THIRTY per cent of adults in York drink more than the recommended 14 units of alcohol per week, compared to the England average of 26 per cent.

City of York Council is supporting calls for residents to try having a Dry January following a YouGov poll which revealed that one in ten people who drink are already planning to give up alcohol for one month to feel healthier, save money and improve their relationship with alcohol long term.

Dry January is run by the charity Alcohol Change UK.

Cllr Carol Runciman, executive member for Health and Adult Social Care said: “After the excesses of the festive period, Dry January can help you have a healthy start to 2019. This year millions of people are trying to go alcohol-free this January. Dry January isn’t about not drinking alcohol again, it is about giving your body a break after the festive period. It's a great way to show yourself and others that you can still go out and have a good time without drinking. You may also realise benefits such as saving money, sleeping better and getting healthier."

Cllr Ian Gillies, council leader, said: "Taking part in the Dry January campaign is a great way to raise awareness of the risks associated with drinking too much alcohol and also to raise awareness and money for charities helping those affected by alcohol in a variety of ways. With so many taking part there will be plenty of encouragement and support for from people."

Low risk drinking guidelines say that men and women shouldn’t drink more than 14 units per week. If you do drink 14 units, it should be spread evenly across three or more days.

Why is Dry January helpful?

Taking part in Dry January helps people to drink more healthily year-round, according to research conducted by the University of Sussex with more than 800 Dry January participants.

What did the research show?

Dry January participants were still drinking less in August:

• Drinking days per week dropped on average from 4.3 to 3.3

• Units consumed per drinking day dropped on average from 8.6 to 7.1

• Frequency of drunkenness fell on average from 3.4 per month to 2.1 per month.

What was the impact on people who drank more heavily?

For all of these measures, people who drank more riskily before Dry January saw bigger decreases in the amount and regularity of their drinking – suggesting that Dry January is particularly helpful for heavier drinkers.3

What were the main results from the research?

• 93% of participants had a sense of achievement

• 88% saved money

• 82% think more deeply about their relationship with drink

• 80% feel more in control of their drinking

• 76% learned more about when and why they drink

• 71% realised they don’t need a drink to enjoy themselves

• 70% had generally improved health

• 71% slept better

• 67% had more energy

• 58% lost weight

• 57% had better concentration

• 54% had better skin.

How can I do Dry January?

You can download Try Dry: The Dry January App to track your units, money and calories saved.