Every January, people all over the country decide to ditch drinking. Considering that a third of adults report feeling anxious after alcohol, breaking boozy habits is certainly a good way to start the year feeling healthier and happier.
In 2023, nine million UK adults participated in Dry January (Alcohol Change UK), with similar numbers of participants expected this year. However, one in three fail to make it to the end of the month without reverting to their usual drinking habits (YouGov); the tools and support of Alcohol Change UK make it much easier to enjoy lasting success.
Why? Studies show that people mostly drink in order to unwind, and alcohol alternatives generally don’t have the same calming effect. Swapping out your usual tipple for a booze-free option might leave you hangover-less, but often the soft drinks we reach for are packed full of sugar or have other additives that won’t help you to relax in the same way that a glass of wine with dinner does.
It’s for this reason that Dry January is widely assumed to be a month of sacrifice. We forget it doesn’t have to be this way. Not drinking doesn’t have to be boring.
Wellness expert and co-founder of non-alcoholic CBD drink brand TRIP, Olivia Ferdi, believes that it's possible to take the edge off without reverting to our normal drinking habits: “CBD can be an exciting part in how we socialise.”
In fact, among Generation Z – the most likely age group to be teetotal – one in two have now tried a CBD drink (Source: KAM Media and Drinkaware).
As part of their awareness driving for Dry January, TRIP has begun work with Roman Kemp, a vocal advocate for looking after your mental health.
“Roman was a natural choice to partner with to promote our Dry January campaign, which is encouraging people to unwind naturally with TRIP and avoid the dreaded alcohol hangiexty,” said Ferdi.
Roman Kemp added, "Have you recently been affected by that dreaded word… hangxiety? Well, you don’t have to feel like that, that’s why I’m sticking with TRIP. A non-alcoholic drink that still gives me that relaxation and feelings of unwinding without the horrible aftermath and only 24 calories."
