NEW research shows taking part in Dry January – abstaining from booze for a month – sees people regain control of their drinking, have more energy, better skin and lose weight.

The research from the University of Sussex also showed people drank less, months after taking part.

Of the 800 people participants in the Dry January research, 54 per cent had better skin, 58 per cent lost weight, and 57 per cent had better concentration.

The research also showed that 67 percent of participants had more energy, 71 per cent slept better, and 88 per cent saved money.

Dr Richard de Visser from the university, said: “These changes have also been seen in people who didn’t manage to stay alcohol-free for the whole month.

“There are real benefits to just trying to complete Dry January.”

The results show that Dry January participants are still drinking less in August.

It found that drinking days fell on average and units consumed per drinking day dropped.

A new YouGov poll for Alcohol Change UK showed that one in ten people who drink are already planning to do Dry January in 2019.

Dr Richard Piper, chief executive of Alcohol Change UK, said: “Put simply, Dry January can change lives. We hear every day from people who took charge of their drinking using Dry January, and who feel healthier and happier as a result.

“The brilliant thing about Dry January is that it’s not really about January. Being alcohol-free for 31 days shows us that we don’t need alcohol to have fun, to relax, to socialise. That means that for the rest of the year we are better able to make decisions about our drinking, and to avoid slipping into drinking more than we really want to.”