How Dry January Will Change Your Body

Around two weeks without alcohol, your stomach lining begins to return to normal. If you have struggled with acid reflux or heartburn, you may see these symptoms start to ease up. Abstaining from alcohol for 30 days can lead to numerous health benefits, and it’s what happens when i stop drinking alcohol a great opportunity to connect with others who are also trying to make changes and figure out a better, healthier way of living. A « dry month » typically refers to a period of one month where a person chooses to abstain from consuming any alcoholic beverages.

In the case of severe symptoms or delirium tremens, a person may be admitted to a hospital ward or the intensive care unit (ICU) for medical treatment during alcohol withdrawal. While in the hospital, vitals are monitored and fluids will likely be administered. Alcohol consumption has negative effects on our health and mental well-being. However, going 30 days without drinking can help you determine your alcohol consumption habits. The brain mediates our motivation to repeat behaviors that lead to pleasurable, rewarding states or reduce uncomfortable, distressing physical or emotional states.

What are the long-term health benefits of not drinking alcohol?

Treatment options for alcohol withdrawal syndrome typically involve supportive care to ease the effect of the symptoms. A doctor can often diagnose alcohol withdrawal syndrome by taking a person’s medical history and doing a physical exam. After around three weeks alcohol-free, your blood pressure is reduced. Reducing blood pressure can reduce your risk of stroke or developing a heart disease. If you’re looking to improve your mental health and well-being, alcohol is not the answer. In fact, drinking can actually have a negative impact on both areas of your life.

You may also have a decreased appetite, nausea, and vomiting, says Rebecca Berens, MD, a primary care physician with Vida Family Medicine. Alcohol withdrawal syndrome affects nearly two million Americans each year. Symptoms of alcohol withdrawal syndrome can surface as early as two hours after a person’s last drink. Alcohol addiction rehabs offer a safe, secure and comfortable environment during the withdrawal phase.

Physical Effects When You Stop Drinking

You may feel sleepy after a glass of wine and assume that alcohol helps you sleep better, but in reality, alcohol interferes with your ability to get a good night’s rest. This is because alcohol affects your body’s biological clock, called the Circadian clock, which regulates when you fall asleep and wake up. If you’re a binge drinker, you could also be at risk of developing insomnia.

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. « Insomnia is pretty common among people who abuse alcohol, » Dr. McGrath says. Drinking even small amounts of alcohol can have a temporary diuretic effect. « When you stop drinking alcohol, you restore ADH levels to their natural state, and your kidneys expel the appropriate amount of water. » By retaining water and staying hydrated, your whole body will feel better. Just being dry for 1 month and going back to drinking in excess is a bad idea. If you are drinking in excess, it’s better to cut your alcohol intake,” said Dasgupta.

Support Your Recovery

In fact, alcohol use can make you more susceptible to pneumonia, for example, and predispose chronic drinkers to things like infections and even poor wound healing. One reason this may occur is that alcohol can reduce melatonin secretion in the brain. Since melatonin is a hormone that plays a pivotal role in a person’s sleep-wake cycle, also known as circadian rhythm, impacting its secretion can wreak havoc on a person’s ability to get some quality shut-eye. In addition to the health benefits, when you stop drinking for any amount of time it automatically saves you money.

The most common symptoms include tremor, craving for alcohol, insomnia, vivid dreams, anxiety, hypervigilance,2 agitation, irritability, loss of appetite (i.e., anorexia), nausea, vomiting, headache, and sweating. Even without treatment, most of these manifestations will usually resolve several hours to several days after their appearance. By giving your body a month-long break from drinking, you’re allowing your skin to rehydrate and regenerate.

What happens in the first week without alcohol?

“Even moderate drinkers who stop drinking for two months tend to overdrink when they start again,” Dr. Koob says. Nobody really knows why, he says, but it seems to be some kind of overcompensation for the time you lost. It may be that your drinking habits calm down after the novelty of celebrating a month or two of sobriety wears off, but Dr. Koob says it’s important to keep it on your radar so you can avoid overdoing it.

Improved sleep quality – Drinking alcohol before bed can suppress REM sleep, which is an essential part of the sleep cycle. Attempting to quit alcohol without medical supervision is only safe for those who are light to moderate drinkers, who are simply looking to develop a healthier relationship with alcohol. Moreover, expect withdrawal symptoms – such as intense cravings, anxiety, and a negative mood. Subtle physiological changes start occurring within 72 to 96 hours of no alcohol, Johnson says. The first big one most people will notice is sounder slumber, as alcohol majorly messes with sleep cycles. Acknowledge what sparked your desire to drink and hone in on that trigger.

Many drinkers are surprised to find they stay hydrated for a lot longer when they don’t drink. A week after your last drink, you will feel more hydrated, which could improve your oral health and even your skin health. For dependent drinkers, between hours is when withdrawal symptoms subside or become more manageable. Read about all the sober celebrities who have modified https://ecosoberhouse.com/ their drinking habits and chosen a sober lifestyle for their health and wellness — not due to alcohol abuse. Since alcohol can damage your cells, it may lead to DNA changes that increase your risk for certain cancers, particularly liver, colon, and rectal cancer. In fact, alcohol use accounts for 6 percent of all cancers and 4 percent of all cancer deaths in the U.S.

While drinking could help you fall asleep, it suppresses REM sleep, the restorative part of your sleep cycle, Dr. Leavey says. That might explain why you can have a fitful night of tossing and turning after you’ve been out drinking. How fast you’d potentially lose weight ultimately depends on how much you were drinking beforehand. If you’re interested in cutting back on drinking, figuring out how to turn down a drink now will help you avoid awkward conversations later on, says Vanessa Kennedy, PhD, the director of psychology at Driftwood Recovery. « Planning what you are going to say and what your boundaries are ahead of time can help you deal with these situations when they arise, » she adds.