Dry January side effects: poor sleep, cravings, and when to see a doctor

What the research does and does not tell us

The studies of Dry January measured benefits. In a 2018 study in BMJ Open, regular drinkers who stopped for a month saw their blood pressure, weight and insulin resistance fall, and University of Sussex surveys found Dry January participants reported better well-being and more control over their drinking. Our page on Dry January benefits covers those results.

We found no study that measured side effects of a dry month, such as poor sleep or tiredness, and no official source that gives a schedule for them. What the NHS and NIAAA do describe is how alcohol affects sleep, why urges happen, and what alcohol withdrawal looks like. Those are the honest answers to the questions people search for in January.

Can't sleep during Dry January?

The NHS says alcohol can help some people fall asleep quickly but disrupts sleep patterns and stops you sleeping deeply, and that cutting down should help you feel more rested when you wake up. It lists alcohol among the most common causes of insomnia, alongside stress, anxiety, caffeine and noise.

Recovery may not be instant. In its guidance for clinicians, NIAAA says alcohol can change the physiology of sleep, and that in people with alcohol use disorder these changes may last, recovering only after 30 or more days without alcohol. That research is in heavier drinkers, so treat it as a reason to be patient rather than a timeline for everyone.

The NHS self-help advice for insomnia applies while sleep settles:

• Wake up and get out of bed at the same time every day, and only go to bed when you feel sleepy.
• Relax for at least an hour before bed, for example with a bath or a book.
• Keep the bedroom dark and quiet, and exercise during the day, but not in the 4 hours before bed.
• Avoid tea and coffee for at least 6 hours before bed, and do not nap during the day.
• See a GP if changing your habits has not helped, or you have had trouble sleeping for months.

Cravings and urges to drink

NIAAA says it is normal and common to have urges or cravings for alcohol when you change your drinking, and that they are short-lived, predictable and controllable. They are often set off by triggers such as the time of day, a place, a person or a feeling, and with practice they lose strength.

Its suggestions include keeping little or no alcohol at home, reminding yourself of your reasons for taking a month off, calling a friend, switching to another activity, and riding the urge out until it passes. Our guide on how to stop alcohol cravings goes through each one, and Dry January tips covers planning the month.

When a "side effect" is withdrawal

Some symptoms are a warning rather than a side effect. The NHS lists the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal as including anxiety, difficulty sleeping, feeling sick, a racing heartbeat, sweating and shaking. It says they begin within 6 to 12 hours of your last drink and usually last 3 to 7 days, and that they are a sign your body is dependent on alcohol.

The NHS says it can be very dangerous to stop drinking suddenly if you are dependent, and that if you get withdrawal symptoms you should get medical help before you try to stop. Call 999 in the UK, or your local emergency number, for severe symptoms such as seeing or hearing things that are not there, confusion or seizures. Our page on what happens when you stop drinking explains the difference between a dry month and withdrawal.

Common questions

When to get help

This site offers self-help tools and information, not medical advice. Talk to a doctor, or call one of the lines below, if:

• you feel shaky, sweaty, sick or anxious when you haven't had a drink;
• you find it hard to stop once you start, or you want to cut down and can't;
• drinking is causing problems with your health, work or the people close to you.

Before you stop: It can be very dangerous to stop drinking suddenly if you are dependent on alcohol. If you get withdrawal symptoms, get medical help before you try to stop drinking.

Sources

1. Alcohol-use disorder. NHS. nhs.uk
2. Tips on cutting down on alcohol. NHS. nhs.uk
3. Insomnia. NHS. nhs.uk
4. Mental Health Issues: Alcohol Use Disorder and Common Co-occurring Conditions (Core Resource on Alcohol). National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). niaaa.nih.gov
5. How to Stop Alcohol Cravings. NIAAA Rethinking Drinking. rethinkingdrinking.niaaa.nih.gov
6. Mehta G, Macdonald S, Cronberg A, et al. (2018). Short-term abstinence from alcohol and changes in cardiovascular risk factors, liver function tests and cancer-related growth factors: a prospective observational study. BMJ Open, 8(5), e020673. PMID 29730627
7. de Visser RO, Piper R. (2020). 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 Study. Alcohol and Alcoholism, 55(4), 433–438. PMID 32391879