So, drinking in the local with your mates is actually super beneficial

December killed us. We're totally broke, our livers have gone into crisis, and we just had to endure our first week back to work. Ouch.

Many people decide to try some self control in January, which mostly means, they won't even step inside the local on a Friday night for the entire month.

But, as it turns out, drinking in the pub with your mates is very good for you.

According to new research released by Oxford University, having a couple of pints or G&Ts with friends will improve your overall wellbeing.

The study, which was published in the Adaptive Human Behaviour and Psychology journal, found that people who had a regular pint in their local were happier and more satisfied with their lives.

Professor Robin Dunbar, who conducted the study, said: “This study showed that frequenting a local pub can directly affect peoples’ social network size and how engaged they are with their local community, which in turn can affect how satisfied they feel in life.

"Pubs traditionally have a role as a place for community socialising, alcohol’s role appears to be in triggering the endorphin system, which promotes social bonding.

“Like other complex bonding systems such as dancing, singing and storytelling, [going to the pub] has often been adopted by large social communities as a ritual associated with bonding.”

Dry January is over then, yeah?