Warning issued over drinking your first sip of alcohol once Dry January has finished

The end is near, and whether you've stuck to it or not, I think we can all agree January is a rough month to go teetotal.

It goes without saying that abstaining is going to have a positive effect on the functions in your body, including improving your skin, lowering blood pressure, losing weight, and much more.

It's been reported that 4.2 million people across Britain have taken part in the tradition of giving up booze for the entire month of January, but what are the effects when you decide to take that first, sweet sip?

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Tolerance

It is your first drink since getting presumably hammered on New Years Eve, so it will come as no surprise that your first sip might get you a bit more giddy than it usually would.

However, Addiction expert Dr Paul McLaren told the Huffington Post: "Four weeks is a relatively short time for tolerance to change to a significant degree.

"But this does depend on how much you drink, and how much you were drinking in December."

Note to self - no Tequila shots for your first drink.

Hangover

Potentially the most enjoyable aspect of dry Jan, is not waking up feeling as though your head is about to implode at 10am on a Sunday morning.

But has not drinking actually made them worse?

Alcohol Change UK reported: "After a month off you can’t jump straight back into drinking like you were before.

"It won’t do you any favours and will probably lead to a hangover from hell spanning multiple days."

Let's just take their word for it!

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Habitual drinking

Alcohol Change UK also say that 72% of people who participate in dry Jan have a better relationship with alcohol six months down the line - so it's looking good people!

However, it's important not to revert to old habits.

Dr Paul McLaren actually said that the chance of binge drinking after a month off usually only happens if you did it before.

He said: "In my experience, it is unlikely you suddenly become a binge drinker just because you have taken a month off.”

So, after all the hard work we've done, will you be participating in a damp Feb?

Here's some tips if you're considering it:

• Take it as a slow process, no two-night benders!
• Learn to say no.
• Consider having a soft drink between alcoholic drinks.
• Don't wait until next January for another month off!