5 changes that happen to your body when you stop drinking

Are you sober curious this year?

New studies from Alcohol Change UK shows that one in four people want to reduce the amount of alcohol they drink in 2024. If you’re considering cutting back on drinking, you will probably be aware that sobriety can come with a range of life-changing benefits, both mental and physical.

Being alcohol-free for just one week can improve your sleep patterns, leading to better decision making and problem solving. This is just one of many changes that can happen to your body when you stop drinking. These changes can have a remarkably positive knock-on impact on your overall physical and emotional wellbeing.

In this article, we take a closer look at what happens to your body when you stop drinking alcohol. There’s no pressure to quit drinking cold turkey in 2024, but changing your relationship with alcohol and becoming a healthier version of yourself starts with just one less drink per week. 

1. Better sleep and cognitive function

As mentioned above, within just one week of being alcohol free you will experience improved sleep patterns and mental clarity. Drinking alcohol can increase the suppression of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which is the deepest part of your sleep cycle and has the most restorative impact on your body.

The Sleep Foundation explains that alcohol reduces REM sleep and causes sleep disturbances, making falling and staying asleep more difficult. Although it might seem like alcohol can help you sleep faster, this is actually ‘passing out’, from drinking. When you pass out, your body skips crucial stages of sleep that lead to REM sleep, helping your body restore overnight. You might wake up frequently throughout the night, or very early in the morning – and you’ll skip REM sleep altogether.

During REM, your eyes move rapidly behind your eyelids and your brain activity consists of smaller, faster waves – similar to when you are awake. REM plays a massive role in your cognitive "function, allowing you to process memories, make clearer decisions, and regulate your emotions. It also helps you feel restored and rejuvenated after a night’s sleep, which makes life generally more manageable, and everyday tasks more achievable.

Everything you need to know about tackling tiredness

2. Your heart and liver will thank you

The British Heart Foundation shares some of the main ways drinking alcohol can affect your heart. Drinking too much can cause:

• Abnormal heart rhythms
• Damage to your heart muscle
• Diseases such as stroke, liver problems, vascular dementia, and some cancers
• High blood pressure
• Palpitations (when you suddenly become aware of your heartbeat pounding more quickly than usual)
• Weight gain from the calories in alcohol and unhealthy food choices when drinking

Within three weeks of being alcohol free, your blood pressure will likely lower, and your general cardiovascular health will improve. The rhythm of your heart will begin to stabilise, which will reduce your palpitations and the added feelings of anxiety and distress these can cause.

When you drink alcohol, it’s broken down and rebuilt into triglycerides (a type of fat) and cholesterol in your liver. If these levels become too high, they can build up in your liver and cause fatty liver disease. This stops your liver from functioning properly, meaning it is no longer able to remove cholesterol from your blood, causing your cholesterol levels to significantly rise.

Removing alcohol from your diet can help balance your cholesterol levels and protect your liver and heart from becoming dysfunctional. As mentioned above, this can happen within just three weeks.

3. Your fitness levels will increase quicker than you think

So many of the benefits of drinking less alcohol create positive knock-on effects that filter into your everyday life, perhaps without you even noticing.

Protecting your heart and liver health has a direct impact on your overall health, which has a direct impact on your fitness levels, which creates a wonderful cycle of continued better health. Other factors that help to improve your fitness levels through reduced alcohol intake include increased hydration, motivation, and even weight loss, which can make you more mobile and able to participate in physical activity.

Alcohol contains many calories and can negatively impact your digestive system, which often leads to weight gain. Within a month of little to no alcohol, many people lose weight, gain muscle strength, and feel more physically energised.

All of this doesn’t necessarily mean you will want to start wanting to do daily high-impact workouts – it’s more about enabling the subtle changes in everyday habits that can make a significant, long-term difference. For example, taking the stairs at work instead of the lift, being able to walk longer distances without feeling tired, and having that improved stamina and motivation that allows you to grab life.

4. Your skin will glow

Your physical appearance will change relatively soon after you stop drinking alcohol… and the key to this is hydration. Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning it causes your body to lose fluids and become dehydrated quickly. Dehydrated skin can often look dull and is more prone to fine lines because it doesn’t shed its outer layer as regularly as it should. When you stop drinking, your skin can naturally retain more moisture, leading to a more hydrated, plump, and vibrant appearance.

Alcohol can also impair your body's ability to absorb a variety of nutrients that are crucial for healthy and glowing skin, including vitamins A, C, and E. By quitting alcohol, your body can better absorb these nutrients, which are vital for skin repair and protection against environmental damage.

It is important to note that improved physical health and maintaining a healthy sleeping pattern can also reduce your risk of having dull, tired-looking skin.

5. Take control of your mental health

The Mental Health Foundation sheds light on just how significantly your mental health can improve with reduced alcohol intake. While it can feel like alcohol can relieve stress and tension and make celebratory occasions even better, it actually has the opposite effect.

"Alcohol affects the part of your brain that controls inhibition, so you may feel relaxed, less anxious, and more confident after a drink. But these effects quickly wear off. The chemical changes in your brain can soon lead to more negative feelings, such as anger, depression or anxiety, regardless of your mood.

"Alcohol also slows down how your brain processes information, making it harder to work out what you’re really feeling and the possible consequences of your actions." The Mental Health Foundation

This side effect of alcohol, alongside reduced sleep, weight gain and immobility, and poor mental clarity, can lead to long-term depression and anxiety.

Are you ready to stop drinking?

Whether you want to stop drinking altogether or are simply sober curious, there are many ways you can go about changing your relationship with alcohol in 2024 and beyond. Some people find communities and support groups that help them stop drinking.

Find a community that works for you.

At Circle Health Group, you can book an assessment for alcoholism with one of our trusted counsellors. They will use your assessment as a guide to better understand you as a person and determine what kind of support would be most useful for your situation. To find out more about our counsellors for alcohol related concerns, call us or book an appointment online.

Each benefit of going sober feeds into the next. Your mental clarity improves with better sleep, as does your physical fitness, as does your mental health… So, you’re guaranteed to feel the holistic, transformative effects of limiting your intake this year. Good luck!