January is often the month that brings everyone a particular sense of freshness and ambition. It signals the start of another year, which means there’s a new kind of mindset that urges society to do something different, reset, and challenge oneself in more ways than ever done before.
Every time it hits January, there are many goals coming into fruition. For business leaders, it means it’s time to put strategic plans into action. For students, it marks the beginning of another round of classes. For retailers, it’s the moment to unveil inventory in preparation for the winter season. Across entire communities, January is the perfect window to kick off goals that have been surfacing for a long time.
Especially now, people are also wanting to find ways to reassess their health. Some have made plans to change their fitness habits, while others are making an effort to drink more water or eat more nutritiously. Among many other Americans, they are partaking in Dry January in efforts to improve the brain and wellbeing.
Dry January has gradually evolved from a public health campaign into a cultural phenomenon. It involves opting out of alcohol for a single month, with the intention of strengthening overall wellness and cognition. While usually effective, this year Dry January holds a different form of significance.
To put it simply, Dry January is a temporary pause. The benefits include strengthened sleep, steadier moods, enhanced bodily functions, and reduced chronic risks. In theory, the concept protects cognition, yet it is a short-term fix that is only the beginning of proper brain health.
For Scott Blossom, L.Ac., founder of Doctor Blossom and an integrative cognitive health practitioner, the key to better cognition does not come from Dry January alone, it comes from the steps taken long before this.
What this means is that while a reduction in alcohol for a few weeks can help someone feel better in the moment, it doesn’t mean that the brain fully bounces back that quickly. Because alcohol has a number of consequential effects to the brain and body, proper healing requires a long-term lens.
When alcohol is consumed, its influence begins much earlier and lasts far longer than most people realize. Even before there are noticeable signs, alcohol consumption, especially if taken in large and consistent amounts, can interfere with how the brain processes emotion, manages stress, and makes decisions. In nearly every case, alcohol quietly derails daily life and shifts the brain’s ability to think thoughtfully.
Over the years, headlines have proved that alcohol is real, and its threats to the brain are even more devastating. A Harvard Gazette article recently reported that heavy alcohol use may cause more severe brain bleeds and brain vessel damage at a younger age. Similarly, the same report claims that when brain bleeds happen due to alcohol, up to 50% of people with the condition die, while 30% become disabled.
Regular exposure to alcohol is completely normal, and without it, it’s likely society wouldn’t exist like it does today. But in order to sustain brain health, Blossom would suggest an entire behavioral shift.
The brain doesn’t change quickly, but what can change right now is awareness, restrained practice, and accountability. While Dry January won’t be enough, at the least, people can make better efforts to understand current trends and then adjust accordingly. The more people can recognize how alcohol plays a role in their life, the more room they have to reset for longevity purposes.
In many ways, Dry January is a major chapter for all those who have struggled with alcohol in the past. By no means is this a call to discourage participation this year, but rather a moment to spark more intention beyond just January alone.
For what it’s worth, the brain takes much more than a few weeks of sobriety to remain strong and secure. If anyone wants to build greater cognition, it depends on the purposeful changes made today that are going to last a lifetime.