January is just over a week away, and if you’ve been trying to avoid alcohol throughout this month (a trend known as “Dry January”), you may feel like February can’t come soon enough. But some serious enthusiasts and health professionals say there’s another way: “Damp January,” which means cutting back on drinking without eliminating it altogether.
The trending term on TikTok is open to interpretation. For Shelly Rose, whose post on the subject has been viewed more than 450,000 times, that means “not dry, just not wet as usual.” For Lauren Wilensky, who originally planned to spend January sober, that means drinking only on weekends or perhaps on the occasional dinner date. His video received 31 thousand views and 2,286 likes.
“For many years there has been a trend to reduce drinking after the holiday season and at the beginning of the new year,” says Aimee Chiligiris, PsyD, a clinical psychologist at NewYork-Presbyterian Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York City. This is a good thing, she adds, because “it involves a focus on health and is an opportunity to improve health.”
What is a Humid Stove?
The term Wet January, or sometimes dry January or semi-arid January, began circulating on social media towards the end of the pandemic. Industry research has revealed that alcohol consumption was on a downward trend before 2020, especially among Generation Z consumers, but increased again by 54 percent during the pandemic, according to Nielsen data. Twenty months later, more than a third of consumers surveyed reported they still drink more than they did before the emergence of COVID-19.
Considering that alcohol use increases especially in winter, humid January may be an attempt to change these habits. In a survey of 3,000 American adults by American Addiction Centers, a leading provider of addiction treatment resources, 1 in 5 admitted to drinking more when the weather gets colder, and 83 percent reported they are more likely to turn to alcohol when they’re feeling down. It is higher in winter than in summer.
“We realized that for many people, reducing alcohol intake can be much more beneficial and challenging than quitting cold turkey or abstinence from alcohol altogether,” says Vedant Pradeep, co-founder and CEO of alcohol reduction app Reframe. A semi-dry spell seems more achievable and sustainable: two-thirds of Reframe users who attempted Dry January in 2023 have completed it, while 80 percent of those committed to Wet January have stayed the course. Perhaps more importantly, the company reported that 63 percent of Humid January users were still drinking less six months later.
Why do people participate in Humid January? For many, this is not a concern for their health. In a July 2023 Gallup poll, the fact that alcohol is bad for one’s health was the third most common reason Americans don’t drink.
Dr. “Reducing drinking can have positive benefits for emotional and physical health,” says Chiligiris. A systematic review found that less alcohol means fewer accidents and sick days, better cardiovascular health and better mental health. Last year, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a statement stating that no level of alcohol consumption can be considered safe for health and that alcohol was classified as a group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer decades ago.
The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that adults limit alcohol intake to two or fewer drinks per day for men and one drink or less per day for women, noting that “drinking less is better for your health than drinking more.”
“If you switch from oversatiated to hydrated, I think it’s a good idea,” says Bonnie Taub-Dix, RDN, a registered dietitian in New York City. Read Before You Eat: Taking You from Label to Table, says. “I love it because it’s baby steps and it’s up to you to decide whether to choose the drink or not.”
RELATING TO: Non-Alcoholic Cocktail Movement
Moist Hearth vs Dry Hearth: What’s the Difference?
While Humid January means something different to everyone involved, Dry January is simpler: Absolutely no alcohol — whether wine, beer, spirits or cocktails — for 31 days, according to New York City journalist and author Hilary Sheinbaum. Dry Tackle. He first tried going an alcohol-free month on a bet in January 2017 and has continued the tradition ever since.
“Don’t get me wrong: I’ve had humid months over the last eight years, and I’ve also had months where I had one drink, but I personally find that abstinence from alcohol for 31-plus days has had the most positive impact on my physical and mental health,” she says. “And, Dry January , has become a tradition that I really enjoy participating in and look forward to, especially after the holidays.”
For other people who might treat Dry January like a crash-and-burn fad diet, Moist January might be a better idea, says Taub-Dix. “If you’re overly restrictive, there’s a good chance it’ll come back with a vengeance at the end of the month.” Instead, he recommends trying cutting back to see, for example, whether your sleep problems are truly booze-related or whether your habit of drinking wine while cooking at night can be painlessly replaced with a nice tea or tonic. “This can teach you that you don’t need to drink as much as you think,” he says.
How to Make a Humid Stove
If you want to try the Damp Stove for yourself, experts recommend the following steps.
- Be clear. “The important thing is to avoid uncertainty,” says Pradeep. “Set clear, achievable goals that reflect your individual needs and commitment. If you do this, Damp Cooker becomes a meaningful and adaptable application rather than a one-size-fits-all solution.”
- Join a community. Backed by neuroscience, apps and communities like Reframe are a wealth of apps and communities to help people connect and structure drinking-related goals. There’s also UK-based Club Soda, which promotes responsible drinking; Try Dry, which can help you set goals and track your alcohol-free days; Alcohol Experiment, which aims to change your beliefs about alcohol; and countless other sober enthusiast social media and IRL groups.
- Recruit a friend. Similarly, Sheinbaum recommends starting the month with a friend, whether it’s dry or wet. “There’s strength in numbers, and it’s important to have support — especially when you’re getting through the month and making plans that don’t involve drinking,” she said. “That said, create a calendar of booze-free events to look forward to!”
- Stock up on non-alcoholic alternatives if that’s OK for you. The soft drink market is booming, and NielsenIQ reports that the industry’s market value is growing by 31 percent. Sheinbaum said soft drinks are “a great way to enjoy a sophisticated sip for a night out, at dinner, or during any activity without getting drunk or hungover.” Just a word of caution: Beverages that mimic the taste and texture of their alcoholic counterparts can be triggering for some people, especially those in traditional recovery programs, according to Recovery Village; Therefore, if this is true, opt for soda, juice or sparkling water. for you.
- Be careful. Instead of making an issue of it on your non-drinking days, take the opportunity to truly notice the benefits and move your behavior changes forward, says Chiligiris. “What often gets overlooked in discussions about Dry or Humid January is the importance of understanding your own drinking habits and the reasons behind them,” says Pradeep. “This isn’t just about taking a break from alcohol; “This is also an opportunity for introspection and developing a healthier relationship with drinking.”
- Have compassion for yourself. If you drink more than you planned, give yourself time off and try again the next day or month. Habits, especially addictive substances, are hard to break, and any time of year is a good time to try to change them. “This is not a failure,” Pradeep said. “This is about finding a healthier lifestyle that suits your needs and will make you happier and healthier.”
Should You Try January Humid?
The majority of people can benefit from reducing or eliminating alcohol, even temporarily. After all, solid research has shown that the substance has exactly zero health benefits and is linked to an increased risk of multiple cancers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
But if you’re a heavy drinker who may become physically dependent on alcohol, stopping cold turkey can be dangerous. In this case, you should consult a licensed medical doctor or addiction psychiatrist before trying to reduce your use, Chiligiris says. If cutting down on drinking is difficult, he adds, you can get support from mental health providers who specialize in substance abuse disorders.
Summary
Moist – or dry or semi-dry – Stove may be a more approachable alternative to Dry Stove for some people. How you define the concept is up to you: Maybe you pick a few times to drink throughout the month, maybe you only drink once or twice a week, maybe you cut the total number of units you drink overall by half or a third.
As a result, you can enjoy some of the benefits of an alcohol-free life without feeling like you’re making a big sacrifice in this already boring month. However, if you are addicted to alcohol, staying away from alcohol and getting medical support to achieve this is a safer option for you.