Improved energy levels and better sleep If you stop drinking completely, one of the first things you notice should be improved energy levels, better sleep and finding it easier to wake up in the morning. Regular drinking can affect the quality of your sleep making you feel tired and sluggish during the day.
The first major thing people see is a dramatic improvement in overall physical health. This commonly includes significant weight loss, improved digestion, greater energy and less fatigue, clearer skin, and they no wake up with even mild hangovers, headaches or nausea.
Most people will stop experiencing withdrawal symptoms in less than a week, in which time their body will begin to restore its normal function and quality of life can already improve considerably. Some improvements in sleep occur as early as seven days, and these gains increase in the week after.
However, by day 4 without alcohol, most people will have got beyond any initial withdrawal symptoms. All the alcohol will have left your system by now, and your body will begin to bounce back. If you're not as focused on alcohol, you may be eating better, drinking water, moving more, and perhaps sleeping more deeply.
Overall benefits of three weeks without alcohol
Clear skin. More energy. Improved gym performance. Reduced anxiety and improved mood.
When you drink, the dehydrating (or 'diuretic') effect of alcohol means your skin loses fluid and nutrients that are vital for healthy-looking skin. This can make your skin look wrinkled, dull and grey, or bloated and puffy. Dehydrated skin may also be more prone to some types of eczema.
Summary. Across the month, your body is likely to have benefitted greatly from giving up alcohol. Better hydration and improved sleep will have increased your productivity and daily wellbeing. Your liver, stomach and skin will also have benefitted from not dealing with alcohol.
People recovering from alcohol abuse may sleep a lot in the early stages of sobriety, especially during the day. A pattern of heavy alcohol use often correlates with daytime sleepiness as the body adjusts to less alcohol.
Reduced anxiety and improved mental health
Going even 7 days alcohol free can help reduce your anxiety and depression levels and help your brain chemicals come back in balance. It leads to an overall improvement in brain function and mental health, even if you haven't experienced issues before.
It takes at least two weeks for the brain to return to normal after drinking. Therefore, this is when the alcohol recovery timeline begins. It is less able to suppress a desire to drink until the brain has recovered. The reason for this is that alcohol has harmed the brain's cognitive function.
What are the results? A few months in, I experienced improved sleep, increased energy, less spiky blood sugar, better mental health, fewer bouts of anxiety. These days, I have fewer headaches and my whole digestive system, in general, feels less irritated and inflamed, with a growing sense of general wellbeing.
Over time, your body can begin to recover from the influence of alcohol, and you can expect: A healthier heart and cardiovascular system. Decreased risk of cancers. Fewer illnesses due to your immune system improving.
After this time, your skin should feel more hydrated, and plumper - and it's also likely that you will have more of a 'glow' and healthier complexion.
Although positive changes may appear earlier, 3 months of not drinking can not only improve your mood, energy, sleep, weight, skin health, immune health, and heart health. It can even reduce your risk of cancer.
That's why you end up feeling tired the day after drinking. Two weeks off alcohol will help you reset your sleep cycle, getting you into a regular and undisturbed pattern. You'll wake more refreshed and alert each day, helping to boost your concentration and performance at work and play.
After giving up alcohol for 100 days you can expect to see positive changes in your health. Your liver, if not damaged beyond repair, will start to recover, your kidneys will also start recovering and you will start feeling more alert, more energetic, and less drained.
Going alcohol-free for just 30 days can be a powerful way to improve your mental health, and you'll start to notice positive changes in your mood, appearance, and energy.
The following are just some of the positive outcomes you may see by abstaining from alcohol: The body's ability to absorb vitamins and minerals increases. Metabolism is restored, leading to fat loss. Energy increases.
1 – Weight loss.
2 – Your blood sugar levels improve. 3 – Your cholesterol levels improve. 4 – Your stomach will thank you for sparing it from all that junk food that usually comes with excessive drinking. 5 – Your liver regenerates better when you don't assault it with beer and wine.
Improved energy levels and better sleep
If you stop drinking completely, one of the first things you notice should be improved energy levels, better sleep and finding it easier to wake up in the morning. Regular drinking can affect the quality of your sleep making you feel tired and sluggish during the day.
It's common for people recovering from alcohol use disorder to develop a raging sweet tooth and put on weight as a result. There are other ways quitting drinking may lead to weight gain too. Alcohol use disorder often occurs with depression, which typically reduces appetite.
What do you mean by heavy drinking? For men, heavy drinking is typically defined as consuming 15 drinks or more per week. For women, heavy drinking is typically defined as consuming 8 drinks or more per week.
Drinking alcohol (especially drinking more than 1 to 2 drinks per day) adds extra calories to your diet, enhances food cravings, and slows down metabolism. Quitting (or cutting back) on alcohol is one effective way to lose excess weight — especially when combined with other evidence-based weight loss approaches.
Feelings of depression and anxiety may subside. Critical thinking skills improve. Better performance and productivity at work or school. Increased savings due to a decrease in alcohol purchases.