Is Damp January a Healthy Alternative to Dry January?
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We’re just over a week into January, and if you’re trying to abstain from alcohol for the month (a trend known as “Dry January”), it might feel as though February can’t come soon enough. But some sober-curious influencers and health professionals say there’s another way: “Damp January,” which means cutting back on booze without eliminating it entirely.
The term, which is trending on TikTok, is open to interpretation. For Shelly Rose, whose post on the topic has more than 450K views, it means “not dry, just not as wet as usual.” For Lauren Wilensky, who originally planned to do sober January, it means drinking only on weekends, or maybe on the occasional dinner date. Her video has accrued 31K views and 2,286 likes.
“For many years there has been a trend to reduce drinking post-holiday season and into the start of the new year,” says Aimee Chiligiris, PsyD, a clinical psychologist at NewYork-Presbyterian Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York City. That’s a good thing, she adds, since “it encompasses a focus on well-being and is an opportunity to improve health.”
What Is Damp January?
The term Damp January, or sometimes dry-ish January or semi-dry January, started making the rounds on social media near the end of the pandemic. Before 2020, alcohol consumption was trending down, particularly among Gen Z consumers, industry research found, but it shot up again 54 percent during the pandemic, according to Nielsen data. Twenty months later, more than a third of consumers surveyed reported that they were still drinking more than they had before the emergence of COVID-19.
Damp January could be an attempt to modify those habits, especially given that alcohol use tends to see an upswing in the winter. In a survey of 3,000 American adults by American Addiction Centers, a leading provider of addiction treatment resources, 1 in 5 admitted to drinking more when the weather is cold out, and 83 percent reported being more likely to turn to alcohol when they are feeling low during winter months than in summer.
“We recognized that for many people, moderating their alcohol intake can be much more beneficial and compelling than quitting cold turkey or complete abstinence,” says Vedant Pradeep, the cofounder and CEO of the alcohol-reduction app Reframe. A semi-dry spell seems to be more achievable — and sustainable: While two-thirds of Reframe users who attempted a Dry January in 2023 completed it, 80 percent of those who committed to a Damp January stayed the course. Perhaps more importantly, 63 percent of users who did a Damp January were still drinking less six months later, the company reported.
Why are people engaging in Damp January? For many, it’s out of concern for their health. In a Gallup poll conducted in July 2023, the fact that alcohol is bad for one’s health was the third most common reason Americans didn’t drink.
“Any reduction in drinking can have positive emotional and physical health benefits,” Dr. Chiligiris says. One systematic review found that less alcohol meant fewer accidents and sick days, better cardiovascular health, and improved mental health. Last year, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a statement saying that no level of alcohol consumption can be considered safe for health, and that alcohol was classified as a group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer decades ago.
The 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that adults limit alcohol intake to two drinks or less in a day for men or one drink or less in a day for women, and states that “drinking less is better for health than drinking more.”
“If you go from supersaturated to damp, I think that’s a good idea,” says Bonnie Taub-Dix, RDN, a registered dietitian in New York City and the author of Read It Before You Eat It: Taking You From Label to Table, says. “I like it because it’s small steps, and it puts the ball in your court over whether or not you choose to drink.”
Damp January Versus Dry January: What’s the Difference?
While Damp January may mean something different to everyone who partakes, Dry January is more straightforward: absolutely no alcohol — whether wine, beer, spirits, or cocktails — for 31 days, explains Hilary Sheinbaum, a journalist in New York City and the author of The Dry Challenge. She first tried an alcohol-free month in January 2017 on a bet — and has been continuing the tradition ever since.
“Don’t get me wrong: I’ve done damp months in the past eight years, and one-drink months, too, but I personally find that abstaining from alcohol over the course of 31-plus days has the most positive impact on my physical and mental health,” she says. “And, Dry January has become a tradition that I really enjoy participating in and look forward to — especially after the holidays.”
For other people who may treat Dry January like a fad diet that crashes and burns, though, Damp January may be a better idea, Taub-Dix says. “If you’re super-restrictive, there’s a good chance it’s going to come back at the end of the month with a vengeance.” Instead, she suggests, experiment with cutting back to see if, for example, your sleep woes may actually be tied to booze or your nightly wine-while-cooking habit can be painlessly replaced with a nice tea or tonic. “It may teach you that you don’t need to drink as much as you thought,” she says.
How to Do Damp January
If you want to try Damp January for yourself, experts recommend the following steps.
- Be specific. “The key is to avoid vagueness,” Pradeep says. “Set clear, achievable goals that reflect your individual needs and commitment. If you do so, Damp January becomes a meaningful and adaptable practice, rather than a one-size-fits-all solution.”
- Join a community. Apps and communities like Reframe, which is informed by neuroscience, abound to help people commit to, and structure, their drinking-related goals. There’s also the UK-based Club Soda, which promotes mindful drinking; Try Dry, which can help you set goals and track your booze-free days; the Alcohol Experiment, which aims to shift your beliefs about alcohol; and countless other sober-curious social media and IRL groups.
- Recruit a friend. Similarly, Sheinbaum recommends embarking on the month, whether dry or damp, with a friend. “There’s strength in numbers, and it’s important to have support — especially as you’re going through the month and making plans that don’t involve booze,” she said. “With that, create a calendar of nondrinking events that you’re going to look forward to!”
- Stock up on alcohol-free alternatives — if that’s for you. The alcohol-free beverage market is booming, with NielsenIQ reporting that the industry’s market value has grown 31 percent. Nonalcoholic drinks are “a fantastic way to enjoy a sophisticated sip during a night out, dinner, or any activity — without getting a buzz or a hangover,” Sheinbaum said. Just a word of warning: Drinks that mimic the taste and texture of their alcoholic counterparts can be triggering for some people, especially those in traditional recovery programs, according to the Recovery Village, so opt for soda, juice, or sparkling water if that’s true for you.
- Be mindful. Rather than white-knuckling it through your nondrinking days, take the opportunity to really notice the benefits and carry your behavior changes forward, Chiligiris says. “Something often overlooked in discussions about Dry or Damp January is the importance of understanding your own drinking habits and the reasons behind them,” Pradeep says. “It’s not just about taking a break from alcohol; it’s also an opportunity for introspection and to develop a healthier relationship with drinking.”
- Practice self-compassion. If you drink more than you planned, give yourself grace and try again the next day or month. Habits, especially with addictive substances, are hard to break — and any time of the year is a good time to try to change them. “It’s not a failure,” Pradeep said. “It’s an adjustment towards finding a healthier lifestyle that suits your needs and moves you towards a happier, healthier you.”
Should You Try Damp January?
The vast majority of people can benefit from reducing or eliminating alcohol, even temporarily. After all, robust research has shown the substance has exactly zero health benefits, and is linked to an increased risk of multiple cancers, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
But if you’re a heavy drinker who may be physically dependent on alcohol, stopping cold-turkey can be dangerous. In that case, you should consult with a licensed medical doctor or addiction psychiatrist before attempting to reduce your use, Chiligiris says. If cutting back on drinking proves challenging, you can seek support from mental-health providers who specialize in substance abuse disorders, she adds.
Summary
Damp — or dry-ish or semi-dry — January can be a more approachable alternative to Dry January for some people. How you define the concept is up to you: Maybe you pick a few occasions during the month to drink, maybe you only indulge once or twice a week, maybe you reduce the overall number of units you typically drink by half or a third.
As a result, you can reap some of the benefits of an alcohol-free life without feeling like you’ve made a big sacrifice in an already dreary month. But if you’re dependent on alcohol, abstinence — and medical support to achieve it — is a safer option for you.
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