Do you know the effect alcohol has on your body?
Challenges like dry January are becoming ever more popular, and showing the real benefits of giving up alcohol, even just for a month. Just 30 days without any alcohol will have some pretty sudden and drastic effects on your mind and body.
But don’t just take our word for it. Read on for the health benefits of just 30 days sober.
You’ll Sleep Better
After as little as one week away from alcohol, you will notice that you’re sleeping better. Falling asleep after drinking means you miss the important REM (rapid eye movement) stage of sleep.
Sleeping better means you’re going to be more productive. You’ll be more receptive to learning and problem-solving. You’ll also be able to control your emotions and behavior better, too.
You’re More Hydrated
Drinking alcohol can result in you losing around four times the amount of liquid than you drank. Your organs take water from your brain to compensate for their own water loss, leading to headaches.
Your salt and potassium levels are also reduced. This can impact nerve and muscle function, and also cause headaches, fatigue, and nausea.
It’ll be great for your skin, too. You’ll have healthier, hydrated looking skin and it can help reduce dandruff and eczema.
You’ll Have Better Moods
You can expect concentration levels to improve and a decrease in headaches as we’ve already seen. But the other benefit for your brain is an improvement to your mood.
You’ll feel more alert and aware of your emotions. You won’t suffer the effects such as a lack of motivation or increased fatigue either. Having more energy throughout the day will also help to improve and stabilize your mood.
You’ll Lose Weight
Quitting alcohol is also a weight loss aid.
After having alcohol, your hunger hormones increase, and your fullness hormones decrease. This makes managing your eating habits harder.
A more direct impact on your weight is the fact that alcohol is very calorific. If you normally drink 6 pints a week, you will have directly cut 4320 calories from your monthly intake by not drinking.
Help Your Liver Recover
The liver is designed to filter poisons from your body, but over time alcohol will start to take its toll. Cutting alcohol out of your diet for just a month will help your liver function, and allow it to get rid of the excess fat alcohol causes.
If you only drink a moderate amount of alcohol, your liver can recover completely in just 4-8 weeks. If you are concerned that your liver is more badly damaged, and that you may need extra help to give up alcohol, then consider joining a sober living community. You can learn more about this here.
The Benefits of 30 Days Sober
As you can see, there are some real benefits of just 30 days sober. Better hydration will make you look and feel better, you will start to shed a few pounds, and will have much better sleep!
If 30 days sober has helped kick-start a desire to improve your health and fitness, then make sure you check out how to track your fitness progress to set goals and see how far you have come.