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Dry January 2018 – take part!

14 December 2017

Image result for Dry January 2018 logo

As you embark on the Christmas Party season, now is the time to think about signing up for Dry January 2018.  Why not make a decision, today?  Then, when the festivities are over and you’ve chucked out the empties, you’ll be prepared for the challenge of an alcohol-free January starting on New Year’s Day.

There are many great reasons to take part. According to research carried out at the Royal Free Hospital in London:

  • 79% of participants saved money
  • 62% had better sleep and more energy, and
  • 49% lost weight.

Jackie Clarke, from the Programme Management Office here at Cardiff University, recently tried out Go Sober for October. Jackie explained:

I had a couple of nights out, and apart from feeling bloated with fizzy pop I still enjoyed myself. My friends and family didn’t think I would be able to do it which made me more determined, but for me the best thing was I realised I wasn’t ‘alcohol dependent’ to have a good time.

Also I was raising money for MacMillan so that made me more focused. I aimed for £200 and managed to raise £345.”

Dry January is organised by Alcohol Concern. ‘Going sober’ enables you to take control of your relationship with alcohol, and helps drives a conversation about alcohol. Why do we drink it, what does it do – and how can we reduce the harm it can cause?

If you want to take part, consider signing up to the Alcohol Concern website – people who do sign up are more likely to stay dry for the whole month. You’ll then have access to a free app, which helps you keep track of your month with features including a calorie calculator, unit tracker and a tool to show how much you’ve saved. You’ll also receive regular support emails with tips, tricks and information from experts all aimed at making the month easier and more fun.

Why not ask colleagues to join in and team up for the challenge? You could even make a ‘pledge wall’ – simply put a poster in your staff room and ask participants to add their name.  Offer to be the ‘Dry January Champion’, and organise a dry event for your team, or run a competition around raising money for charity. Contact staffwellbeing@cardiff.ac.uk to see how we can support your initiative.