Fact checked by Isaac Winter
Medically reviewed by Vivek Cherian, MD
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Whether you’re challenging yourself to a no-drink stint (hello, Dry January) or considering cutting back on alcohol in general, your body can experience some real changes when you stop drinking. We asked health experts what really happens when you take alcohol out of the equation for a month (or longer). Here are some significant ways not drinking can impact your body, mind, and overall health—along with some tips on curbing your alcohol intake and how to get the support you need.
Meet the Experts
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Dr. Michael J. McGrath, MD, is a licensed psychiatrist and the medical director of The Ohana Addiction Treatment Center in Hawaii
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Brooke Scheller, DCN, CNS, is a doctor of clinical nutrition and the founder of Functional Sobriety
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Mary Wirtz, MS, RDN, CSSD, is a clinical dietitian and board-certified specialist in sports dietetics
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Increased Mental Clarity
Alcohol and heavy drinking can cause long-term, negative impacts on the brain, including poor memory and slower reflexes. Over time, the brain can actually get used to the effects of alcohol, causing it to work harder and cause unpleasant or even dangerous withdrawal symptoms like tremors and heart palpitations. This can lead to burnout, which can make you feel foggy.
After cutting out alcohol for one month or more, psychiatrist Michael J. McGrath, MD, says people might feel significantly more clear-headed. “You may notice an increase in mental clarity and memory, [since] alcohol use can impact concentration and memory,” he explains.
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Improved Sleep
The notion that alcohol can help you sleep better is a myth. It may make you feel drowsy and fall asleep quickly—but later in the night, it messes with your sleep patterns as it works through your system.
Since alcohol is a depressant, it can throw your sleep cycle off balance by slowing down your nervous system. As your nervous system speeds back up once the alcohol exits your system, you may experience sleep disruption and wake up more throughout the night. This can lead to poor function and sleepiness the following day. “Insomnia is pretty common among people who abuse alcohol,” McGrath says. “Additionally, alcohol impacts the quality of your sleep.”
Therefore, not drinking, especially for extended periods of time, can lead to significant improvements in sleep and sleep quality. “Because you may sleep more deeply when not drinking, you may notice waking up feeling sharper and more refreshed the next day,” he adds.
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Improved Mood
Although we often turn to a glass of wine or a stiff martini to feel better, the irony is that drinking can have both short- and long-term negative effects on mood. Since alcohol floods the brain with dopamine, which influences how we feel pleasure, the “rush” of this feel-good chemical can cause anxiety to flare up as soon as the levels begin to drop.
Over time, this can turn into a detrimental cycle of drinking, feeling anxious, and then drinking more to reinstate a feeling of calm. It’s no wonder why alcohol consumption can lead to reduced mood, increased anxiety, and even depression.
“There’s a high correlation between alcohol use disorder and other mental disorders, including depression and anxiety,” McGrath explains. “When you stop using alcohol, it really benefits your overall mental health.”
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Stronger Immune System
Did you know alcohol use can actually make you more prone to getting sick by undermining the immune system? That’s because alcohol use disrupts communication in our immune system, the body’s way of safeguarding against viruses and bacteria.
Alcohol causes a “steady depletion of the vitamins and minerals that our body needs to feel our best,” explains Brooke Scheller, DCN, CNS, doctor of clinical nutrition. In fact, alcohol use can make you more susceptible to pneumonia, for example, and it can predispose chronic drinkers to things like infections and even poor wound healing.
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Balanced Hormones
Drinking can send your hormones into a frenzy—it impacts our endocrine system, which allows our body to respond appropriately and cope with changes in our environments. Severe alcohol-induced hormone dysregulations can sometimes cause serious issues like reproductive deficits, thyroid problems, and behavioral disorders over time.
Hangovers, or alcohol withdrawal, cause hormonal changes, too, which explains why we might feel so crummy after drinking. Alcohol has quite deleterious effects, as ethanol, an organic compound in alcohol, is a toxin to our body, Scheller explains.
“The processes used to break [ethanol] down in our system create byproducts that induce the feelings of a ‘hangover.’ These symptoms are the results of the body clearing out the compounds produced in the breakdown of alcohol,” she says.
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Decreased Inflammation
Heavy alcohol use can lead to systemic inflammation, or prolonged inflammation throughout your entire body. Cutting out alcohol for 30 days or more can lead to a “reduction in things like joint pain, headaches, and body aches,” Scheller says. In fact, alcohol use is associated with an increased risk of inflammatory arthritis, such as gout.
Plus, alcohol can dehydrate you, contributing to the headaches. Since alcohol is often made with inflammatory ingredients such as sugar and wheat—and mixed drinks often include added sugars—a sober stretch can help you avoid these additional inflammation triggers, too.
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Better Digestion
Alcohol use can alter your gut microbiome, which is responsible for key bodily functions like digestion. Your gut microbiome is full of bacteria (both good and bad) that, when properly balanced, help regulate different processes in the body.
When your gut microbiome is thrown out of whack, you may experience more direct digestive woes (stomach aches, bloating, gas, pain). Less obvious side effects of a disrupted microbiome include fatigue, sugar cravings, and inflammatory skin conditions, as well.
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Improved Liver Function
It’s no secret that alcohol plays a significant role in your liver health. Chronic and excessive alcohol consumption can destroy liver cells, which are necessary for filtering out harmful substances in our body (the liver is our built-in detoxifier).
“Fatty liver is a common phenomenon in individuals who drink heavily and regularly, leading to cirrhosis and end-stage liver disease,” says Mary Wirtz, MS, RDN, CSSD. Steering clear of alcohol, however, gives the liver a chance to regenerate.
“Cutting out and abstaining from alcohol can recover a substantial portion of liver function,” Wirtz says. “When we stop drinking, we can begin to repair some of the long-term effects of alcohol use.”
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Healthier Skin
Quitting alcohol benefits your skin in several ways. Since alcohol dehydrates the body (hello, hangovers), it can cause skin dryness, wrinkles, and a dull complexion. That’s because dehydration leads to a breakdown of collagen and elastin fibers, which accelerates the formation of fine lines. Therefore, reducing or eliminating alcohol intake can help restore skin hydration—making it look more supple over time.
Alcohol also increases inflammation, which can worsen skin conditions like acne, rosacea, and psoriasis. So, by quitting, you can actually reduce the risk of inflammation and promote healthier, clearer skin.
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Healthier Heart
Quitting alcohol significantly improves heart health by lowering blood pressure and improving overall circulation—ultimately reducing the risk of heart disease. After all, alcohol can lead to high blood pressure and arrhythmias, weakening your heart muscles over time and increasing your risk of a heart attack or stroke.
When the heart is less strained, your body is better able to stabilize cholesterol levels and your blood vessels can function more efficiently. Not drinking means that, over time, you give your heart a break from overworking—and you can strengthen it.
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Healthier Hair
Alcohol depletes the body of essential vitamins and nutrients that are vital for hair health—like biotin, zinc, and folic acid. Biotin supports keratin production, zinc helps maintain healthy oil glands, and folic acid facilitates cell turnover and the regeneration of hair follicles. However, alcohol affects how your body absorbs these nutrients.
Excessive drinking is also dehydrating, and dehydration can lead to brittle hair. Therefore, when you quit alcohol, your body becomes better able to absorb key nutrients, and it’s easier to stay hydrated. This means that quitting alcohol can help reduce dryness and breakage and help your hair recover and grow.
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Increased Libido
Alcohol can negatively impact libido. That’s because it disrupts your hormone levels and impairs blood flow, which are both very important for sexual function. Therefore, quitting alcohol can help to restore hormonal balance (as we now know). And balanced hormones like testosterone and estrogen can naturally lead to an increase in sexual desire and performance.
Plus, improved blood circulation enhances arousal and sensitivity. Never mind that mental focus (also mentioned above) can foster stronger emotional and physical connections—getting you out of your head and into your body to enjoy sexual experiences more. After all, stress takes a toll on libido.
Tips for Quitting Drinking
Some people choose to quit drinking for only a short period of time (like a few weeks to a few months) because they’re on a health kick. Other people may decide to keep it going indefinitely. Either way, whether you’re fully committing to an alcohol-free lifestyle or just testing the waters, here are some tips to help you cut back or cut it out entirely.
Set Goals
Define why you want to cut back on or quit alcohol, and set specific, achievable goals, such as reducing the amount you drink or the frequency of your drinking. If you want to cut it out for Dry January or Sober October, be sure to hold yourself accountable for the month, too.
If you don’t already have other hobbies or interests, now is a perfect time to get some! Find stress-relieving activities like hiking, yoga, working out, cooking, or other things you can do by yourself or with others that don’t involve alcohol.
Identify Triggers
Recognize situations or environments that may lead you to drink more (like certain friends who like to party or Thursday night karaoke). And do your best to avoid or minimize exposure to these triggers—at least while you’re adjusting to a not-drinking period.
Keep a journal or use an app like Drink Control or Drink Aware to track your alcohol-free days and celebrate small wins along the way. Being able to see your progress can help keep you motivated.
Be Intentional With Your Environment
Being intentional about the environments you choose to spend time in can significantly support your efforts to reduce alcohol intake. Whether it’s removing alcoholic beverages from your home or opting for social settings where alcohol isn’t served, limiting access can make it easier to say no. In the process, you might even discover a new favorite hangout spot or your next go-to mocktail.
Seek Support
Tell close friends or family about your decision to quit alcohol so they can help hold you accountable. Because alcohol withdrawal can be dangerous for people who struggle with alcohol addiction, it’s also important that others know so they can keep an eye on any symptoms. Support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or SMART Recovery for peer encouragement also exist to help you.
Focus on Mindful Drinking
It’s difficult to curtail a habit you’ve lived with for a long time—so it might be easier to start with mindful drinking. While identifying your triggers and setting goals, you can practice mindful drinking by having water between each drink, focusing on the taste and smell rather than how much you’d like to drink, and spending some time reflecting after completing each drink. It might get you further than you anticipated!
Read the original article on Real Simple
