Abstaining from alcohol consumption, even just for 30 days, can provide lots of physical and mental health benefits.
October is a popular month to put drinking to a halt with “Sober October,” a challenge originally started in the United Kingdom as a fundraiser for fighting cancer.
Moderate drinking is considered two drinks a day or less for men and one drink or less for woman, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Binge-drinking, according to the same source, is quantified as five or more drinks on an occasion (lasting two to three hours) for men and four or more drinks on occasion for woman. Excessive alcohol consumption can leave you feeling less than ideal for a long time, with brutal hangovers often accompanying a fun night out.
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If you are looking for a way to improve your physical and mental well-being at any point of the year, taking a 30-day break from alcohol can lead to many health benefits.
Below are five health-related improvements you may see if you spend 30 days alcohol-free.
Taking a pause from drinking alcohol can improve your health in many different ways. (iStock)
- Improved liver health
- A better night’s sleep
- Weight loss
- Better digestion
- Improvements to brain function
1. Improved liver health
Drinking alcohol can increase the risk for many different diseases. One of these is liver disease.
Regular alcohol consumption has a negative effect on the liver. Drinking negatively impacts the liver cells and can lead to liver disease. By not drinking, the liver has the chance to regenerate and improve its function. Even just 30 days of sobriety can greatly increase the liver’s function.
2. A better night’s sleep
No alcohol consumption leads to better sleep, and better sleep leads to improved overall health. When alcohol is consumed close to the time you go to bed for the night, quality sleep can be interrupted.
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This loss of quality sleep will give you a groggy feeling the next day.
Avoiding alcohol before bed can help you get a quality night’s sleep. (iStock)
Once alcohol is removed from your routine, your sleep cycle will start to get back on track, leaving you more alert and refreshed in the morning.
3. Weight loss
Excessive drinking may lead to weight gain, so the opposite holds true when cutting alcohol out of your system. Alcohol slows down your metabolism and is extremely high in calories (especially those super sweet drinks).
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These two factors make it more difficult to lose weight with regular consumption. Cutting it out of your diet can assist with weight loss.
4. Better digestion
Do you ever have an upset stomach after drinking? Experience acid reflux? You’re not alone. Just like drinking can cause inflammation in the liver, it can also cause inflammation of the stomach lining.
It is common to experience problems with digestion associated with alcohol consumption. (iStock)
A sober month gives your stomach a chance to get back to normal, and properly digest foods as it is meant to.
5. Improvements to brain function
Thirty days of being alcohol-free can drastically improve brain function and your overall mood.
Alcohol takes a toll on the brain, and can cause short-term damage, such as poor decision-making and long-term damage like memory issues.
Heavy drinking can deeply impact your mood, making you feel anxious and foggy. Giving your brain a break can help improve its function and possibly prevent memory issues in the future that could be associated with heavy alcohol intake.
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