Home
/
NowPatient Blog
/
Reap the rewards of doing dry January

Reap the rewards of doing dry January

Stefano Mirabello NowPatientGreen tick
Created on 14 Apr 2024
Updated on 16 Jul 2024

It’s been a difficult couple of years with the pandemic and lockdowns. Along with facing new challenges, like working from home or not being able to see loved ones, you may also be feeling bored, lonely or anxious. If your alcohol consumption has increased to help you cope with some of those feelings, you’re not alone.

While there’s nothing wrong with having the occasional glass of wine, regularly drinking more than the recommended guidelines (one drink a day for women, two a day for men) can take a toll on your mental and physical health.

If you’re looking for a New Year’s resolution, joining the Dry January challenge might be the perfect motivator. Alcohol Change UK started the movement known as Dry January in 2013. Four thousand people took part in the first year. Four million people took part in 2020.

Dry January encourages people to go booze-free and to stop drinking in January in the New Year. Not drinking alcohol for a month or even a few weeks offers all sorts of health benefits.

We advise heavy drinkers or people dependent on alcohol to speak with their GP before signing up to Dry January.

Why is drinking alcohol often bad?

Drinking to excess and binge drinking puts stress on your internal organs, affects your quality of sleep, your skin and energy levels, and can often cause anxiety.

  • Alcohol is high in calories and sugar. If you drink every day for a month, the impact on your waistline will be visible. Excess weight gain can lead to diabetes and high blood pressure
  • Drinking long-term can increase the risk of cancer of the liver, mouth, throat, voice box, oesophagus, colon and rectum. Even a few drinks a week is linked with an increased risk of breast cancer in women
  • The absorption of vitamin B12 from food can be affected by alcohol. Signs of a deficiency include feeling tired, and breathless, headaches, pale skin and heart palpitations. A lack of vitamin B12 can lead to a build-up of a compound called homocysteine, which in the long term could lead to heart attack and stroke
  • Heavy drinking can cause high blood pressure, an irregular heartbeat and in very severe cases, sudden death from heart failure
  • Alcohol is a diuretic, which causes the kidneys to produce more urine. This alone or with vomiting can lead to dehydration and dangerously low levels of sodium, potassium and other minerals and salts
  • Just one single session of heavy alcohol use can lead to dangerously low blood sugar, so more than that can put huge pressure on the pancreas
  • Being intoxicated increases the chance of having unsafe sex, which can lead to sexually transmitted infections (STIs) or unplanned pregnancy
  • Alcohol can disrupt your sleep pattern, meaning you spend less time in more restful deep sleep. We need sleep for our mental health as well as our physical health. A lack of sleep affects our workday and personal relationships

What should I be drinking?

It’s recommended to drink no more than 14 units of alcohol a week. This should be spread across 3 days or more. There is no completely safe level of drinking, but staying within these guidelines lowers your risk of damaging your health.

As a guide:

  • Single small shot of spirits (25ml, ABV 40%) – 1 unit
  • Alcopop (275ml, ABV 5.5%) – 1.5 units
  • Small glass of red/white/rosé wine (125ml, ABV 12%) – 1.5 units
  • Bottle of lager/beer/cider (330ml, ABV 5%) – 1.7 units
  • Can of lager/beer/cider (440ml, ABV 5.5%) – 2 units
  • Pint of lower-strength lager/beer/cider (ABV 3.6%) – 2 units
  • Standard glass of red/white/rosé wine (175ml, ABV 12%) – 2.1 units
  • Pint of higher-strength lager/beer/cider (ABV 5.2%) – 3 units
  • Large glass of red/white/rosé wine (250ml, ABV 12%) – 3 units

How can I cut out alcohol?

The Dry January alcohol-free month is a challenge for some people, especially if it’s your first time attempting it. Alcohol withdrawal includes both physical and psychological symptoms, especially if you drink a lot and often. These cravings can include hand tremors, sweating, anxiety and insomnia. It can be difficult to break our drinking habits, so here are some top tips to get you through the entire month:

  • Exercise – it is easier to lose extra pounds if you give up the booze
  • Plan some fun activities other than “Happy hour”
  • Eat well
  • Get better sleep
  • Don’t drink too much caffeine
  • Alcohol-free alternatives – mineral water, mocktails, alcohol-free beer or alcohol-free spirits
  • Remember why you’re having a dry mouth

The first 4/5 days are the worst, but after seven days, symptoms should subside.

Do I have a drinking problem?

You may have a drinking problem if:

  • You are drinking daily
  • You think about drinking more often
  • Your drinking is causing issues such as anger, aggression or violent outbursts
  • It is affecting your moods, work or relationships
  • You are drinking more often
  • Your drinking is causing health issues

What are the benefits of Dry January?

  • Your immune system will become stronger
  • Better sleep, which will help improve your mental and physical health
  • Weight loss – alcoholic drinks are high in calories, regularly adding extra calories to your recommended daily intake can make it challenging to maintain or lose weight. Not drinking for 31 days lowers blood pressure and levels of blood glucose, blood cholesterol, triglycerides, liver fats and uric acid
  • Save money – Giving up drinking at social events can also save you money. You may spend less when cutting back on alcohol intake
  • With a clearer head, clearer skin and free from hangovers, you’re wellness will improve dramatically

Dry January is a great way to start the New Year and a great way to get yourself ready for the rest of the year. We recommend you use it as a place to start and not as a short-term fix for poor drinking habits. If you make those lifestyle changes now, you’ll reap the benefits all year long.

Sources

  • Netdoctor

Medical Disclaimer

NowPatient has taken all reasonable steps to ensure that all material is factually accurate, complete, and current. However, the knowledge and experience of a qualified healthcare professional should always be sought after instead of using the information on this page. Before taking any drug, you should always speak to your doctor or another qualified healthcare provider.

The information provided here about medications is subject to change and is not meant to include all uses, precautions, warnings, directions, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or negative effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a particular medication does not imply that the medication or medication combination is appropriate for all patients or for all possible purposes.

Now Patient Data Security

Data Security

Our Commitment to You.

Learn moreNow Patient Data SecurityNow Patient Data Security

WHY WE BUILT NOWPATIENT

We are committed to helping everyone, everywhere live healthier lives

The NowPatient virtual care platform provides you with access to trusted health information, affordable treatments, management of chronic health conditions and continuous monitoring for health risks. NowPatient can be accessed by downloading the App or using your web browser.

Download our app today

A laptop screen displays a dashboard with various health metrics and notifications. Widgets include drug coupons, home health testing, genetic risk, diabetes risk, BMI, pollen meter, and air quality.

Your Questions Answered

For your peace of mind, we can answer your questions quickly

What does NowPatient do?

NowPatient is an online pharmacy & telehealth service that is available in the US and UK. Our service is FREE and packed with useful features that can help you save money on the cost of your medications, access virtual treatments, and provide tools that can help improve your overall health.

Get started today and benefit from medication remindersGet Treated PrivatelyNHS online pharmacyGP appointment bookingRx savings cardDrug CouponsUS drug savings programshealth conditions informationgenetic testinghome test kitsBMI RisksType 2 Diabetes Riskspollen meterair quality monitor, and lots more!

Our service is operated by experienced medical professionals in the United States and the United Kingdom. You can view the online services that we provide by clicking Features.

UK users can safely and securely buy medicines online that treat a wide range of medical conditions. UK customers can also order NHS prescriptions online with the benefit of free tracked delivery.

US customers, regardless of insurance coverage, can enjoy huge savings on prescription medications using our various drug savings programs including drug coupons, savings card and manufacturer-sponsored patient assistance programs.

Where is NowPatient located?

NowPatient has offices in the United Kingdom and United States.

In the UK, we are located at:

NowPatient
28 Chipstead Valley Road
Coulsdon
Surrey
CR52RA

In the US, we are located at:

NowPatient
8911 North Capital of Texas Highway
Suite 4200 #1263
78759
Austin, TX

How can I contact NowPatient?

To contact NowPatient, please use the contact form available on the Contact Us page.

Alternatively, if you need to speak to us, you can reach us on the following numbers:

UK telephone number – 020 388 51 500
US telephone number – 1-866-967-1977

Who owns NowPatient?

NowPatient is owned and operated by Infohealth Ltd, a licensed online pharmacy with services spanning the UK, US and Rest of the World. Infohealth Ltd is registered in England and Wales under company number 04004930 and our registered office is at Lynwood House, 373 – 375 Station Road, Harrow, England, HA1 2AW.

Our website is www.nowpatient.com. Our App is called “NowPatient” and can be downloaded from the App Store (for Apple devices) or Google Play (for Android devices).

Can you tell me more about your NHS online pharmacy?

NowPatient’s Pharmaceutical services in the UK are provided by Infohealth Limited trading as ‘Infohealth Pharmacy’.

Our dispensing pharmacy is regulated and authorized for internet sales by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), registration number 1036487. You can view our license credentials on the General Pharmaceutical Council website. Our superintendent pharmacist who is responsible for the safe and effective oversight of medicines supplies is Mr Amish Patel (Registration Number 2042705).

Medicines are not ordinary items of commerce. All medicines or healthcare product sales are made under the supervision of a registered pharmacist who is licensed by the GPhC. At all times, we endeavour to provide a professional and transparent service whose primary goal is to ensure that the best interests of the patient are served.

How do I make a complaint?

From time to time, we accept that our service levels may not be up to your expectations. NowPatient welcomes concerns, compliments and complaints as valuable feedback that will help us learn from your experiences and make improvements. Feedback can be provided via our clear and transparent Complaints Procedures.

Can you tell me more about NowPatient’s prescribing services for treatments offered?

Our prescribing services are regulated by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). We provide the following regulated activity:

• treatment of disease, disorder, or injury
• transport services, triage, and medical advice are provided remotely
• caring for adults over 65 years old
• caring for adults under 65 years old

NowPatient prescribing services are run by Infohealth Limited. The Clinical Safety Officer and nominated individual is Mr Navin Khosla.

Can you tell me more about NowPatient’s US services?

Our head of US services is Dr. Jamie Winn.

You can lower the cost of your prescription medications using our various savings programs which include drug coupons, savings card and manufacturer-sponsored patient assistance programs.

We do not provide any prescribing services or dispensing services in the United States.

Is NowPatient legit and can I trust information from NowPatient?

Yes. NowPatient provides trustworthy and accessible clinical, health education and prescription services. We are also trusted by the NHS to deliver clinical and NHS repeat prescription dispensing across the whole of England. In the United States, we work with over 65,000 pharmacies to deliver considerable costs savings for our users.

NowPatient is operated by experienced licensed medical professionals in the United Kingdom and United States. Our Medical Team can be found here.

Our service is trusted by thousands of patients worldwide. You can read their reviews on our Trustpilot:

NowPatient Trustpilot

What are NowPatient’s opening hours?

Our office hours are:

UK – Monday-Friday 9am-6pm GMT
US – Monday-Friday 8am-5pm EST

Please note that we are closed at weekends.

In the event of a medical life-threatening emergency please call:

UK – 999
US – 911

In the event of a medical emergency which is not life-threatening please call:

UK – 111

Find more answers