Dry January. A month-long break from drinking. A way to start the new year by returning to some semblance of balance after all the holiday fuss and excess. A chance to clear your head and regain a little self-control. And why not? A few weeks without drinking alcohol can bring about a feeling of virtue. You might even lose some weight. Your skin can improve. All good things.
But what if we get the reasons right, but the planning wrong? In my opinion, this trendy tradition of putting the bottle down comes a month too late. I’m here to make Dry’s case December instead – especially this year.
Before you close this tab, believe me, I understand your skepticism. December is virtually synonymous with free-flowing alcohol, and alcohol sales are strongest at the end of the year. Focusing on January prevents tampering with the sacred. Why turn down all the bubbly, the spiked eggnog, the cocktail or the glass of wine or the highball of straight whiskey? They’re delicious, yes, and you’ve come to believe in the liquid lube to help you muddle through awkward holiday parties and those long stretches at the dinner table with extended family. The drink in your hand becomes like an IV on a steady drip to grease the wheels through January, when the high expectations of the season are safely visible in the rear view.
All of this may seem crazy to give up, like willingly throwing away the most useful tool in the bag of tricks to survive the stress of the season. Just give me the time it takes to mix a cocktail, to try to change your mind.
Let’s start with a little context. Dry January burst onto the scene in 2013, when British organization Alcohol Change coined the term as part of their campaign to encourage Britons to dehydrate, not only as an antidote to holiday indulgence, but also in response to the rise of alcohol consumption over the whole line. Alcohol Change lured the hook with promises of better sleep and an overall sense of well-being, in addition to saving time and money. For some drinkers, that’s enough motivation. But the organization was smart enough to recognize that individuals are more likely to change their behavior when there is social pressure – er, support – to do so. Many who reject the idea of quitting drinking altogether, or even cutting back all year round, might at least be convinced to take a break if they feel less alone about swapping wine for water and taking a break for a few weeks. So the societal-wide push.
Although the Dry January trend has taken off over the past decade, the idea has even deeper roots. The idea of encouraging people to start the year with a month of abstinence actually goes back to World War II. In 1942, the Finnish government launched a campaign called Raitis tammikuu, or austere January, where Finns are encouraged to stop using the bottle for (at least) a month. The motivation? The resources used in the production of alcohol could be diverted to efforts to defeat the Soviet Union. There was also a quieter warning: a wolf is at the door, and we would do well to keep our wits about us. It was smart thinking for times like these. Smart thinking, you don’t have to stretch far to argue, for times like this, at.
December is an endurance sport at the best of times. But things are a mess right now. We have The Big Toddler back in the middle of the political stage, raging. I would argue that turning the other cheek to reckless behavior, both personal and political, has gotten us into trouble, to say the least. The stakes are high, and the marathon of what we face under the new administration has barely begun. Do you feel the tension? You might find yourself more charming, patient, and less neurotic after a drink… or three. However, you also know that you are much less likely to argue, put your foot in your mouth, or become gloomy when you are sober. Stay sharp while others get sloppy. Let them fire verbal barbs, stir the political pot, and play the grudge and blame games while you remain calm(er) and more collected. It will do wonders for your mental health, and either way, it’s worth making sure there’s at least one adult in the room.
I’d say that’s reason enough. But if giving up alcohol to keep your cool in the heat of this particular moment isn’t enough to convince you, here’s something else to think about.
If there’s anything that can help you with your holiday shopping, preparing, attending, and hosting get-togethers (plus, if you’re a parent, supervising your kids while they’re on school vacation), it’s a good night’s sleep: our body’s most powerful regulatory and restorative instrument, and one that research has shown alcohol has a nasty habit of getting in the way. There are indications that alcohol consumption in the evening disrupts the production of melatonin in our brains, says Dr. Aris Latridis. And it’s well known that alcohol depresses our central nervous system and slows brain activity (see, for example, all the drunken texting you’ve ever done or received) – which is why it can initially have a sedative effect. But studies show what many of us already know from experience; that as the alcohol levels in your bloodstream drop (thanks to your liver working overtime), you’re more likely to wake up in the wee hours and have trouble falling back asleep, especially if there’s someone sitting on your roof and such’ causes a clatter.
Even if you manage to stay asleep, alcohol can reduce the amount of REM sleep you have at night. This makes you more susceptible to vivid or stressful dreams and makes you more likely to wake up restless and cranky in the morning. And it doesn’t take much; a small portion of alcohol – defined as less than two drinks for men and less than one for women – reduces sleep quality by 9.3 percent. The effect of a ‘large’ portion of alcohol – more than two drinks for men and more than one for women? No less than 39.2 percent worse sleep. Interrupted sleep, especially for days or weeks, is akin to torture. So why encourage it in this month of all months?
Speaking of gender differences, it’s no secret that women—particularly mothers and family matriarchs—tend to disproportionately shoulder the mental burden and emotional labor in today’s culture, which only increases during the pressure- and event-filled holiday season. All that “holiday magic” has to come from somewhere! But now that the myriad rollercoaster effects of peri- and menopause have been better explored, it’s worth noting alcohol’s disruptive toll on the middle-aged female endocrine system. As menopause celeb Dr. Mary Claire Haver says, “I don’t know of any postmenopausal women who metabolize alcohol the way they used to…tolerance seems to decrease.” Dr. Malina Stasinou points out that those who are in the middle of ‘the change’ (for a long time) are particularly prone to more severe hangovers, so even one night of drinking can throw you off. Dr. Haver puts it succinctly: “When I choose to have a drink, I choose not to sleep.” Not the best recipe for keeping things cheerful and bright.
Come January, when the pressure, expectations and hustle and bustle start to subside, maybe I’ll have a nice drink on some of those dark, icy evenings when you’re really feeling up to it – and it’s less disruptive to have the to pay toll. Come Inauguration Day, I’m sure I’ll have a glass. But for now? I want all the help I can get to keep my head above water in the midst of this surf. That’s why I stay dry in December. I invite you to join me – there are much better, or at least smarter, ways to get your ‘cup full’ cheer.”
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