Promoting positive mental health during Dry January
As we approach the end of the first month of 2025, the growing number of people who decide to abstain from alcohol as part of Dry January are likely to fall into one of two camps; those who are enjoying the benefits of pausing their alcohol consumption, and those who are counting down the days until 1st February.
The charity behind the Dry January challenge, Alcohol Change UK, estimated that more than one in four (29%) Brits were planning an alcohol-free January in 2025.
Notably, the charity points to research which shows that the majority of people who complete Dry January also continue to drink more healthily throughout the rest of the year.
Motivating reasons include saving money, better sleep, improving physical and mental health, and helping work performance.
Keeping the workplace in mind, it’s been estimated that alcohol plays a role in up to 40% of accidents at work but, perhaps surprisingly, moderate drinkers are more likely to cause an accident in the workplace than very heavy drinkers.
This being the case, it’s in the interests of employers to encourage a healthy work culture with regards to alcohol. Alcohol Change UK suggests the following measures can help:
- An employee assistance programme to ensure that they can access support with mental and physical health issues
- Awareness-raising activities
- Ensuring that social events aren’t entirely geared around alcohol, and have good alcohol-free drinks on offer.
It’s widely acknowledged that poor mental health can be a contributing factor in regular overconsumption of alcohol, so our Mental Health First Aid training here at Ardent Safety is a useful step in supporting good mental health and overall wellbeing in the workplace.
For advice and guidance on promoting positive mental health at work, please contact us.
