Dry January Takes Hold in Brazil With Expert Playbooks and Rising Mocktail Menus

Overview

• Launched in the U.K. in 2013 by Alcohol Change UK, the month‑long challenge invites people to skip alcohol in January to reassess drinking habits.
• Research tied to the effort links a month off to better sleep, lower blood pressure and more energy, and a 2016 study found participants drank less six months later.
• Specialists outline practical tactics: share your plan for accountability, spot and disrupt triggers and cues, add ‘friction’ like moving glassware or removing alcohol, and log urges and responses.
• Clinicians caution the challenge does not replace treatment for alcohol use disorder, though many may find it a helpful mental and physical reset.
• Rio de Janeiro venues are embracing zero‑alcohol options with growing mocktail lists, including offerings at Brejo Bar, Broto, Gero, Jurema, Jurubeba, Kitchin and Rocco.