Introduction
If you’re looking to make a positive change in your life, giving up alcohol for one month can have some incredible effects. Not only can it help you save money, but it can also improve your physical and mental health. From better sleep to improved digestion, here are six incredible effects of giving up alcohol for one month. You’ll be amazed at how much better you feel after just four weeks of sobriety. So, if you’re ready to make a change, read on to learn more about the incredible benefits of giving up alcohol for one month.
6 Incredible Effects of Giving Up Alcohol for One Month
Giving up alcohol for one month can have a huge impact on your health and wellbeing. From improved sleep to better mental clarity, there are many benefits to abstaining from alcohol for a month. Here are six incredible effects of giving up alcohol for one month.
1. Improved Sleep Quality
Alcohol can disrupt your sleep cycle, making it difficult to get a good night’s rest. When you give up alcohol for one month, you’ll likely find that your sleep quality improves. You’ll be able to fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer, leading to more restful nights.
2. Increased Energy Levels
Alcohol can make you feel sluggish and tired, so giving it up for a month can help you feel more energized. You’ll be able to get more done during the day and have more energy to do the things you love.
3. Improved Mental Clarity
Alcohol can cloud your thinking and make it difficult to focus. When you give up alcohol for one month, you’ll find that your mental clarity improves. You’ll be able to think more clearly and make better decisions.
4. Weight Loss
Alcohol is high in calories and can lead to weight gain. When you give up alcohol for one month, you’ll likely find that you lose weight. This can help you reach your health and fitness goals.
5. Improved Skin Health
Alcohol can dehydrate your skin and make it look dull and lifeless. When you give up alcohol for one month, you’ll find that your skin looks healthier and more vibrant.
6. Reduced Stress Levels
Alcohol can increase your stress levels, so giving it up for a month can help you feel more relaxed. You’ll be able to better manage your stress and feel more in control of your life.
Giving up alcohol for one month can have a huge impact on your health and wellbeing. From improved sleep to better mental clarity, there are many benefits to abstaining from alcohol for a month. Try it for yourself and see the incredible effects it can have on your life.
With some new year’s resolutions, it can take a little more time than a month to see results—building muscle and losing weight, we’re looking at you. But when you go alcohol-free for a month, however, there are some very noticeable changes you can experience after just 31 days.
“Dry January,” or giving up booze for the first month of the year, is a resolution that has a host of benefits. (You can even make serious progress toward increasing your chances of losing weight!) We asked nutrition experts for some of the effects you may experience by the end of the month when you keep the wine bottles on the rack or beer in the fridge.
“Alcohol is technically a depressant, and including it in your diet may cause some people to feel negative mental side effects once the initial effects of the booze wear off,” says medical expert board member and registered dietitian Lauren Manaker, MS, RDN.
“If you give up alcohol for a month, you may actually feel happier and have improved mental health,” says Manaker.
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Alcohol contains more calories per gram (7 calories per gram) than two common macronutrients, protein and carbs, which are just 4 calories per gram. “And since taking in too many calories can contribute to weight gain, cutting the booze may support your weight loss journey—especially if you tend to sip on super-sugary and caloric drinks like a fruity pina colada, cutting your booze may save some significant liquid calories,” says Manaker.
There’s more than one way that cutting alcohol out for one month can help you lose weight. A body of evidence supports that people tend to consume more calories from food when drinking alcohol, which can ultimately lead to weight gain; however, studies have yet to determine a clear cause-and-effect association.
While you may feel like a glass of wine before bed can help you wind down and fall asleep more easily, alcohol generally has a negative effect on sleep quality.
“Excessive alcohol intake inhibits normal regulation of circadian proteins and genes, and it can take weeks for this to get back to normal. In other words, your beauty sleep is the victim and pays the price when you party,” says Daina Trout, MS, MPH, the Co-Founder and Chief Mission Officer at Health-Ade who has Master’s degrees in nutrition and public health.
As Trout explains, it takes time for your sleep schedule to get back to normal after a long period of drinking, so if you cut out alcohol for one month, you may notice more restful sleep after 31 days!
Have you been experiencing bloating and other digestive issues recently? Cutting out alcohol for a month may be one way to alleviate this digestive distress.
“Excessive alcohol inhibits normal production of digestive enzymes, which means they can’t break down what you eat, and food is left to sit undigested in your belly. This not only damages the stomach lining, but it also produces unwanted gases, bloating, and indigestion—not fun!” says Trout.
Side effects of inflammation, like skin issues and joint pain, may melt away over the course of the month when you ditch booze.
“Excessive alcohol injures the intestinal wall upon contact, causing inflammation locally and all over the body,” says Trout. “A few bad nights can actually cause chronic and persistent inflammation in your body—so what you were calling aging and bad skin might actually be the booze!” For example, one study of over 3,000 women found that participants who had more than 8 alcoholic drinks a week had significantly increased upper facial lines, under-eye puffiness, midface volume loss, and blood vessels than those who drank less or not at all. While you may not experience a complete anti-aging reversal after a month, taking this month off may encourage you to keep alcohol intake to a minimum to support healthy aging.
Support your body’s natural immune defenses by dropping booze from your diet. “Excessive alcohol changes the gut flora in your microbiome for the worse, and quickly. These changes weaken your body’s defenses, and put you at heightened risk for getting sick!” says Trout.
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Olivia Tarantino