The Benefits Of Quitting Drinking
- Stay Fit. Alcohol, like Cheetos and donuts, is a major source of empty calories. ...
- Be Disease-Free. Alcohol consumption has its charms, but it is also a major contributing factor in more than 60 different diseases.
- Have Better Sex. Alcohol and sex have always had an uneasy relationship with one another. ...
- Be Smarter. ...
- Feel Better. ...
- Life Without It. ...
Full Answer
What happens to your body when you stop drinking alcohol?
When you stop drinking, you have the opportunity to:
- Improve your mood, anxiety, and stress levels
- Get better sleep and feel more rested
- Focus on having better relationships with your friends and family
- Have better attention and concentration in school and work
- Feel more energetic and productive
What are the health benefits of not drinking alcohol?
When you stop drinking you lower the risk of developing a range of health problems, such as:
- Liver cirrhosis 6
- Stroke 7
- Mouth cancer 8
- Breast cancer 9
- Heart disease and high blood pressure 10
- Sexual dysfunction 11
Does immediately quitting alcohol affect the body?
While your body will have adjusted after a week of not drinking, there may be psychological effects of detox that last longer. Some people report feelings of anger and aggression, general anxiety and depression, nightmares and difficulty sleeping, and even decreased libido.
Who should not drink alcohol?
According to the federal government’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020–2025, individuals who do not drink alcohol should not start drinking for any reason. The Dietary Guidelines also recommend that people who drink alcohol do so in moderation by ...
Won’T Quitting Lead to withdrawals?
We all know that we love drinking. There are jokes that not drinking alcohol for a month will do more harm than good: it will lead to withdrawal sy...
All That Bad Starts to Go Away
All that liver fat building up and the cholesterol and glucose levels that have been increasing could be linked to the alcohol that you’re drinking...
It’S Time to Shed The Pounds
And when you connect all of this together, you get the extra benefit of weight loss. Remember, you’re not getting the extra calories that occur fro...
Do You Want to Concentrate More?
The benefits of not drinking alcohol won’t just help to reduce the bad in your body. You’ll find many mental, physical, and emotional benefits. One...
People at Work Will Notice The Difference
Your whole personality will change for the better when you’re not drinking alcohol . Before you may have been impaired at work due to tiredness or...
Stop Treating The Symptoms of Stress
Alcohol is often used as a way to treat stress in our lives. We drink because we feel that it will calm our bodies and help to answer the problems...
It’S Time to Boost Your Emotions
Your body doesn’t just get the benefit of less stress but also the benefit of more positivity. You’ll find that your endorphins, serotonin, and oth...
Stop Playing Russian Roulette With Your Life
Admit it that drinking isn’t great for you. You’re more likely to have unprotected sex, drink driving, and getting yourself so drunk that you don’t...
Your Bank Balance Will Thank You
And then we can’t forget about the benefit to our finances, which then leads to many other health benefits. Money worries are a major problem. They...
How Long Should You Stop Drinking for?
There are many people who will take part in Dry January and Sober for October. Others will opt to give up alcohol for Lent. Are these short periods...
How long does it take for your liver to heal after quitting drinking?
Your heart is able to pump more blood around the system, and your liver is able to handle more. These benefits are usually seen around 12 weeks after you quit drinking. If you’re only going for a month, you will see some benefits but not as many as you would if you quit a lot more.
What happens if you don't work after drinking?
Even if you’re not at work the day after drinking, your performance and productivity improve. You’re not trying to tackle a hangover for the day, which often means sleeping the day away or lounging on the couch while you deal with the pain in your head and body.
How much does not drinking alcohol help you sleep?
Sleep improves by 10% by not drinking alcohol for a month, and your wakefulness the next morning improves by 9.5%. You’ll find that you’re able to do more from the morning, rather than needing copious amounts of coffee to get rid of the hangover feeling.
How does alcohol affect the brain?
Drinking alcohol also affects the brain’s ability to pass messages around the body. This affects the concentration and also the memory. Not only will you be able to focus on conversations and your studies/work more, but you will also be able to retain more. Your memory will also improve.
Why do we drink alcohol?
Alcohol is often used as a way to treat stress in our lives. We drink because we feel that it will calm our bodies and help to answer the problems in our lives. But it really does none of these.
How does weight loss help?
You help to reduce further your risk of developing Type II diabetes and lower your risk of heart disease and stroke. Your blood pressure drops, and you will find pain on your joints reduces as the body isn’t trying to hold up as much weight.
Does alcohol cause liver fat?
All that liver fat building up and the cholesterol and glucose levels that have been increasing could be linked to the alcohol that you’re drinking. The bad stuff that has been happening to your body will start to reduce.
The Negative Impacts of Alcohol
According to a survey of Americans aged 12 or over, more than half (nearly 140 million people) reported drinking alcohol within the last month, in 2019. Additionally, more than 85% of people aged 18 and over reported drinking alcohol at some point in their life.
Take Our Alcohol Abuse Self-Assessment
Take our free, 5-minute alcohol abuse self-assessment below if you think you or someone you love might be struggling with alcohol abuse. The evaluation consists of 11 yes or no questions that are intended to be used as an informational tool to assess the severity and probability of a substance use disorder.
Quitting Alcohol: A Timeline
After a prolonged period of heavy drinking, alcohol withdrawal can occur, with symptoms lasting for days or weeks.
The Benefits of Quitting Drinking for Good
While alcohol is known to cause harm to physical and mental health, the good news is that quitting drinking may improve or reverse some of alcohol’s negative effects. 11 Sobriety can also have major long-term benefits on your health, which may include: 11,12,13
The Process of Quitting Alcohol
Quitting drinking is a process, and taking it step by step can be helpful. The journey to sobriety may be different for each person, but following some helpful tips can help you stop drinking: 14,15
Ways to Get in Contact With Us
If you believe you or someone you love may be struggling with addiction, let us hear your story and help you determine a path to treatment.
Tips to Giving Up Alcohol
If you’ve decided that you want to quit drinking, some effective tips and strategies can help you. 15,16
Why is it important to stop drinking?
One of the greatest benefits to quitting drinking, therefore, is the elimination of guilt. Of course, even sober people do things that they regret. But, without alcohol in the picture, those events are likely to happen less and less.
What happens when you stop drinking?
When a person who has been drinking alcohol for a long time suddenly stops, the result is alcohol withdrawal. This term refers to what happens in the body and mind as alcohol is processed out of your system. The more a person drinks, the more likely they are to have withdrawal when they quit.
How long does it take for alcohol to get out of your system?
Physically, people should start to feel better within the first few weeks after they quit. Alcohol doesn’t stay in the body for very long. Even long-term alcoholics can detox within a week or so. If they eat healthily and exercise, they should start to feel better quite quickly.
How many people are hooked on alcohol?
As the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism tells us, more than 15 million Americans are hooked on the drug. Luckily, however, quitting is possible. Despite the fact that sobriety seems a million miles away, it only takes a few steps. And, the benefits are amazing.
Why is alcoholism so isolating?
Because alcoholism is so isolating, many former addicts have a hard time during the early days of sobriety. With their crutch pulled out from underneath them, former alcoholics are forced to confront their reality . This can be overwhelming. Fortunately, there are plenty of resources for newly sober people.
What is the condition where alcohol depletes the body's stores of Vitamin Thiamine?
Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome ( WKS) is a condition that demonstrates the fact that alcohol affects both the mind and the body. It happens because alcohol depletes the body’s stores of Vitamin Thiamine, or B1, in the body. When your body doesn’t have enough B1, lesions can form on the brain.
Why don't people drink?
They aren’t prone to alcohol’s effects on the body. Because the body is freed from processing toxic chemicals, it can focus its energy on other things. As a result, the mind and body are able to function at optimum levels.
What are the benefits of not drinking alcohol?
Benefit 7: Emotional Benefits of Not Drinking. Quitting alcohol can literally clear a person’s mind and help improve mental health. Without alcohol, a person can improve sleep quality and stop exacerbating symptoms of mental health conditions like depression.
How does excessive drinking affect your health?
Excessive drinking overwhelms the body and makes it work harder— which takes a toll on an individual’s physical health (as noted) and mental health. Not to mention, when a person is under the influence of alcohol, he or she can make poor choices. This can lead to guilt, shame and remorse.
How does alcohol affect the brain?
Alcohol interrupts the brain’s communication pathways, impacting the way it looks and works. It slows the communication between neurons and neurotransmitters—the command pathway for the body’s major functions, including breathing and speaking. The disruptions alcohol causes to the brain can alter mood and behavior.
How long did it take to lose weight after stopping drinking?
When the New Scientist studied blood samples from a group of people who stopped drinking for five weeks, they lost weight (2%), lowered their cholesterol (5%), lowered glucose levels (16%), and decreased liver fat (15%).
How long does it take to detox from alcohol?
Generally speaking, an alcoholic can typically detox within a week because alcohol does not stay in the body for a long period of time. The key is to seek out the proper treatment, commit to quitting alcohol and get the support you need through therapy or groups to stick to your decision.
What happens when you drink too much alcohol?
So, the organ must work hard to break down the toxins. With heavy drinking, over time, the liver can become over-taxed, causing a buildup of fat (fatty liver). This is an early sign of liver disease. Fatty liver can result in hepatitis, fibrosis and cirrhosis.
How long does it take for a fatty liver to heal?
The liver is an amazing organ that is highly regenerative. When given time, it can repair itself. The liver can completely repair damaged areas within 30 days, according to the University of Iowa.
How does my physical health improve when I stop drinking?
When you stop drinking, you stop exposing yourself to the potential dangers that come with each drink. In the short-term, you are no longer at risk for alcohol poisoning and violence associated with drinking, and the rate of miscarriages or stillbirths drops sharply.
How does my mental health improve when I stop drinking?
When you have a problem with alcohol, drinking becomes the most important thing in your life, which pushes all other people and priorities to the background. When you stop drinking, you have the opportunity to:
Will not drinking make me feel worse before I feel better?
Heavy drinkers and people with alcohol use disorders may experience uncomfortable mental and physical health effects when they cut back or stop drinking abruptly. These effects are called alcohol withdrawal symptoms. They can create mild distress or severe danger, depending on how much you drink and how long you have been drinking.
What are some ways to stop drinking?
Realizing that you want to stop drinking is important, but actually stopping can be easier said than done. Whenever you decide it’s time to stop, work out a realistic and practical plan that focuses on safely reducing your use.
The bottom line
It’s never too late to stop drinking. The process can challenge your mind and body. When done safely, though, cutting alcohol out of your life can help make you a happy and healthier person. You can repair your body and avoid risks linked to drinking.
How Does Alcohol Use Affect the Brain & Body?
Alcohol use causes memory impairment and reduced motor function abilities. In large quantities, it can lead to blackouts. People who drink large amounts of alcohol over time are also at risk of developing serious and persistent brain changes.
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Resources
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. “ Drinking Levels Defined | National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). ” NIH.gov, 2017.
What happens if you stop drinking alcohol?
What Happens to Your Body When You Stop Drinking Alcohol. Alcohol plays a role in at least half of all serious trauma injuries and deaths from burns, drownings, and homicides. It’s also involved in four out of 10 fatal falls and traffic crashes, as well as suicides. You don’t have to go completely dry to be safer.
What happens if you cut off alcohol?
If you’re a heavy drinker, your body may rebel at first if you cut off all alcohol. You could break out in cold sweats or have a racing pulse, nausea, vomiting, shaky hands, and intense anxiety. Some people even have seizures or see things that aren’t there (hallucinations).
How many drinks should I drink a week?
Heavy drinking -- at least 15 drinks for men and eight or more for women a week -- can take a toll on the organ and lead to fatty liver, cirrhosis, and other problems. The good news: your liver can repair itself and even regenerate. So it’s always worth drinking less or quitting. Swipe to advance.
How does alcohol affect your brain?
It can even make it harder for you to read other people’s emotions. But if you quit, your brain seems to be able to regain some of these abilities.
How long does it take for alcohol to kill germs?
Even just one bout of drinking too much may weaken your body’s germ-fighting power for up to 24 hours. Over time, large amounts of alcohol blunt your immune system and your body’s ability to repair itself. Ease up on drinking so you may better ward off illnesses.
Can drinking alone help your relationship?
Your Relationships May Improve. 5 / 13. Enjoying alcohol socially in reasonable amounts can boost your mood and help you bond with others. But if you drink alone, or down multiple drinks a day, it could turn into an unhealthy habit. If you can’t control it, it may lead to a condition called alcohol use disorder.
Does alcohol make you drowsy?
Alcohol might get you drowsy at first. But once you fall into slumber, it can wake you up repeatedly in the night. Plus, it disrupts the important REM stage of sleep and may interfere with your breathing . You also may need to get up more often to pee. Try skipping alcohol, especially in the late afternoon and evening, for more restful shut-eye.
How long does it take to quit alcohol?
Two weeks is a milestone when quitting alcohol. You have broken quite a few of the normal routines that you may encounter. The Friday night drink, or the end of your working week ‘treat’. Breaking that cycle is a huge step in becoming alcohol free.
How long does it take for your liver to clear after drinking alcohol?
Within 6 hours of stopping alcohol, your liver is already working to clear your body of alcohol. Remember, the drink is essentially a poison and the liver has to work hard so that it doesn’t kill us.
Is it good to quit drinking?
Quitting alcohol is probably one of the greatest improvements that you can do to your health, both physically and mentally. Alcohol is not good for your body or your mind, and is one of the most potent addictions on the face of this planet. It is often said that – was alcohol discovered today, there is no chance that it would be legal. Drinking alcohol for many years – putting a very strong poison through in your body – takes its toll on you.
