More and more people are turning to alcohol due to the stresses of daily life. When someone drinks a large amount of alcohol, this can cause a lot of damage, particularly to the brain, liver, heart, stomach and pancreas – as well as affecting one’s mental health.
Every year, Macmillan run’s a Sober October campaign to encourage people to go alcohol-free in October to raise money for Cancer. For this reason, we have put together this article to highlight the many health benefits of going sober.
Healthier liver
We are all familiar with the facts about the damage alcohol does to the liver, but just a couple of alcohol-free weeks can allow your liver the chance to heal itself. Positive changes can happen within weeks of going dry.
Your liver will be able to focus on other jobs, such as breaking down other toxins produced by the body, metabolising fats and excess hormones that need to be broken down.
Hydration
When you drink alcohol, you lose around four times as much liquid as what you actually drank.
Dehydration can cause headaches, as your organs take water from the brain due to their own water loss. Salt and potassium levels also reduce, which can impact nerve and proper muscle function while also causing headaches, fatigue and nausea.
Therefore, giving up alcohol can help you stay well hydrated, which is beneficial for your brain. Your mood and concentration will be more stable, and the frequency of headaches are more likely to decrease. You also won’t suffer from the effects of dehydration such as lack of motivation and increased fatigue, so you will have more energy throughout the day.
Better sleep
After just one week away from alcohol, you may start to notice that you are sleeping better. When you drink, you typically fall straight into a deep sleep, missing the important rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. While you are supposed to have between six and seven cycles of REM sleep a night, you typically only have one or two when you have been drinking.
When you stop drinking your quality of sleep changes for the better. There are so many benefits of a better night’s sleep. You are more productive, where you can learn and problem solve better. Your ability to control your emotions and behaviour will also improve.
Improved fitness
It really doesn’t take long to feel the effect of sobriety on your physical performance. Increased stamina, ability to build muscle, and, of course, energy to channel into those final push ups means your goals may suddenly not seem so unattainable.
During your sobriety, your body is likely to benefit greatly from the effects of giving up alcohol.
If you are struggling with alcohol and are finding it hard to quit, you may think about getting support. We understand that embarking on recovery from alcohol addiction can be very difficult emotionally. That is why we at Parkland Place are here to help make the process as easy as possible. Please contact us today to start your recovery.
