Alcohol consumption is harmful to our health, period.
Experts repeatedly repeat that there is no amount, no matter how moderate, of any alcoholic beverage that will not harm your health.
Female alcoholism, family quarrel at home, wife drinking alcohol, a husband trying to stop her, sitting on the couch
And when one stops consuming alcohol, the benefits are noticed almost immediately. What exactly are the benefits of stopping drinking? Does alcohol have that much of an impact? You’ll be surprised.
Measurable by week, the positive effects of not drinking are as follows:
- One week without drinking
It improved sleep habits.
Learning improvements.
Improvements when making decisions.
Better hydration.
Better physical performance.
- Two weeks without drinking
Reflux goes away.
Heartburn relief.
Weight loss.
Reduced craving for sugar.
- Three weeks without drinking
Blood pressure is reduced.
The risk of heart problems and strokes is reduced.
Improves vision.
Improves kidney health
- Four weeks without drinking
Better skin appearance.
Premature skin aging is prevented.
It regulated blood coagulation.
They recovered liver function.
Hormonal balance maintained.
We think a negative consequence is a factor in beginning a journey in sobriety. What if the positive effects of not drinking alcohol should be the incentive?
A depressed woman is drinking a glass of wine alone in the kitchen. An unhappy person is suffering from migraine, depression, disease, and anxiety, feeling exhausted with dizziness symptoms having alcoholism problems.
Let’s pick up and expand on these positive aspects of quitting drinking alcohol:
1 – You will start to think and perceive more clearly
Did you know that alcohol is similar to a low-grade anesthetic? Without being official anesthesia, it has some anesthetic-like characteristics. Even non-drinkers have noticed the numbing effects of alcohol after a few drinks.
Each culture has its way of describing a buzz, but in the end, it all comes down to the same thing. At first, it is a light intoxication that makes us feel good. However, what it means is that alcohol has already begun to do damage to our bodies. The human body is so powerful that it manages to counteract the damage. That is one of the “problems” of having an organism that can defend itself. We don’t even realize that we are being poisoned.
Alcohol attacks our neurotransmitters, and this causes the neurons not to function normally. When we stop drinking alcohol, our neurotransmitter system returns to working as it always did. The result is that we begin to think and see things more clearly.
2 – A younger appearance
One of the things that people like the most when they stop drinking (especially women) is that their appearance changes. The appearance is fresher and more attractive than usual. In a short time, our appearance changes, so everyone around us notices it but does not know what has happened very well.
Why do you look younger when you give up alcohol? The problem is that alcohol is a potent diuretic. It makes us urinate more, which is problematic if you don’t drink enough water. Dehydration is beastly, and our bodies have trouble absorbing enough water to stop it. What happens in hangovers is precisely that.
The skin is one of the organs that is affected by dehydration. Over time it becomes drier and loses elasticity. When you stop drinking the alcohol that causes it, it doesn’t take long for your body to recover. The change in our appearance is incredible, so people notice it. One of the problems is that we get used to seeing ourselves with the same appearance, and we do not remember what we look like when we are hydrated and healthy.
3 – Weight loss
There are many opinions on this topic, but the reality is that there is a direct link between drinking alcohol and being overweight. Many will say it is not true since the food consumed while drinking is the problem. Well, they’re right too. You tend to eat less bland food when you drink more than necessary. We frequently go directly to food with the most calories.
Alcohol itself also has calories that we do not metabolize efficiently. The body processes it like sugar. Therefore, alcohol is also fattening, apart from the appetizers and caloric tributes we get into.
When we stop drinking, we take away many calories that generally come in throughout the day. The results can be spectacular if combined with a more moderate and low-calorie diet. Usually, within a few weeks of stopping alcohol completely, weight is lost without doing much of anything. Of course, if you eat three pizzas a day and gorge yourself on sugary sodas, you won’t lose weight.
4 – Improved immune system
Another of the great benefits of giving up alcohol is a more robust immune system. In case you didn’t know, alcoholic beverages weaken our immune system in several ways. As soon as you consume it, it begins to attack your immune system as soon as digestion begins. The next thing it does is hit our white blood cells, and this is something we don’t want to happen. When we drink excessively, we are more likely to have diseases of all kinds.
Being sober, our body begins to recover from all the damage we have done to it. The immune system does it faster than we think, and we will notice that we are more robust and do not get sick so quickly.
5 – Our hearts will also thank us
The organs alcohol harms are many, and the liver is the first to suffer. However, the heart is equally affected, and it is widespread for heavy drinkers to have coronary problems.
One of the problems is that the blood has difficulties distributing nutrients throughout our body due to alcohol. For this reason, our brain sends signals to the heart to make a more significant effort to carry these nutrients. In principle, nothing happens because the heart is a powerful organ, but over the years, it has suffered.
By continuing to drink, the heart continues to work harder than usual. As you may have guessed, it takes its toll in the end. The good news is that if you stop drinking in time, your coronary functions recover entirely. Our natural chemistry and simple life experience will flood our bodies with positive chemicals with time once we seek a different lifestyle.
6 – Improved sleep quality
There is a big mistake with alcohol, and that is that many think that it helps you sleep. Nothing is further from reality. The truth is that it produces a state of inactivity that is not asleep. In fact, after an excess, alcohol leaves you “anesthetized” for a few hours. However, you wake up and have difficulty getting back to sleep.
One of the first things you will notice when giving up alcohol is that you will sleep like you haven’t slept in a long time. This helps restore the natural state that should be had when alcohol is not consumed. Many even think it is one of the best advantages of taking the path of sobriety.
7 – Cognitive functions will improve over time
I have already commented that neurons do not work well with alcohol abuse. The most common symptom everyone knows is that you are “slower” in some things. Do you remember that alcohol is a mild anesthetic? This leads to several problems apart from that “slowness.” Memory problems are another big problem when you drink too much for a long time. And let’s not ignore how this could improve relationships, especially with family or friends, and even our pets.
After a few weeks without drinking, memory and the rest of your cognitive functions recover. Less negative feelings lead to less negative self-talk. You will be amazed at all the things you can easily do again. For this alone, it is an excellent reason to stop drinking.
- Are you or a loved one suffering from alcoholism and need questions answered regarding getting help? Let us at Refresh Recovery Rehab San Diego help.
Oh, and let’s not forget feelings. Since alcohol is a depressant, it is not uncommon to experience more frequent feelings of depression or depressed states. This improves by stopping the booze. Imagine what sobriety does to finances once emotions improve!
The next time you ask yourself the question, what happens when you stop drinking alcohol? Remember all these advantages. You don’t need to be an addict or have an addiction to have it be a great reason to stop drinking. The best thing is that there are many more that you will notice little by little.
By Alec M.
