With Dry January in full swing, an estimated 7.9 million Brits are committing to giving up alcohol for a whole month, but what happens to the body when you quit drinking?
While abstaining from alcohol for a month might seem like a fresh way to start the year, there are several body and mind health benefits that come with it.
With this in mind, the expert team at Delamere have shared insights into the effects of quitting drinking alcohol and the changes it can have on both your physical and mental wellbeing.
The full content is available below or in a Google Document format on request.
What happens when you stop drinking alcohol
Photo by Zac Durant on Unsplash
Cutting out alcohol can help keep the calories down and many recovering from alcohol dependence will experience significant weight loss from stopping drinking. For some people for whom alcohol addiction caused them to become overweight, this can be a positive and motivating side effect.
Although, it is important to remember to keep a balanced and healthy diet even as you experience weight loss because a thinning body does not always equate to perfect health, and many people with an alcohol dependency can end up being severely underweight.
Even if you do not have an alcohol dependency, you may find that reducing your alcohol intake or cutting it out altogether has a positive impact on your weight. There are the same amount of calories in six pints of lager, as there are in five large chocolate bars, so quitting drinking can be a great first step if you are trying to lose weight.
Quitting alcohol can also make you better hydrated, since alcohol is dehydrating. In fact, drinking six glasses of wine is the equivalent to losing 20-24 glasses of water. Staying better hydrated will give you more energy, more physically able to perform tasks and will make you less susceptible to things like migraines and headaches.
Your routine may also be improved as a result of removing alcohol from your life. Your sleeping patterns may improve, and you may find that your brain is more creative and better at making decisions. Being alcohol-free can also help you to sustain better eating patterns and habits too.
There is also the peace of mind in knowing that you can save a lot of money just by quitting drinking. It is thought that the average UK household spends approximately £17.60 on alcoholic drinks per week, which adds up to £915 per year. The money saved from quitting drinking can be spent on anything that makes you feel good – whatever that may be.
What happens to you when you quit drinking?
Delamere outlines the kind of recovery timeline that you can expect to experience if you are quitting drinking from the position of having an alcohol dependency.
It is worth noting that this is only a broad estimate and that each person’s experience will vary depending on their circumstances.
Within the first two to 12 hours, you may experience an onset of withdrawal symptoms, which can include excessive sweating and hand tremors, as well as feelings of anxiety and restlessness.
By the time you have gone 24 hours without drinking, withdrawal symptoms are likely to have completely kicked in. On top of the earlier symptoms, you may experience feelings of depression and a general sense of lethargy. You may have started to crave alcohol and you may experience disturbances in your sleep.
The first three days of quitting drinking are often the hardest, and within the first 72 hours, your withdrawal symptoms are likely to be at their most severe. These symptoms can become even more intense as they include things like a dangerously raised heart rate, increased blood pressure and even seizures.
After three to seven days, withdrawal symptoms will have ceased for most people. At the very least, withdrawal symptoms should have begun to recede and become more manageable.
In rare cases, symptoms may worsen after this time period and develop into delirium tremens (DTs) which is considered a medical emergency. For this reason and more, dependent drinkers must be kept under medical supervision when they do quit drinking.
After one week has passed, your sleep pattern should have improved, although this can vary depending on the individual. It should never take more than a month after quitting drinking for sleeping patterns to completely return to normal.
The two-week mark is usually the point at which a clinical detox period comes to a close. By this time, you may have started to notice weight loss as a result of removing alcohol calories. Individuals whose livers have not been severely damaged by alcohol can begin to show signs of recovery around this time too.
Once a month has passed, you may also find that your blood pressure has returned to healthier levels, while you may also have more energy and better overall health.
One whole year after quitting drinking, the vast majority of people will have left behind any feelings of low energy, sleeping problems or alcohol cravings and can enjoy all the benefits of leading a drink-free life”.
How long does it take to feel better?
The physical effects and symptoms of quitting drinking are usually at their worst during the first 24-72 hours of withdrawal. Fortunately, they are likely to improve after a couple of weeks, and after a month some people can find their way back to good health.
Sadly, the emotional issues caused by quitting drinking – and more importantly the alcohol dependency that preceded it – may remain for much longer.
There are many stages of recovery during an individual’s journey to quit drinking and where they fall on the timeline can depend entirely on the individual.
There are many emotional milestones that a person must overcome on their journey to sobriety, they are each hugely important and knowing that they are working towards those milestones can play a huge part in motivating those dependent on alcohol along the path of recovery.
These milestones can include things that may sound simple but are huge steps for someone with an alcohol dependency, such as being honest with loved ones about their alcohol dependency, re-discovering how not to obsess over alcohol and simply asking for help.
Reaching these milestones can help to boost feelings of joy, hope and positive self-esteem. Those recovering may find it easier to, and even benefit from, establishing new circles of stable friendships, as well as reviving and rebuilding any relationships affected by their alcohol dependency.
Recovery is not a linear path, and there will be many moments of feeling low or utterly exhausted along the way before you feel better, but with the right help, every person has the capacity to overcome alcohol dependency and move forward.
Can the effects of drinking be reversed?
While quitting drinking altogether can reverse some of the physical damages caused by alcohol overconsumption such as issues with your liver, skin, weight, fertility or blood pressure, a history of alcohol dependency can increase the risk of other more serious conditions developing such as cancers.
Some medical professionals believe that any amount of alcohol consumption can increase the risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, voice box, oesophagus and breast. Furthermore, if you were to drink in the region of three or more drinks every day, this can increase your risk of developing stomach cancer, liver cancer and colorectal cancer.
Since cancer can in many cases be fatal, it is important to be aware of these risks, even if you only consider yourself to be a casual drinker.
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A version of this post was previously published on delamere.com.
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