Everyone has their goals for the new year, whether personal or professional. Some may decide to take on new hobbies, volunteer, or decide to live a healthier lifestyle. Other goals might be smaller, such as reading a chapter in a book every day, eating less fast food, updating their resume and more.

One 2024 or new year trend that many people are partaking in is Dry January. So what exactly is Dry January and how do you do it? Dry January essentially means taking a monthlong break in January from alcohol.

What are the benefits of participating in Dry January? You’ll most certainly feel much better if you cut alcohol out of your diet. It’s also much easier to exercise without alcohol in your system and if you’re trying to lose weight, it can prove beneficial. Here are a few reasons why Dry January is a popular tradition and how you can abstain entirely.

Health Benefits of Dry January

Not only can Dry January help with losing weight and exercising, but there are also other health benefits to it, both physical and emotional. If you drink cocktails, a lot of them have some form of sugar, whether syrup or juice. By participating in Dry January, you’ll also be cutting out some sugar in your diet.

When you stop drinking, it’s also likely that your skin can clear up, you won’t feel as bloated and you’ll sleep better. Drinking less also improves your heart health, as alcohol can cause high blood pressure, blood vessel damage and liver problems.

Alternatives for a Successful Dry January

Having to manage alcohol withdrawal may be a difficult task for some. Because you get so used to having something every day or regularly, having to take that away and learn to live without it makes life different. But, having a few alternatives will definitely help in not only having a dry January but in consuming less alcohol over time.

Whip up a few mocktails using lemonade, tea, soda, coffee, matcha or some of your favorite drinks. Add your favorite syrup flavors from Torani or Monin to take your mocktail to the next level. Lavender, rose, coconut and vanilla syrups go great in mocktails.

The best part is that you can use this as a chance to experiment with different flavors, whether floral notes, fruity flavors, sweet or even spicy. Try out some of these unique mocktail combinations below:

• Lavender Lemonade: Lavender syrup + lemonade
• Jolly Rancher: Rose + mint + lavender syrup with lemonade and green tea
• Gingerbread Mocktail: Gingerbread syrup + brown sugar syrup + milk (of your choice) + gingerbread cookies for garnish
• Cranberry Rosemary Mocktail: Cranberry juice + orange syrup + rosemary sprigs
• Mint Mojito Mocktail: Mojito mint syrup + lime juice + sparkling water + mint leaves
• Butterfly Pea Mocktail: Butterfly Pea tea + mint + honey + lime + sparkling water or lemonade
• Strawberry Kiwi Refresher: Strawberry syrup + kiwi syrup + lime juice + sparkling water
• Espresso Martini Mocktail: Espresso + heavy cream or milk + vanilla syrup + cocoa powder + coffee beans for garnish
• Matcha Mojito Mocktail: Matcha green tea + mint syrup + limes
• Piña Colada Mocktail: Pineapple juice + coconut syrup + lime juice + milk of your choice + pineapple chunks