Tips And Reasons For Not Drinking During Dryuary
So, I’ve been doing the “dry January” thing for a while now. It’s been close to a decade of taking the month of January off from all things booze related. What follows is a partial list of tips and tricks to get through the month of Dryuary without taking a sip.
A lot of my friends always ask why I do Dryuary. Well, it began after a particularly boozy holiday season. This was long before Covid-19 shut all the holiday gatherings down. I was always invited to tons of holiday get togethers from work, industry, friends and family. Each one of them had copious amounts of alcohol. Some of them were even open bar. One thing you may not know about Carl and an “open bar” is that he tips well. And the bar tenders respond by not being stingy with the booze in his mixed drinks.
A full month of that had taken a mighty toll on my mind and body. A very close friend of mine had done a dry January the previous year and was about to do it again. I thought, “that sounds like a great idea”. Quite frankly, I was probably on a track to need rehab soon if I kept up that boozy schedule. So, in the name of regaining control I took my best shot at 31 days without a drink.
Honestly? I wasn’t sure I could do it. But, that first year I was successful. I enjoyed the time away from the bottle and used it as a reset button. Dryuary has become a yearly thing for me.
Dryuary Tips
If this is your first shot at it, here are a few tips I can share.
One thing I try to do is predict the moments that I might break. I identify the times when I usually grab a beverage and make sure that I have something to put in a glass that will keep me busy. For example, it used to be that the first cocktail or glass of wine came with my dinner prep. I found a non-alcoholic beverage to enjoy during that time. For me that was Cranberry-Lime flavored seltzer mixed with a little Newman’s Own Lemonade. At the end of the day, when the kids go down it was a beer and a bourbon. During Dryuary that turns into a cup of tea.
Tip number two: When you pull the booze out of your system you’ll probably find that you crave something sugary at some point. That’s because your body has become used to the sugar because alcohol is converted into sugar by your body. So, get ready for a sugar craving by picking up something to replace it. Candy? Check. Ice cream? Double check.
The Benefits Of Dryuary
Maybe you’re asking yourself, “but why?” Good question. “Why go a whole month without booze when cutting it out for a few days will clear your head?’
Sure, there’s no question. But, there are other reasons and benefits to Dryuary. Among those benefits are:
Obvious: No hangovers. No morning headaches for a whole month. That’s reason enough for me! Lol.
Weight loss. I’ve seriously lost 10 to 20 pounds cutting out the booze.
Better sleep. After just a few days I find that I’m sleeping much more soundly.
Clearer head. Better sleep, less hangovers leads to a clearer head much earlier in the day.
Money savings. Whatever you spent on booze, that’ll stay in your pocket.
If you’re trying Dryuary this year then I’m sending you positive vibes. I’ll see ya soon for a non-spiked beverage and catch up with you later in February for a celebration beverage of your choice.