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You may have more success with "Damp January" than "Dry January"

By Mallika Marshall, MD

January 9, 2023 / 6:13 PM EST / CBS Boston

HealthWatch: Childhood obesity guidelines; "Damp January"; Benefits of gardening

BOSTON -- Some of us are taking a break from alcohol this month in observance of "Dry January" but some people should consider "Damp January" instead. What does that mean?

Some people abstain from alcohol in January often to compensate for heavier drinking during the holiday season, which has been linked with some health benefits including improved sleep.

But avoiding alcohol altogether can be challenging for some, but observing Damp January, where you drink less than usual, may be a more attainable goal.

Some say cutting down on alcohol rather than quitting may improve compliance and could lead to healthier drinking habits in the long run.

Mallika Marshall, MD

Mallika Marshall, MD is an Emmy-award-winning journalist and physician who has served as the HealthWatch Reporter for CBS Boston/WBZ-TV for over 20 years. A practicing physician Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Dr. Marshall serves on staff at Harvard Medical School and practices at Massachusetts General Hospital at the MGH Chelsea Urgent Care and the MGH Revere Health Center, where she is currently working on the frontlines caring for patients with COVID-19. She is also a host and contributing editor for Harvard Health Publications (HHP), the publishing division of Harvard Medical School.

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