As New Year's Eve approached, I found myself mulling over something that in all my previous adult years would have been unthinkable: What if I didn't drink? Sure, I had a lovely bottle of champagne chilling in the fridge. But I'd already planned on having Dry(ish) January. Wouldn't it be great to wake up in 2026 fully rested and with a clear head?

My internal dialogue mirrors the growing number of Americans leaning into moderation. After everyone went a little overboard during the pandemic, more people in the U.S. are reassessing their drinking habits or, especially among younger generations, eschewing alcohol altogether.

That reassessment has manifested in a sustained decline in alcohol consumption, as was underscored in a recent Gallup poll showing that just 54 percent of adults said they consume alcohol, the lowest level in nearly 90 years.

So how much of the credit does Dry January--the annual month-long break from drinking that started in the UK in 2013 and has since gained popularity in the U.S--deserve for a more sober country?

At least a little. Substance abuse experts caution against attributing too much to any single trend, particularly when there's limited data on the long-term effects. But one fact seems clear: Dry January (along with Sober October) has helped accelerate a shift in Americans' attitudes........

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