
As part of the first official Dry January in 2013,
Alcohol Change UK surveyed participants to monitor
the effects of a month of sobriety. Six months later, the
survey found that seven out of 10 people had continued
to drink more safely than before. Almost a quarter
of the people who were drinking at " harmful " levels
before the campaign were in the low-risk category.
MODERATION AND MOTIVATION
Alcohol can indeed be a source of pleasure. Besides
the range of glorious tastes, from a dry aperitif and
bitter IPA to a sweet martini or dessert wine, alcohol
can also provide a bit of pleasure, relaxation and
social ease. For people who understand their limitations
and find responsible alternatives to driving, like
designated drivers and public transportation-drinking
poses no major problems.
At the same time, it can be easy to push the limits-of
calories, of stress to the body, of its effects on
sleep and a sense of well-being. Alcohol has a sneaky
way of erasing good intentions, of whispering " Just
one more drink won't hurt, " or " Oh, of course you're
not too drunk to drive home. "
Even those who don't abuse alcohol can benefit
from a temporary temperance lesson. It can make a
positive difference in your health and decelerate your
alcohol usage habits going forward.
If you're interested in trying a month of sobriety-
in January or any other 30ish-day stretch-here are
some tips to help.
Six months later, the survey found that seven out of 10 people
had continued to drink more safely than before.
FALL 2022 | WINTER 2023 43
Iowa Fall-Winter 2022-2023

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