What is ‘Damp January?’ Will you try it this time?

You’ve no doubt heard of ‘Dry January.’

This is a trend that has emerged in recent years when people give up drinking alcohol for the first month of the New Year in order to improve their health.

But have you heard of a ‘Damp January?’

But what do we know about this trend? What do experts say?

Let’s take a closer look:

What do we know?

First, let’s briefly examine ‘Dry January.’

The trend first began around a decade ago, as per Fortune.

According to Forbes, the trend has gained popularity in recent years particularly in the United States.

In January 2024, around a fourth of US adults took part in ‘Dry January,’ Fortune quoted data from analytics firm CivicScience as showing.

This was higher than the number who opted to kick the New Year off in sobriety in 2023.

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Dry January gained more popularity after the COVID-19 pandemic – when people were drinking more and often alone at home.

Fortune quoted the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as saying that binge drinking is associated with a slew of risks including alcohol-use disorder, alcohol dependence, heart problems, some cancers, memory issues, depression and anxiety, and social problems, like family and job-related issues, according to the

But for those who find ‘Dry January’ isn’t their cup of tea, _‘_Damp January’ has emerged as an alternative.

Urban Dictionary defines it as a “lesser version of Dry January for those with less willpower or need to celebrate special events or just want a drink”.

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As per VeryWellHealth.com, here, rather than going cold turkey on alcohol, people can instead cut back on their consumption of liquor.

As per Fortune, people can decide for themselves how much alcohol they will take in.

People can cut down on the number of drinks or even choose those with lower alcohol content.

Some may choose to drink a glass of wine with dinner but not drink in a social setting.

Others can limit themselves to drinking only on certain days of the week.

According to a piece in the Washington Post, many people find success in _‘_Damp January’ because of its piecemeal approach.

The piece argued that people who cut down some find success even if they can’t stick to their original goal.

On the other hand, if they are unable to cut down their alcohol intake at all, it shows that they might be in need of professional assistance.

The newspaper quoted Ian Andersen, a co-founder of Sunnyside, a mindful drinking app, as saying that 25,000 people participated in his company’s ‘Damp January’ challenge in 2023.

The firm found people overwhelmingly preferred a ‘Damp January’ to a ‘Dry January’ – 68 per cent to 32 per cent.

The company found those that tried ‘Damp January’ saved money, slept better, ate healthier and felt more focussed and productive.

Alice Ferris, a fundraising consultant from Arizona, was among those who tried the programme.

She said preferred ‘Damp January’ because of her job.

“There’s a lot of food and drink consumption that’s involved in my day-to-day life,” Ferris said. “Plus, I just like it. I consider myself a bit of a foodie, and I enjoy the ritual of drinking.”

Ferris originally decided to abstain from alcohol three to four days per week.

When she did drink, she would have one cocktail or a glass of wine.

Ferris said her sleep massively improved and she found herself more mindful about her drinking.

“It helped me become more conscious about when I’m picking up the glass,” Ferris added.

What do experts say?

They said ‘Dry January’ can play its part in helping people improve their health.

Dr Timothy Naimi, director of the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research at the University of Victoria, told The New York Times that people can make health gains simply by drinking less.

It can also lead to sleeping better and weight loss.

Others argue that ‘Damp January’ is the more palatable option to ‘Dry January.’

“For most people, the idea of a binary isn’t very helpful,” Ian Hamilton, an associate professor of addiction at the Department of Health Sciences at the University of York, told the newspaper.

“Damp January might be perhaps a better start to changing your behavior in the long-term,” added Matt Field, a professor of psychology at the University of Sheffield.

“Identifying favourite beverages that are low or no alcohol can be really helpful in not leaning so hard on alcohol for enjoyment,” Katie Witkiewitz, PhD, director of the Center on Alcohol, Substance Use, and Addictions at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, told VeryWellHealth.com.

“Participating in Damp January can provide insight into your relationship with alcohol,” Ryan Witt, director at Healthy Life Recovery, told Forbes. “By abstaining from alcohol, even for just a portion of one month, participants can experience myriad benefits, such as better sleep, improved moods, clearer skin, and weight loss.”

They also say it also puts a lot less pressure on people than ‘Dry January.’

“Damp January avoids a lot of the social pressure that tends to come with Dry January,” a piece in The Telegraph noted. “[Dry January] is impractical and doesn’t sound enjoyable in this most depressing of months.”

“The weekly limit really depends on how much you are currently drinking and what your goals are,” Lauren Manaker told Forbes. “Trying Damp January may show you that you can do without that daily glass of wine that you sip on after work or that third cocktail that you typically order when you have a night out on the town. It allows you to not feel deprived, but it also helps you not overindulge.”

But not everyone agrees.

Anne Mahlum, a fitness entrepreneur and founder of Solidcore, told Fortune she realised she was drinking every day and often alone.

“If you’re starting to think about it, and even question if you have a healthy relationship with alcohol, it’s probably telling you something,” Mahlum said. “I felt a little guilt. I felt ashamed. I didn’t like that I woke up with a little bit of a headache sometimes. I was like, this just isn’t in line with who I want to be.”

But she quickly realised she wasn’t cut out for ‘Dry January.’

Instead, Mahlum decided to give alcohol up in January completely.

“As a sober person, the Damp January trend is frustrating for me,” Gillian Tietz, MS, host of the Sober Powered Podcast in Boston, Massachusetts, told Verywell.

“I feel that the trend is supporting the stigma of addiction: that it is a choice or a weakness,” Tietz added. “Some people, like me, cannot control how much they drink no matter what they do. And for someone who is trying to moderate without success, it is easier and more sustainable to just have none.”

Dr Niall Campbell, of Priory Hospital Roehampton, warned PrioryGroup.com that one of the risks of ‘Damp January’ is that it could make people “massively complacent” about their drinking.

“Priory has seen a 55 per cent increase in enquiries in 2022 related to treatment for alcohol addiction. People have sought to self-medicate with alcohol for the cost of living crisis, stress, work insecurity, depression and anxiety. In January, there are the added pressures of Christmas debt, poor weather and going back to work.

“Relationships may have seriously fractured over the holidays – couples have been cooped up together, or struggling with children and elderly parents. The new year can bring many difficult emotions to the surface. Lots of people who work ‘hybrid’ are drinking like hell, at home and ‘under the radar’. It’s difficult to hide your drinking habits when you’re at work but at home, and especially if you don’t need to drive, people are drinking much more.

With inputs from agencies