Research · Dry January 2027
Dry January benefits: what the research actually shows
Better sleep, more money, a clearer head: the claimed benefits of Dry January are pleasant and plausible. But what has actually been measured, in whom, and how sure can we be? Here is the evidence, read carefully, with the caveats left in.
Photo is illustrative, not from a past month. Credits.
Quick answer. Surveys of Dry January participants by the University of Sussex found most people reported saving money (about 84 to 88%) and sleeping better (about 70 to 72%), and many reported more energy and some weight loss. A 2019 study of over 6,000 people found participants were still drinking less six months later, unlike ordinary drinkers. A small 2018 hospital study found falls in blood pressure, insulin resistance and weight after a month off. None of these were randomised trials.
Search "Dry January benefits" and you will meet the same few numbers again and again, often without a source. This page goes to the sources: who was studied, what was measured, and what we can honestly conclude.
Please read this first. If you drink heavily or every day, or use other drugs daily, stopping suddenly can be dangerous. Talk to a doctor before you stop. The Quiet Month is not medical, not therapy and not rehab. In a crisis, call your local emergency number or find a free helpline at findahelpline.com. More in our questions.
The short answer
- Money and sleep are the most reported benefits. In several surveys, well over eight in ten participants said they saved money and around seven in ten said they slept better.
- The effect can last. Six months later, Dry January participants in a large 2019 study were still drinking less than at the start of the year.
- The body notices. One small 2018 study found lower blood pressure, better insulin sensitivity and a little weight loss after a month off.
- The caveat: these are surveys and observational studies of people who chose to take part, not randomised trials.
What participants report: the Sussex surveys
Dr Richard de Visser, a psychologist at the University of Sussex, has studied Dry January for years. His surveys are the source of most headlines.
| Reported benefit | 2018 survey (800+ people) | 2019 study (Dry January group) | Charity summary (de Visser, 2019) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saved money | 88% | 84% | 86% |
| Slept better | 71% | 72% | 70% |
| Sense of achievement | 93% | 87% | not listed |
| More energy | reported | not listed | 66% |
| Lost weight | reported | not listed | 54% |
| More in control of drinking | reported | 80% | not listed |
Different surveys, slightly different numbers, the same direction. Notice that these are self-reports: people saying how they felt. That matters, and it is also the point. Sleeping better is something you feel.
Does it last? The six-month study
The most useful study, published by de Visser and Piper in 2020 in the journal Alcohol and Alcoholism, followed two groups through 2019: people doing Dry January and ordinary adult drinkers who weren't. Over 6,000 people answered in January, many again in February and again in August.
By August, Dry January participants were still drinking less than they had at the start of the year; the general population group showed no such drop. People who used the charity's website, app or emails were about twice as likely to finish the month without a drink.
The careful reading: the people who signed up were different from the start. They had higher average drinking and more concern about it. So the study shows that people who do Dry January tend to drink less afterwards; it cannot fully prove the month caused it. It is still encouraging, and it matches what people say.
Rowan is our AI assistant. Please keep health details for the video call.
What happens in the body: the 2018 hospital study
A team at the Royal Free Hospital and University College London (Mehta and colleagues, BMJ Open, 2018) measured 94 moderate-to-heavy drinkers who chose to stop for a month and 47 who carried on. In the group that stopped, on average:
- insulin resistance fell by about 26% (a measure linked to type 2 diabetes risk);
- systolic blood pressure fell by about 7% and diastolic by about 6%;
- weight fell by about 1.5%;
- two cancer-related growth factors and total cholesterol also fell.
The group that kept drinking showed no significant changes. The changes weren't explained by differences in diet, exercise or smoking. The authors list the main limits themselves: a small group, all from one hospital and one science magazine's readers, and no randomisation. It shows what can change in a month; it doesn't tell you what will change for you.
Does Dry January help your liver?
This is one of the most-searched questions. In the 2018 study, a blood marker of liver stress (ALT) fell in the group that stopped. That fits with what doctors say about giving the liver a break. But a month off is not a test or a fix for liver disease: if you are worried about your liver, see a doctor and ask for a check, and keep drinking within guidelines afterwards. In the UK, the Chief Medical Officers advise no more than 14 units a week, spread over three or more days.
The benefits nobody measures
Ask people what they liked about their dry month and you hear things no survey captures: Saturday mornings back, conversations remembered, a car always available to drive home, an honest look at when and why they drink. These are not small. The week-by-week story of what people commonly notice is in what happens when you stop drinking for a month; money and calories you can work out for yourself with the Dry January calculator.
Why some people feel worse at first
Honesty matters here. The first few nights of sleep can be odd, evenings can feel long, and the 6 pm habit is loud in week one. That usually settles. If you feel shaky, sweaty, very low or unwell when you stop, that is a reason to see a doctor, not to push on alone. And if you feel low for weeks, talk to your doctor too: a month off alcohol is not a replacement for help.
How to get more of the benefits
- Use support. The 2019 study found tool users twice as likely to finish dry. See the best Dry January apps.
- Fill the gap on purpose. A walk, a class, an early night. 31 Dry January tips has ideas.
- Watch the swap. Replacing wine with chocolate every night will cancel some of the weight benefit. See Dry January weight loss.
- Decide February deliberately. The six-month result comes from what you keep. After Dry January helps.
Where The Quiet Month fits
If you'd like the benefits above with less effort, the simplest change is the setting. A month away from the usual fridge, bar and Friday is a lot easier than the same month at home.
The Quiet Month is a calm month away for up to four guests, each in their own private flat a short walk from me: slow mornings, a short, always optional meditation, daily movement, shared low-carb meals and long evening talks, with no alcohol, no smoking and no drugs for anyone, me included. The first month starts on 1 January 2027, then on the 1st of every month. Honestly: I'm self-taught, not a doctor or counsellor, and The Quiet Month is not medical and not therapy. Every guest is 21 or over and brings a doctor's fit-to-join letter. I don't publish where I am; after a free video call, if we both want to go ahead, you learn the country and city before you sign anything, and nothing is paid before that call and a signed agreement. The programme fee is US$10,000 for the month; your flat and flights are extra. See the January 2027 month and what the fee includes.
Email me first at info@thequietmonth.com, start step 1 of the application (about five minutes, free, no commitment), or book a free 20-minute call.
The Quiet Month team
Questions people ask
Does Dry January actually work?
In surveys, most participants report saving money and sleeping better, and a 2019 study found participants were still drinking less six months later. These studies weren't randomised, so the results are encouraging rather than certain.
What are the benefits of Dry January?
The most reported are saving money (about 84 to 88% of participants), better sleep (about 70 to 72%), more energy, a sense of achievement and, for about half, some weight loss. A small 2018 study also found lower blood pressure and insulin resistance after a month off.
Does Dry January help your liver?
In a 2018 study, a blood marker of liver stress fell after a month off. A month off is not a test or a fix for liver disease, though: if you're worried, see a doctor.
Is one month off alcohol enough to make a difference?
For many people it changes how they drink afterwards: participants in a 2019 study were still drinking less in August. The month works best as a reset you build on, not a one-off.
Why do I feel worse in the first week of Dry January?
Sleep can be unsettled and evenings feel long at first; that usually eases. If you feel shaky, sweaty or unwell when you stop, see a doctor straight away.
Sources
- University of Sussex (Dec 2018): How Dry January is the secret to better sleep, saving money and losing weight (survey of 800+ participants; self-reported)
- University of Sussex (2020): Take part in Dry January and you'll reap the benefits for months (over 6,000 people surveyed January to August 2019; read 3 Nov 2026)
- de Visser RO, Piper R (2020), Alcohol and Alcoholism: Short- and longer-term benefits of temporary alcohol abstinence during Dry January are not also observed among adult drinkers in the general population (prospective cohort, not randomised)
- Alcohol Change UK: The evidence behind the Dry January challenge (de Visser 2019: 86% saved money, 70% slept better, 66% more energy, 54% lost weight; tools roughly double the chance of a dry month; read 3 Nov 2026)
- Mehta G et al. (2018), BMJ Open: Short-term abstinence from alcohol and changes in cardiovascular risk factors, liver function tests and cancer-related growth factors (94 people abstaining vs 47 drinking; not randomised; read 3 Nov 2026)
- GOV.UK: UK Chief Medical Officers' low risk drinking guidelines (2016) (no more than 14 units a week, spread over 3 or more days)
- Find A Helpline: free helplines in many countries
Prices and facts were checked on 3 November 2026. Prices change; always check the source before you book anything.