Dry January 2022

After one week alcohol-free - what's happening in your body?

After one week of being free from alcohol you may start to see changes on the surface – no hangover - whoopee!, more energy, brighter skin – but what’s going on inside your body?

This text was adapted from Try Dry: The Official Guide to a Month Off Booze.

The first day

Assuming you don’t spend the night before you start Dry January trying to remove all booze from the house by drinking it, the first 24 hours will see your body eliminating alcohol from your system at the rate of one unit per hour (after the first half hour, when it’s just absorbing, not processing). You probably won’t feel any different. After all, most of us regularly manage a day without drinking.

HELLO, GRUMPY!

For the first few days of your dry month you may feel a bit under the weather as dopamine, a mood-enhancing chemical produced in the brain, is still depleted and your body is replacing glycogen and minerals. If you’re feeling sluggish and low, and find yourself snapping at everyone, just remember that this will only last a few days at most and the good stuff is just around the corner.