Dry January alternatives that actually cut your drinking

If a full month without alcohol isn't right for you this year, the alternatives that work best are the ones with a number attached: a "damp January" with a weekly drink limit, a set of named dry days each week, a shorter dry stretch such as two weeks, or a dry month moved to a time of year that suits you better. Each of these cuts what you drink; vague promises like "I'll be good this month" usually don't.

Below: eight alternatives side by side, how much each one cuts for a typical week, who each suits, how to set the rules so they hold on a Friday night, a 4-week damp January plan, and the cases where a doctor, not a challenge, is the right next step.

Why look for an alternative at all?

Dry January began in the UK in 2013 and is run by the charity Alcohol Change UK. It works well for many people: in a University of Sussex survey of 2018 participants, most said they slept better and had more energy, and in an August follow-up they were still drinking on fewer days than before. But a full month off isn't the only way to get there, and for some people it's the wrong tool this year. Common reasons people give:

• A month with fixed events. A wedding, a milestone birthday, a work trip or a holiday abroad in January.
• All or nothing goes badly for them. One slip on day 9 and the month feels lost, so the rest of January turns into a normal month or worse.
• The goal isn't to stop. Many people want to drink less for good, not stop for 31 days and go back on February 1.
• January is already hard. Short days, post-holiday money worries and the return to work can make a big change feel like one too many.

None of these is a reason to do nothing. They're reasons to pick a version you'll finish. The research on Dry January hints at why that matters: the Sussex team found that even people who didn't stay dry for the whole month were still drinking a little less months later, though less so than those who did. Taking part, and paying attention, seems to count.

Eight Dry January alternatives compared

The "cut" column assumes a typical starting week of 14 standard drinks (two a night). In the US, one standard drink is 14 grams of alcohol: a 12-ounce beer at 5%, 5 ounces of wine at 12%, or 1.5 ounces of 40% spirits. Your own numbers will differ; the point is to compare.

Some popular lists online suggest switching to red wine or aged spirits as an "alternative". That changes what you drink, not how much alcohol goes into you, so it isn't on this table. A 5-ounce glass of 13.5% red holds slightly more alcohol than the same pour of a 12% white.

Damp January: the most popular alternative

"Damp January" (also called "dry-ish January") means drinking less in January rather than nothing. It works when the rule is concrete. Pick these three numbers before January 1:

1. A weekly limit. Half of what you drink now is a good start. If you don't know what you drink now, count one ordinary week in December first, in standard drinks. Our guide to standard drink size has the sums for pints, large pours and cocktails.
2. A daily ceiling. No more than 2 drinks on any one day is a useful line. The NIAAA, the US government's alcohol research institute, counts 4 or more drinks for women and 5 or more for men in about two hours as binge drinking, so a ceiling below that matters even when the weekly total looks fine.
3. Dry days. At least 3 or 4 named days a week with no alcohol at all. Dry days break the "every evening" link, which a lower nightly amount doesn't.

Write the three numbers somewhere you'll see them at your usual drinking time: the fridge, your phone's lock screen, a tracker app. If you'd like a sense of what's typical before choosing, our guide to how many drinks a week is normal shows what most US adults actually drink.

A 4-week damp January plan

This plan steps down so the hardest change comes after you've had some practice. It assumes a starting point of about 14 drinks a week; scale it to your own number.

Count drinks as you have them, not the next morning. People who estimate after the fact tend to undercount, especially with home pours, which often run 6 to 8 ounces of wine rather than 5.

How to make the rules hold on a Friday night

The weak point of any alternative to Dry January is that it leaves room for negotiation. "Just one more, it's a damp month" is easier to say than "just one, it's a dry month". These habits close the gap:

• Decide the number before the evening starts. At the table, with a glass in your hand, is the worst moment to set a limit.
• Buy only what the week allows. If your limit is 7 drinks and you drink wine at home, one 750 ml bottle at 12% is about 5 standard drinks. Don't keep a second bottle in the house "for guests".
• Start with an alcohol-free drink. Thirst makes the first drink go fast. A full glass of something cold first slows the whole evening.
• Have the next drink ready. When your limit is reached, you need something to pour. Our list of non-alcoholic drinks to make at home has measured recipes.
• Track it somewhere. A notes app works. If you prefer an app built for it, our comparison of Dry January apps covers free ones that also handle "cut down" goals.
• Know your cue. Most nightly drinking hangs on a cue: getting home, cooking, the kids in bed, a stressful call. Our free drinking pattern quiz takes 2 minutes and names the cue behind most of your drinks, so the plan aims at the right moment.

A different month: Dry February, Dry July, Sober October

If January is simply the wrong month, a dry month later in the year gives the same test. Several charities run their own:

• Dry Feb, a fundraiser run by the Canadian Cancer Society. February is also the shortest month.
• Dry July, run by the Dry July Foundation in Australia, raising money for people affected by cancer.
• Go Sober for October, run by Macmillan Cancer Support in the UK.

You don't need to sign up to any of them to use the month. The useful step is to put the date in your calendar now, while you're thinking about it, and add the events you already know about. A planned month later beats an abandoned one now. If you're weighing whether to run January into February instead, our guide to Dry January and February walks through that choice.

What the alternatives give up

Being honest about the trade-offs helps you choose:

• Less clarity. A full month off is the cleanest test of what alcohol does to your sleep, mood and energy. With a few drinks still in the week, it's harder to tell which change came from what.
• Smaller short-term changes. The best-known study of a dry month, run at the Royal Free Hospital in London and published in BMJ Open in 2018, measured lower blood pressure, insulin resistance and weight after four weeks off. A damp month should move these in proportion to how much you cut; nobody has run the same tests on damp January. Our Dry January benefits timeline covers what was measured.
• More decisions. "No" is one decision a month. "Is this one in my limit?" is a decision every evening, which is why the numbers need setting in advance.

What they gain: a rule much closer to how you might drink for the rest of the year. For many people that's the bigger prize. A month off followed by the same old February changes less than a lighter January that becomes a lighter year.

When to skip both and see a doctor first

Any of these alternatives is a habit change for people who drink socially or out of routine. Some situations need medical advice before you change anything, dry or damp:

• You drink every day and have had shaking, sweating, nausea, a racing heart or strong anxiety on mornings after, or when you've tried to stop. These can be signs of withdrawal, which can be dangerous; a doctor can help you cut down safely.
• You've had a seizure or confusion when you stopped drinking before.
• You're pregnant or trying to be. Health bodies advise no alcohol, so a damp month isn't the goal.
• You take medicines that interact with alcohol, or have liver disease, diabetes or a heart condition.
• You've tried to cut down several times and couldn't, or drinking is hurting work, money or relationships.

If you're unsure where you stand, our guide Am I drinking too much alcohol? walks through the 3-question AUDIT-C screening test. In the US, SAMHSA's free, confidential National Helpline is open 24 hours a day at 1-800-662-4357.

Questions people ask

What is the alternative to Dry January?

The most common one is damp January: drinking less rather than nothing, with a weekly limit, a daily ceiling and set dry days. Others are dry weekdays, two dry weeks, or a dry month at a different time of year.

Is damp January worth it?

It can be, if the rule has numbers. Cutting from 14 to 7 drinks a week halves the alcohol, calories and cost, and dry days break the nightly habit. "Drinking a bit less" without a number tends to drift back.

Is it OK to have one drink during Dry January?

It's your month. If you plan one exception for a named event, set the number in advance and go straight back to dry the next day. One drink doesn't undo the weeks around it; giving up the rest of the month would.

How many drinks a week is a good target for damp January?

Half your usual week is a practical start, with no more than 2 on any day and at least 3 or 4 dry days. The NIAAA describes more than 7 a week for women or 14 for men as heavy drinking, so aim well under those.

Can I do Dry January in February instead?

Yes. The Canadian Cancer Society runs Dry Feb, and nothing stops you from picking any month. Put it on your calendar now and plan around the events you already know about.

Does drinking non-alcoholic beer or wine count?

For most people, yes. US drinks labelled "non-alcoholic" can hold up to 0.5% alcohol, far below a standard drink. If you're avoiding alcohol for a medical reason or in recovery, ask your doctor, and look for "alcohol-free" or 0.0% labels.

More on Dry January and drinking less: all our drink-less guides.

Sources: Alcohol Change UK, Dry January (history and Try Dry app). de Visser RO, Robinson E, Bond R, "Voluntary temporary abstinence from alcohol during Dry January and subsequent alcohol use", Health Psychology 2016;35(3):281–9. University of Sussex, Dry January 2018 survey by Dr Richard de Visser (reported December 2018). Mehta G et al., BMJ Open 2018;8:e020673. NIAAA, "What is a standard drink?" and "Drinking levels defined". Canadian Cancer Society, Dry Feb. Dry July Foundation. Macmillan Cancer Support, Go Sober for October. US Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, labelling of malt beverages under 0.5% alcohol. SAMHSA National Helpline.