Month by month, exactly what a year of sobriety does to the body, revealed by experts - as one in four of us plan to quit booze for Dry January | Retrui News | Retrui
Month by month, exactly what a year of sobriety does to the body, revealed by experts - as one in four of us plan to quit booze for Dry January
SOURCE:Daily Mail
If you're one of the 17 million people expected to kickstart the year with a month-long break from booze, you might be inspired to extend it
If you're one of the 17 million people expected to kickstart the year with a month-long break from booze, you might be inspired to extend it after reading what the experts say can happen from taking a longer hiatus from drinking.
The effects begin within a week and range from improved sleep, slashing cancer risk and improving cognitive function.
Experts say that those doing Dry January - the month of abstinence - will also begin to see improved liver function.
However they say that the real health benefits come from quitting booze for good.
Data released last week revealed that the average Briton drinks over the recommended amount of alcohol every week.
The findings, from research company IWSR, reveals the average UK adult consumed 10.2 alcoholic drinks a week last year.
This is despite NHS guidance recommending a limit of 14 units of alcohol per week.
Ten pints of low-strength beer would equal 20 units, while 10 large glasses of wine adds up to 30 units.
Recent data revealed that the average Briton drinks over the recommended amount of alcohol every week (file photo)
Separate data, also published by IWSR, recently revealed that Millennials – born between 1981 and 1996 - still remain the generation most engaged with drinking alcohol.
So it is unsurprising that nearly one in three Britons are set to take part in dry January.
The campaign which launched in 2013, is led by Alcohol Change UK.
However research shows that most people are not motivated by the health benefits.
While 21 per cent cited saving money as their top reason, closely followed by 20 per cent prioritising improved health, weight loss motivated 15 per cent of participants.
To help inspire you to put a cork in your boozing schedule, or empower you to let the wine rack gather a thick layer of dust, the experts reveal the effect abstaining from booze has on the body on a month-to-month basis.
After 1 week:
By the end of an alcohol-free week, you may notice you are more energetic in the mornings as a result of getting better quality sleep, experts say.
'There's a common misconception that alcohol improves sleep,' says Dr Tom Davis, the medical director at digital healthcare company Livi.
'It may help you drift off, but the effects of alcohol mean you'll get less restorative REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, which is essential for your health.'
After just 1 week of no alcohol, your REM cycle will likely return to normal. You can expect to feel more rested and notice an improvement in your mood and cognitive function.
'You may notice that your dreams are more vivid or that you're starting to dream again,' says Dr Davis.
As well as the benefits that come from a good night's sleep experts say that giving up booze for a week will see improvements in your skin's appearance.
'When the body metabolises alcohol, it releases a by-product called acetaldehyde before it is broken down to a less toxic product and removed from the body,' says Dr Davis.
'Acetaldehyde is toxic to your bodily tissues. It causes you to become dehydrated and increases your chance of skin breakouts.'
By cutting down on alcohol, you may notice your skin improves, including any issues with redness like rosacea, he says.
After 1 month:
If you successfully complete dry January that is when experts say the real impacts to the body begin.
The effects of alcohol can lead to alcohol-related fatty liver disease, but as the organ regenerates after a month, some of that damage will begin to be repaired.
'The liver works hard at eliminating toxins from the body. It also performs lots of other really useful functions to help our body function,' explains Dr Davis.
'Your liver needs to work harder to break down alcohol. A fatty liver can reduce its ability to perform vital functions, leading you to feel sluggish.'
After only two weeks of abstaining from alcohol, your liver starts to regenerate.
'Within four to eight- weeks your liver may be fully recovered,' says Dr Davis. 'It just depends on how much you drink and what state it was in to begin with.'
Experts say that within a month those abstaining will also see mental health benefits.
While alcohol may initially make you feel more confident and less anxious, in the long term it can make you more vulnerable to mental health conditions like depression and anxiety.
Alcohol can disrupt the balance of chemicals and processes in your brain and affect your thoughts, feelings and behaviour.
'Alcohol is a depressant, so people who already have mental health problems may find that this gets worse,' says Dr Davis.
After four weeks, your mood will start to improve and you may notice that you have more resilience to cope with life in general, explains Dr Davis.
There are a host of other benefits to abstaining for a month.
Alcohol irritates the gut and disrupts normal stomach functioning, causing bloating, indigestion, heartburn and diarrhoea. These symptoms usually start to resolve within four weeks.
One month of abstinence, insulin resistance – which can lead to high blood sugar – significantly reduces by 25 per cent. Blood pressure also reduces by six per cent and cancer-related growth factors decline, lowering your risk of cancer.
After six months:
For moderate drinkers, damage to your liver could be fully reversed by six months.
At this point, even heavy drinkers may notice they're better at fighting infections and feel healthier overall.
After 1 year:
Dubbed the 'silent killer' one in three adults in the UK has high blood pressure.
Hypertension, as it is known medically, dramatically raises the risk of heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure and even dementia.
However, experts say after a year without booze your blood pressure will be reduced
'Having high blood pressure puts you at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease because it puts strain on the heart muscle,' says Dr Davis.
'Across a year, abstaining from alcohol will lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk of stroke or having a heart attack.'
Experts also say that there is a dramatic effect on the brain if you avoid a tipple for a year.
This is because alcohol can affect the function of your hippocampus – the part of your brain that forms and stores memory.
'Drinking too much can also lead to brain damage and may increase your risk of developing dementia,' says Dr Davis.
However, research suggests that when you stop drinking, some of the brain damage that long-time alcohol can cause may reverse.
What happened when I quit booze for a year
By Mitzi Campbell, US-based podcast host and psychologist
After three years Minzi is still sober
After one week:
I missed going out. I missed relaxing with a glass of something in front of a movie on a Friday night. I missed the buzz. But my body felt great and that was worth it.
After one month:
I was proud of myself. It was easy, but by now, I was missing my social life. I felt very flat, calm and peaceful, so I didn't have the desire to go out and I realised alcohol gave me social energy, not just in terms of my personality, but physically. I knew if I wanted the 'high' of alcohol, I'd have to access it within, but I still felt flat. I was regulating.
After six months:
I still missed going out. I still missed the buzz. But it wasn't worth the risk. I was 99 per cent better health wise and I just didn't need to drink. I became more serious.
I felt embarrassed for some of the things drunk me used to do, even though she had a lot of fun, I began to see the old versions of myself in a new light and I did a lot of soul searching about the role alcohol really played in my life.
It was not a positive force. I had to reckon with and resolve some shame. Physically, I felt amazing. My sleep, in particular, was markedly improved. My nervous system felt balanced and I had very little stress. I was able to build a new business and a whole new life really, without any distractions.
After a year:
I noticed my brain seemed brighter, full of ideas. I had a lot of energy during the day, but slept like a baby for 8-9 hours. My health was back on track. My nutrition and fitness were on point. My life felt full of momentum, fulfilment and joy.
Everything improved, but... I still missed the buzz. The truth is, there is nothing like that feeling of letting loose and I still had not been able to access that level of emotional freedom on my own yet.
The buzz is fun and I still felt like I was no longer fun. I was very peaceful, content and happy, but my wild child had been tamed. I am more than ok with that and I love sober me.
She's a better person now in all ways and it's not hard for me to abstain from alcohol at all. I just don't drink. I'm not sure if you ever stop missing the way it feels to be fuelled by liquid courage.
I don't miss getting out of control of my actions and my body. I don't miss hangovers. I don't miss being dizzy and having my hands go numb or feeling the nerves vibrating in my legs.
But somewhere along the line, I forgot how to access the fun child inside and I'm still working on getting her to come out here so we can sing at the top of our lungs and maybe even dance on a table without the need for drinks.