January is the perfect time to give your body a break and a chance to recover from the festive overindulgences. With three million Britons expected to give up alcohol this month you are not alone if you’ve made the decision to go dry.
The benefits of a Dry January are significant and include improved sleep, weight loss, state of mind, and glowing skin. Not to mention that your liver will thank you for it.
What we don’t recommend is replacing that beer or glass of wine with caffeine or sugary snacks. A bit like giving up smoking you are breaking a habit and often finding something else to do instead is a good option. Below are ten things that you might like to try and may help to get you through the month and out the other side happier and healthier.
- Join a gym or exercise class. While we recognise this isn’t for everyone it’s a great time to improve your fitness levels, especially if your plan a challenge in 2018 such as running a half marathon or climbing the Great Wall of China. Start slowly, join with a friend to improve your chances of continuing past the 31st and enjoy yourself.
- Take up knitting or crochet. You might be laughing but this is not just for the mature person. Searching YouTube, Google or Pinterest you will find knitters of all ages and many easy to try patterns. Go on, give it a go – who knows by June you might have created Christmas presents for all the family and ready to give in December!
- You’ve heard the saying ‘out with the old and in with the new’. Well, let’s take that literally and use the time to blitz the house and office. Give your wardrobe an overhaul, recycle, sell or gift items that you haven’t worn for the last 6-months. Clear your house of unused and unwanted items.
- Head into the garage or shed and don’t come out until its clear, tidy and you can walk in and around it. Who knows you might come across a piece of exercise equipment that can be brushed off and given a second chance.
- Catch up on your reading, from the pile of newspapers on the table to the novels on the shelf. Set yourself a target for the month and get reading. Yes, switch off the television, turn off your devices and enjoy this simple pleasure. Whether you are reading self-help, personal development or fiction … it doesn’t matter.
- Go to bed early. Sleep is so important to our health and wellbeing and over the festive period you might have found yourself slipping into a late-night habit. Give your body a break and chance to repair. You might even find yourself getting up earlier, starting your day fully refreshed and who knows what that might do to your productivity.
- Dig out the old exercise DVDs. Close the curtains and work out in the living room. This would equally be a fun activity to do with the little people of the house, creating family fun time. Pull on those jogging bottoms, grab a glass of water and just do it. Move anything breakable before you start.
- Go for a walk, enjoy the fresh air and just around the block is a start. Or why not drag your friends along, a chance to catch up while blowing the cobwebs away. Wear sensible shoes to avoid slips and trips but otherwise no equipment necessary.
- What jobs have you been putting off around the house? Make a list and start at the top, from painting to window cleaning. This is the month to get those tasks done and you will finish the month with real satisfaction.
- Use the time to plan events, trips and holidays, get in touch with friends and get dates in the diary for family gatherings and reunions. Having something to look forward to is a wonderful way to start the year
