After enjoying the holiday season, many social lovers welcome the tradition of dry or dry. humid Januaryabstain from alcohol for an entire month or drink less as a way to reset your relationship with alcohol in the new year.
Many people who try the 31 Day Challenge find that it becomes easier to adopt a low-alcohol or no-alcohol lifestyle over time as a result. Whether you’re looking to reduce the amount of booze you drink to prevent hangovers, save money, or improve your overall health, there are probably additional benefits you didn’t think of that could help you. You may need to consider quitting drinking completely.
According to experts, the main benefits of giving up alcohol are:
1. Your sleep may improve
This may come as a shock to those who look forward to a nightcap as a way to unwind. sleepHowever, alcohol acts like a tranquilizer, making you pass out, but not giving you real sleep.
in fact, According to research Even small amounts of alcohol (less than 1 drink for women and less than 2 drinks for men) can negatively impact sleep quality.
“Sleep has four stages, with stages 3 and 4 being the most important,” says Luisa Nicola, neurophysiologist and Momentous advisor. Momentous uses science-backed strategies to help athletes and investors reach peak performance.
According to Nicola, the third stage of sleep, known as deep sleep, releases growth hormone and testosterone and activates the brain’s waste removal system, the glymphatic system.
„When you drink alcohol, you sedate yourself, which means you’re interfering with these stages of sleep,“ says Nicola.
2. Your mental performance will improve
Improved sleep improves your mood, concentration, and energy. Blocking REM sleep, the fourth stage of sleep, can lead to emotional turmoil.
„You’ll have a shorter fuse, you’ll be more angry, you’ll be sadder, you’ll be less emotionally responsive to people,“ Nicola added.
Excessive drinking over a long period of time also increases the chance of developing dementia.
„[Alcohol]gets into the brain cells and destroys them,“ Nicola says.
This type of deterioration can lead to diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, but you can lower your risk by avoiding heavy drinking.
3. Reduces risk of cancer and other diseasess
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heavy drinking not only increases the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, but also increases the risk of cancer. However, if you think about just one cup a day, moderate drinkingincreases the risk of certain types of cancer.
Additionally, alcohol is linked to more than 200 diseases, including those of the liver, pancreas, and heart.
Four. May improve fertility
Regular heavy drinking can affect fertility in both men and women. For men, too much alcohol can lower testosterone levels, cause impotence, and affect sperm production. For women, it can affect menstrual cycles, ovulation, and hormone levels.
Some studies show that abstaining from alcohol for three months can restore fertility in men and women.
Five. You may lose extra weight
Many people report that they lose weight when they eliminate the empty calories consumed when drinking alcohol. Alcohol, like other foods and drinks high in sugar, can not only cause you to gain unwanted weight, but also contribute to the accumulation of abdominal fat associated with heart disease and diabetes.
„40% of users experience weight loss. They lose 5 to 10 pounds in just the first three months,“ says the company, which was developed in partnership with Emory University and Harvard University. says Vedant Pradeep, co-founder and CEO of alcohol reduction app Reframe.
6. Your mental health can improve
Many people who consume alcohol do so to cope with stress, anxiety, and depression, but experts say this is counterintuitive and drinking can make these symptoms worse. says.
„When alcohol is used to relieve anxiety or depression, it is used to help or try to regulate the nervous system, but we have learned that there are other ways to calm the nervous system. “says Stacey Saleh, a licensed therapist and expert in glow therapy. Addiction/Substance Abuse.
When you stop drinking, you eliminate substances that are responsible for many mood cycles. As a result, Tilley says, many people report improved relationships with family, reduced risk-taking behaviors, improved energy and health, and improved athletic performance.
Until you think about it more seriously, you might not realize that your alcohol consumption is affecting your relationships and daily life, Tilley says.