The Latest Medical News

A Summary of The Latest Medical News: **Discover the Real Health Wins of Dry January – Backed by Science** Abstaining from alcohol for just one month through **Dry January** delivers meaningful physical and psychological boosts, like better sleep, weight loss, and improved mood, as confirmed by a recent review of 16 studies in *Alcohol and Alcoholism* involving over 150,000 participants.[1][2][4] **Quick Wins in the First Week** Participants often notice changes fast: lower blood pressure, resting heart rate, and BMI from weight loss, plus better hydration, brighter skin from less inflammation, steadier mood, and reduced cravings for sugary foods.[1][2] **Sleep and Energy Surge** Alcohol disrupts REM sleep and causes nighttime awakenings, but skipping it leads to deeper, restorative rest, higher energy, clearer thinking, and feeling more rested each morning.[3][4][5][6] **Liver and Heart Health Improvements** Even short abstinence cuts liver stiffness by an average 15% in heavy drinkers, lowers cholesterol, reduces blood pressure, and eases insulin resistance and blood glucose issues.[1][2][4] **Longer-Term Perks You Might Not See** Evidence supports boosted immune function, lower cancer risk (linked to over 200 diseases), better digestion, reduced liver fat, and decreased cancer-related growth factors – benefits that fade if moderate drinking resumes.[1][2][3] **Mental Health and Habit Reset** Beyond the body, Dry January enhances mood, self-reflection on drinking triggers like boredom or social pressure, and sustained changes: less frequent drinking, reduced drunkenness, and better mental well-being even months later.[1][2][4][5] **Tools for Sticking It Out** Using apps, daily emails, or texts boosts success rates and helps maintain lower alcohol intake post-January, proving willpower alone isn't always enough.[4] **Not Just for Heavy Drinkers** Even partial abstinence yields benefits, and experts suggest a "Damp January" for some – its non-stigmatizing focus on positives like renewed health and energy makes it widely appealing.[2][3] **Why Give It a Shot This Year?** This annual challenge, started by Alcohol Change UK in 2013 with 200,000 global sign-ups in 2025, offers a low-stakes experiment to rethink your relationship with alcohol and build lifelong habits.[4] Help with your insurance? https://tally.so/r/n012P9