What Dry January Reveals About Our Habits, Routines and Social Lives

Maambo explores with you the possibility of Dry January being a reset, and not a rulebook. 

Welcome to 2026, the year of the horse (or at least, that’s the energy we’re bringing). The start of the year feels especially fitting for many of us. It’s when a lot of us set our brightest, most ambitious goals and push ourselves towards the best of our abilities. Like a horse pawing at the ground at the starting gates, a lot of us want change, and we want it fast. The only issue is that this mindset can turn into a gallop that burns out too quickly, rather than a steady trot you can actually sustain.

Many people turn to Dry January to create a quick change by taking a complete break from alcohol and other substances for a month. At Maambo, we recognise the health benefits of Dry January, but we also want to affirm long-term, transformative and accountable change that goes beyond January itself. A studied, introspective, and peer-supported approach continues to be the most effective way of creating meaningful change.

So, let’s explore Dry January as an opportunity for deeper reflection. One that encourages awareness this month and can bring and provide a more thoughtful and sustainable journey throughout the rest of the year.

Why People Participate in Dry January 

Every year, millions of people in the UK and beyond choose to participate in Dry January for various personal reasons. For some, it’s a reset after the festive period, for others, it’s a way to take stock of their habits with curiosity and care. Here are some of the most commonly reported motivations:

• Many people are simply looking for a fresh start after the holidays. In the UK, an estimated 15.5 million adults planned to take a month off drinking alcohol in January 2025 as a way to reset their routines and put their wellbeing first.

• Practical benefits also feature highly in people’s thinking, with participants commonly reporting that they save money, sleep better, and feel more in control of their drinking when they pause in January.

• Research suggests that some people use the month as a moment of reflection, which can have lasting effects, and some even choose complete sobriety after Dry January. 

What comes through in all of these motivations isn’t pressure or perfection, but a shared desire to notice habits, test patterns, and see what a month of doing things differently might reveal, both practically and emotionally.

The Challenges and Realities of Dry January

Dry January can be a useful pause, but it isn’t always straightforward. For many people, the challenge isn’t willpower. It’s what changes when a familiar habit is removed. Research and surveys from organisations like Alcohol Change UK suggest that social pressure is one of the greatest difficulties people report during Dry January, particularly when alcohol is closely tied to work events, networking, or how we unwind with friends.

There’s also the reality that strict, all-or-nothing approaches can be difficult to sustain. Studies exploring month-long alcohol breaks have found that a noticeable proportion of people don’t complete the full month, often because the structure doesn’t account for stress, emotional habits, or the reasons alcohol plays a role in daily life. This doesn’t mean the pause has failed. It often highlights something important instead.

What Dry January doesn’t always address is the root of why people drink in the first place. For some, it’s social ease. For others, it’s stress, routine, or a way to switch off after long days. Those reasons are personal, varied, and worth understanding. A month without alcohol can surface those patterns, but it doesn’t automatically resolve them.

A quick health note:

If you drink heavily or drink alcohol every day, stopping abruptly can sometimes lead to alcohol withdrawal symptoms. These may include shakiness, anxiety, nausea, sweating, or a rapid heart rate. In more severe cases, withdrawal can involve seizures, hallucinations, or delirium tremens (DTs).

If you experience these symptoms, it’s important to seek medical help. Before making significant or sudden changes to alcohol use, always consult your GP or healthcare provider, particularly if alcohol has been a daily part of your routine.

Building Your Own Wagon, Not Riding Someone Else’s

OK, we know that “being on the wagon” usually means completely abstaining from alcohol. We’re not here to rewrite phrases of speech, and we’re certainly not here to try to change who you are. What Maambo is here for is helping to create structure and those small a-ha moments that allow you to step back and re-evaluate the kind of life you want to live. So if you’re open to a slight rethink of what “being on the wagon” can mean, let’s ride on.

We’ve examined the benefits of Dry January and been honest about its challenges. What often gets missed, though, is a far simpler question: what actually works for you? This is where introspection can be more useful than restriction.

Instead of focusing on whether you are “doing Dry January properly”, it can help you step back and notice what sits underneath habits. Do not judge them, but understand them. The aim is to build a way of engaging with alcohol and substances that allows you to better understand your health, your goals, and how you want to feel.

A simple place to start is by asking yourself a few questions you can return to, not just this month, but throughout the year:

• What are you drinking, and how much? Is it occasional, habitual, celebratory, or automatic?

• When and where do you tend to drink? Is it tied to certain days, places, or moments of transition?

• Who are you with when you drink? Does it feel social, connective, expected, or routine?

• How are you feeling before and during the drink? Are you relaxed, stressed, bored, anxious, happy, or looking for a shift in mood?

Remember, we’re not asking these questions to control or judge. Instead, view them as tools to help build awareness throughout the year. Over time, noticing these patterns can help you make choices that feel more intentional and less reactive. Choices that support your short-term goals without relying on rigid rules or extremes.

This kind of reflection doesn’t end in January. It’s something you can carry with you, quietly shaping how you socialise, unwind, and take care of yourself in ways that feel sustainable.

Carrying the Conversation Beyond January

If you find that this kind of reflection brings up questions, uncertainty, or even motivation you would like a little help holding onto, Maambo’s peer mentors are there to support you. Not to tell you what to do, but to walk alongside you as you explore what works for you, during Dry January and beyond. 

Sometimes, having someone in your corner, right at the palm of your hand, can make it easier to go a little deeper and stay curious about the life you’re building.

You can explore our peer mentors and find the right fit for you here: https://app.maambo.co.uk/sign-up

When this kind of reflection around Dry January resonates, it’s often a sign that you’re ready for a wider reset, one that goes beyond alcohol, habits, or January itself.

This is exactly the kind of conversation we will be holding in Maambo’s upcoming workshop, New Year, Fresh Start: Setting Goals Together. A peer-led space to reflect on what the past year has taught you, let go of unrealistic expectations, and set intentions that actually feel doable.

Dry January can be one starting point, but meaningful change often comes from shared reflection, support and small, sustainable steps forward - this is exactly what Maambo is here to support you with.