SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – After a month or so of indulging for the holidays, some people might be looking for a cleanse and participating in Dry January could do just the trick.
Dry January isn’t just a chance to see who can stay sober the longest in your friend group; it can also do a lot of good for your body.
“You know, better sleep at night. You wake up in the morning. You’re not hungry. You’re not anxious. You feel good, your mood’s better,” Dr. Naveen Rajpurohit, a cardiologist at Sanford Health, said. “You’re not craving sugar, you’re blood sugar is not spiking high. I mean, these are some of the immediate benefits we might see.”
Dr. Rajpurohit says going sober can have a good impact on multiple organs as well. It could also lead to a consideration of lifestyle changes.
“I really think, at the end of the first month, they’re going to feel better. And hopefully that translates into them drinking either less or quitting drinking long term,” Rajpurohit said.
However, people who have alcohol addictions could experience scarier side effects.
“There’s a small sub-group of patients that especially if they’ve been drinking for a long period of time on a very regular basis, they could have withdrawal symptoms from suddenly stopping alcohol. And these symptoms might be tremors, anxiety, nausea, vomiting, in extreme circumstances, even seizures,” Rajpurohit said.
If you are experiencing any of those symptoms after taking a break from alcohol, you should contact your primary doctor to see how you can healthily get sober.
These days living a sober lifestyle doesn’t having to mean avoiding local bars.
“I think that just as culture changes and there’s more of an interest in just, you know, socializing and being with people and wanting to enjoy a beverage that is similar to what other people are drinking has become more alluring to a lot of people, particularly in the younger age groups,” Tom Slattery, owner of JJ’s Wine, Spirits and Cigars said.
The bar in JJ’s Wine, Spirits and Cigars started serving non-alcoholic beers and mocktails a few years ago.
“So you can get the flavor, you can get the taste of an alcoholic beverage made handcrafted by our staff,” Slattery said.
There are also alcohol-free wines and spirits you can purchase to take home.
“We’re seeing more and more people joining in the non-alcoholic lifestyle and we’re here to help,” Slattery said.
There are multiple places in Sioux Falls that offer non-alcoholic drink options including the Hello Hi, DaDa Gastropub, Severance and Fernson.