“Dry January” has become a global phenomenon. For many, it’s a way to save money or drop a few pounds after the holidays. But as a Naturopathic Doctor, I see it differently.
I view a 30-day break from alcohol as one of the most powerful Hormonal Resets you can offer your body.
Many women use a glass of wine to “unwind” from stress, not realizing that alcohol is actually a physiological stressor that disrupts the delicate dance of your endocrine system. Today, let’s look beyond the calories and dive into the biochemistry. Here is what really happens to your hormones when you take a break from the booze.
The "Un-Relaxing" Truth: Alcohol & Cortisol
The biggest myth about alcohol is that it helps you relax. While it may provide a temporary feeling of sedation (by hitting GABA receptors), it simultaneously triggers a significant spike in cortisol, your primary stress hormone.
Alcohol stimulates the HPA axis (Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal), telling your adrenals to release cortisol. This effect can last for 24 hours after drinking. This means that the “nightcap” you drank to lower your stress is actually keeping your body in a state of high alert the next day, leading to anxiety, belly fat storage, and that “tired but wired” feeling [1].
The Liver Traffic Jam: Alcohol & Estrogen
Your liver is the multitasking hero of your body. It is responsible for filtering toxins and metabolizing hormones, including estrogen.
However, the liver views alcohol as a poison. When you drink, your liver drops everything else to prioritize metabolizing the ethanol. This creates a “traffic jam.” While the liver is busy clearing alcohol, “used” estrogen waits in line. This estrogen can get recirculated back into the bloodstream, contributing to estrogen dominance [2].
The 30-Day Hormone Timeline: What to Expect
So, what does this reset look like in real time? Here is the physiological timeline of a Dry January:
Week 1: The Sleep Architecture Reset
Alcohol destroys REM sleep—the restorative phase of sleep crucial for emotional processing and memory.
Week 2: The Liver & Skin Glow
As liver inflammation subsides, your body clears toxins more efficiently.
Week 3: The Dopamine Re-Balance
Alcohol artificially spikes dopamine (the reward chemical). When you stop, your brain has to re-learn how to generate dopamine from natural activities.
Week 4: The Full Hormonal Cycle Benefit
By the end of the month, your cycle has likely gone through a full rotation without the chemical disruption of alcohol.
Naturopathic Support for Your Reset
Going dry doesn’t have to be a white-knuckle experience. We can use natural tools to ease the transition:
- Magnesium Bisglycinate: Alcohol depletes magnesium rapidly. Supplementing helps relax the nervous system and improve sleep.
- L-Theanine: An amino acid found in green tea that boosts alpha-brain waves, promoting a sense of “alert calm” that replaces the “wine down.”
- Ritual Replacement: Pour a sparkling water with a splash of tart cherry juice (which supports melatonin!) into a nice glass. The brain craves the ritual as much as the substance.
A Research Project on Yourself
I encourage you to view this month not as a deprivation, but as a data-gathering experiment. How does your sleep change? How does your anxiety shift? How does your cycle respond? You might find that the way you feel at the end of 30 days is worth far more than the drink.
Struggling with Hormonal Chaos?
If you suspect alcohol or stress is impacting your hormones, Dr. Jennifer Luis can help you investigate your levels and create a plan to restore balance.
References:
- Lu YL, Richardson HN. Alcohol, stress hormones, and the prefrontal cortex: a proposed pathway to the dark side of addiction. Neuroscience. 2014 Sep 26;277:139-51. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2014.06.053. Epub 2014 Jul 3. PMID: 24998895; PMCID: PMC4164609.
- Liu Y, Nguyen N, Colditz GA. Links between alcohol consumption and breast cancer: a look at the evidence. Womens Health (Lond). 2015 Jan;11(1):65-77. doi: 10.2217/whe.14.62. PMID: 25581056; PMCID: PMC4299758.
- Ebrahim IO, Shapiro CM, Williams AJ, Fenwick PB. Alcohol and sleep I: effects on normal sleep. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2013 Apr;37(4):539-49. doi: 10.1111/acer.12006. Epub 2013 Jan 24. PMID: 23347102.
