Some Dry January participants have been having trouble sleeping
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According to a recent NHS health survey, around four-fifths of adults drink alcohol in England, with 31% of all men and 16% of all women consuming more than the recommended limit of 14 units in a usual week.
The charity, Alcohol Concern, found that Dry January participants saw benefits from not drinking: say nearly half saved money, just over 60% of participants said they had more energy and around 50% lost weight.
Although drinking less is clearly beneficial to your health, having a quick scroll through social media reveals that rather than sleeping better, some Dry January participants have developed insomnia.
Christina* told City News that she participated in Dry January for the health benefits but found herself lying awake at night:
“If I’m completely honest, I have a glass of red wine most nights as my ‘treat’ after a busy day. Occasionally on some evenings this can lead to sharing half the bottle with my hubby.
But now that I’ve stopped for Dry January, I cannot get to sleep at night. I exercise regularly and eat a well-balanced diet so the insomnia came as a surprise. I also have low moods as I feel I’m denying myself of my treat. I’m now spending more time working at my computer in the evenings to distract myself which means that I spend less time with my husband.
I know I’ll have a good sense of achievement at the end but I don’t feel or see any positive health benefits at the moment.”
So why is this happening?
Rajiv Jalan, professor of hepatology at University College London believes that people who complain of insomnia might require alcohol to go to sleep because they’ve become dependent on it.
Professor Jalan added, “Long term you have to drink as little alcohol as you can get away with and stay within the government limits, of 14 units a week. Even if you’re drinking moderately, you should try two alcohol free days a week.”
Moderation is key
Dry January is nearly over and Christina, like many other participants, will resume drinking.
But has the experience made them question the amount they drink?
For Christina it has: “I intend to treat myself in February as I really enjoy the taste of wine and gin but maybe this has made me more conscious of quantities and whether there is a real need to drink daily. I shall now question whether I should have another glass.”
So as we approach the end of January, perhaps we can look forward to raising a glass to February.
*Not her real name
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Standfirst
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HeadlineDoes Dry January give you Insomnia?
Short HeadlineInsomnia: an unexpected effect of Dry January
Standfirst
According to a recent NHS health survey, around four-fifths of adults drink alcohol in England, with 31% of all men and 16% of all women consuming more than the recommended limit of 14 units in a usual week.
The charity, Alcohol Concern, found that Dry January participants saw benefits from not drinking: say nearly half saved money, just over 60% of participants said they had more energy and around 50% lost weight.
Although drinking less is clearly beneficial to your health, having a quick scroll through social media reveals that rather than sleeping better, some Dry January participants have developed insomnia.
Christina* told City News that she participated in Dry January for the health benefits but found herself lying awake at night:
“If I’m completely honest, I have a glass of red wine most nights as my ‘treat’ after a busy day. Occasionally on some evenings this can lead to sharing half the bottle with my hubby.
But now that I’ve stopped for Dry January, I cannot get to sleep at night. I exercise regularly and eat a well-balanced diet so the insomnia came as a surprise. I also have low moods as I feel I’m denying myself of my treat. I’m now spending more time working at my computer in the evenings to distract myself which means that I spend less time with my husband.
I know I’ll have a good sense of achievement at the end but I don’t feel or see any positive health benefits at the moment.”
So why is this happening?
Rajiv Jalan, professor of hepatology at University College London believes that people who complain of insomnia might require alcohol to go to sleep because they’ve become dependent on it.
Professor Jalan added, “Long term you have to drink as little alcohol as you can get away with and stay within the government limits, of 14 units a week. Even if you’re drinking moderately, you should try two alcohol free days a week.”
Moderation is key
Dry January is nearly over and Christina, like many other participants, will resume drinking.
But has the experience made them question the amount they drink?
For Christina it has: “I intend to treat myself in February as I really enjoy the taste of wine and gin but maybe this has made me more conscious of quantities and whether there is a real need to drink daily. I shall now question whether I should have another glass.”
So as we approach the end of January, perhaps we can look forward to raising a glass to February.
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