At Alcohol Change UK, we are led by evidence to develop free tools and resources that help people make lasting changes to their relationship with alcohol.
Here we summarise the research showing the effectiveness of the Dry January® challenge.
With 17.5 million people planning a month off alcohol in January 2026, and more than 200,000 taking part using our free tools worldwide in 2025, it's little wonder that the Dry January® challenge has attracted the attention of researchers. Here’s what the evidence shows.
Studies show that even a single month off alcohol can lead to measurable health improvements. According to Mehta et al. (2018), these include:
Research with Dry January® challenge participants reveals big lifestyle benefits (de Visser, 2019):
De Visser (2019) also found that, six months after participating in the Dry January® challenge, participants still show:
Even those who don’t manage a completely alcohol-free month still report significant benefits - such as feeling more in control and reducing drinking risk - showing that taking the Dry January® challenge works even when it's not perfect (de Visser & Lockwood, 2018).
And the myth of “Binge February”? Evidence disproves it - the Dry January® challenge does not lead to rebound drinking (de Visser et al., 2016).
Yes. Taking part in the Dry January® challenge using Alcohol Change UK's free tools and resources, such as its free Try Dry® app, doubles your chances of a successful alcohol-free month compared to going it alone (de Visser, 2019). Research also shows that 70% of people who use the free tools and resources provided by Alcohol Change UK, including the Try Dry® app, daily motivational emails, and active online community, have significantly improved wellbeing and lower alcohol health risks six months later (de Visser & Nicholls, 2020).
The Try Dry® app is the only app of its kind included in NICE (2025) clinical guidance, and studies show it is more effective than alcohol-industry-funded alternatives (Roy-Highley et al., 2024).
Overall, the evidence is clear: taking a 31-day ‘circuit breaker’ from alcohol in January and learning new techniques through our Try Dry® app and motivational emails makes a big difference, setting you up with extra skills and confidence for long term success.
The Dry January® challenge isn’t just about one month off alcohol - it’s a proven way to reset habits, improve health, and reduce alcohol-related harm long-term.
At Alcohol Change UK, one of our values is that we are ambitious for change. We know that the Dry January® challenge and Try Dry® app are life-changing for hundreds of thousands of people, but we are not complacent. We always want to know more about how the Dry January® challenge is working, for whom, and how it can be continually improved to have even greater impact.
Over the years, a number of significant, independent research studies have evaluated the effectiveness and impact of the Dry January® challenge. The studies cited on this page include:
