Is the One Week Method the New Dry January? TikTok Thinks So

glamour.com:

. And while less people drank alcohol in 2023 compared to 2022, it also highlights a trend over the last 10 years of Americans ping-ponging back and forth between imbibing less—only to slingshot into drinking more.If you’re looking to make sustainable changes to your drinking habits, a new approach is making the rounds on TikTok: The purports that seven days of no alcohol, followed by three weeks of moderate drinking (or less), can improve your sleep, lift brain fog, and deliver glowing skin—many of the same benefits of a dry month, with less of a commitment.The idea, according to the method’s creator , is to repeat the pattern of one week of no drinking every month for a full year.Committing to seven days without spirits may feel a lot more realistic—and a lot less intimidating—for some than going cold turkey.

And, depending where your social commitments fall in the month, it leaves you wiggle room to still have a few glasses of wine at a friend’s birthday or after a long day without feeling like you’ve broken your pact to yourself.What’s more, the repeated abstinence from alcohol adds up: “We like to remind people that any reduction in alcohol consumption is worth recognizing, and if you stick to one week off from drinking every month, that reduces your days of consumption by 25% for the year,” points out Stephanie Garrison, LPC, director of clinical operations at , an online alcohol treatment platform.Now, seven days alone isn't enough for anyone to make lasting changes to any habit, including overindulgence of alcohol, says , a Denver-based nutritionist and health coach specializing in behavior change techniques.