A break period allows you to drink less in the long run

More money left over, a few kilos off, a good night's sleep, awareness, better skin: all benefits that you may have also received or that you will experience. In this article you can read more about another nice side effect: IkPassers still drink less alcohol after six months than before their break period.

Six months after their break period, 3,453 participants in 'IkPas 2022' were asked about their current alcohol consumption. These are the most important results: after Dry January, the participants drink on average almost one day less (before the campaign on 4.8 days, afterwards on 3.8). On average, they drink 4.9 glasses less per week (from 17.9 glasses to 13.0, a reduction of 27.3% compared to before the campaign). It is also striking that the number of non-drinkers increased overall from 1.3% to 6.7%; During the week, 18.4% of the participants do not (or no longer) drink, prior to Dry January this was 9.9%.

Great success in Sussex

And it is not only the above figures that support the fact that you will drink less after you have taken a conscious alcohol break. Researchers at the University of Sussex also came to this conclusion. They asked eight hundred participants about their alcohol consumption before and after Dry January (2018). About eight months later, the participants in Dry January were found to drink significantly less alcohol than those who simply had a glass of wine or a beer in January. It was striking that this effect did not only apply to the diehards who remained dry all month, but also to the people who dropped out halfway. On average, people drank less alcohol one day a week (from 4.3 days a week to 3.3 days a week). The number of times a month 'drunkenness' also decreased: from 3.4 times a month to 2.1 times a month.

read here the full study from the University of Sussex.

Even more benefits

The participants surveyed also experienced that an alcohol break is beneficial. 70 percent felt physically and 73,1% mentally fitter. In addition, 80,4% had saved money, 70% slept better, 55,9% improved his or her health and 54,9% paid more attention to a healthy lifestyle in general. Slightly fewer participants delivered a
desired sports performance (43.9%), lost weight (33.9%) or got a more beautiful skin (32.4%).

In addition to the above benefits and the positive effect of actually drinking less in the long term, you also have time left over when you don't drink for a period. Normally you're busy planning 'going for a drink', getting booze in the house, drinking a lot and recovering from your hangover; that all falls away during your break period. That means there is room for other things. Such as more sports, starting your own business, perfecting your cake-baking skills, writing letters to all your loved ones, making photo albums... options enough!