Need to give your liver a bit of mercy after a big festive season? Health experts say taking part in Dry January can come with some surprisingly solid long-term mental and physical health benefits.

It might not be the advice you want to hear right now - but it could be exactly what you need.

Dry January has been around for more than a decade, and the concept is simple: ditch alcohol for the entire month of January. No beers, wines, cocktails or “just one” sneaky drinks. It doesn’t sound like the most thrilling challenge, but plenty of research suggests the payoff is worth it.

A ‘reset’ of your relationship with alcohol 

Taking a full month off the booze gives you a rare chance to properly reflect on your drinking habits. Studies show that people who take part in Dry January often come out the other side with a healthier, more balanced relationship with alcohol. 

Giving your body a break also means it’s not leaning on alcohol to trigger dopamine, which can leave your brain feeling sharper, clearer and more focused. 

Better everyday habits 

We all know what a dusty Sunday feels like - a whole bunch of not much, binge eating unhealthy food, and zero motivation. 

Health experts say cutting out hangovers leads to instant lifestyle improvements, like better sleep, more mental clarity, and improved fitness levels.

"Dry January is a good initiative as it prompts people to think about not just how much they drink but what their relationship with alcohol is,” says Ian Hamilton, an addiction lecturer at the University of York. 

Noticable physical health improvements 

A month without can also show up in your physical health. Research links abstaining to lower blood pressure, reduced cholesterol levels and a drop in diabetes risk of nearly 30%. 

Dr Mehta, who co-authored a paper on the benefits of abstinence, also noted that losing weight could be a bonus. One study she completed saw “a weight loss of around 2kg” during Dry January. 

Reduced cancer risk 

Alcohol has been linked to an increased risk of seven types of cancer, such as breast, bowel, liver, mouth, and certain types of throat cancer. 

Cutting out alcohol can reduce blood growth factors associated with these cancers - which is a pretty decent reason to give it a go. 

Understandably, going dry for a whole month isn’t easy, and nobody’s pretending it is. But I reckon with benefits like these, it’s hard to ignore. 

BBC Good Food provided some tips to make the challenge more manageable: remind yourself why you started, recruit a buddy, practise saying no, and line up a few treats to reward yourself along the way. 

So what do ya reckon, you gonna say no to the booze in Jan?