Whether you’ve recognized that drinking is causing harm to your relationships, your career, or your health, taking the step to stop is a significant milestone. Withdrawal symptoms, changes in mood, and shifts alcoholism in your daily routine can be intimidating if you’re not prepared. There has been some research conducted on how abstaining from alcohol detoxifies your liver over time. “Alcohol can disrupt the sleep cycle, leading to difficulties falling asleep and staying asleep. By giving up alcohol, you may experience improved sleep quality and duration. Better sleep has numerous health benefits, including enhanced cognitive function, mood regulation, and overall well-being,” explains Best.
Addiction Help: A Guide to Treatment and Recovery Options
- After a week, your mood and sleep improves – and the benefits keep going.
- They think it has something to do with how fast or slow your brain adapts during recovery.
- Stopping alcohol won’t just put a bit of extra change in your pocket; it has the potential to have a sizable impact on your income and the lifestyle you can live.
- Additionally, your gastrointestinal tract or stomach does not react well to alcohol, so drinking can increase your chance of developing ulcers, which can perforate and cause gastritis.
- Almost everyone will have moments of feeling worse before they feel better, experiencing a sense of being stuck or of relapsing either emotionally or physically.
Digestive health improves as the stomach lining heals, and energy levels stabilize. Symptoms often peak during this period as the nervous system continues adjusting. Physical symptoms may include pronounced tremors, increased sweating, elevated heart rate, and higher blood pressure. Stopping alcohol is worth it, but it can be an uncomfortable and even dangerous experience. Anyone stopping alcohol should discuss their plan with a doctor and seriously consider undergoing a medically-supervised detox. Medical detox ensures you will be as safe as possible by providing 24/7 monitoring that helps recognize and treat complications effectively and as rapidly as possible.
Your liver will thank you.
Those not physically dependent on alcohol likely will not have any significant physical changes. Still, you may wake up feeling more what happens when you stop drinking alcohol alert in the mornings and having more energy throughout the day. If frequent hangovers were part of your routine, you may find that you can accomplish much more throughout the day, no longer have hangxiety from the night before, and generally feel better. “After a few months, the brain will begin to return to health,” says Dr. Abramowitz. Your sleep cycle is continuing to improve, so you’re getting even more REM sleep and feeling more rested.
Long-Term Benefits of Quitting Alcohol
Inflammation in the body can cause various health issues, including chronic pain, autoimmune diseases, and even some cancers. After a year of not drinking, the body’s inflammation markers significantly reduce, bolstering your overall health. As your body undergoes restorative processes during sleep, you’ll start to feel more energized throughout the day.
- All of these risks can be reduced by quitting or cutting back on alcohol.
- Get therapy and medical care—just $25 with insurance, no hidden fees— for alcohol recovery, depression, everyday illnesses, and more.
- “Alcohol is a depressant that can negatively impact mental health.
Or if you’re just thinking about taking a break from alcohol, for your own reasons or as part of a challenge, you will be joining millions of others. If you ever feel bloated or have abdominal discomfort after pairing a meal with a glass of wine or beer, you might be able to put at least some of the blame on alcohol. Studies have shown that pairing alcohol with a meal can slow down digestion while the overproduction of gastric acid can irritate the stomach. After contemplating your future with alcohol, you might also experience stronger than usual alcohol cravings. Learn on the strategies that have worked for you in the https://thegraceagencytn.com/drinking-alcohol-during-pregnancy-is-harmful-to/ past to get through these urges.
