Find other ways to relax such as taking a bath, getting a mini massage, or adding a nightly meditation to your routine. Alcohol’s impact on the bacteria in your body can increase gastric levels and acid secretion and speed up digestion, often causing diarrhea or constipation depending on the person, type of alcohol, and amount consumed. Excessive alcohol use can also impact your liver, where alcohol is metabolized, causing a build-up of fats, inflammation, and scarring , significantly disrupting its normal functioning. The way alcohol is glamorized in advertising also contributes to our collective hook. All that sugar (a drug in its own right), combined with the pleasure of feeling “buzzed” can break down our filters and release suppressed thoughts and feelings.
Tips for Reducing Alcohol Intake
- Vowers says not drinking makes him feel more present — more grounded.
- It’s not all sunshine and roses when we stop drinking – we can also expect moments where we are triggered to drink and have strong cravings.
- But over time, White says, this can lead to escalating levels of anxiety.
- Nicole Lee works as a consultant in the alcohol and other drug sector and a psychologist in private practice.
Most people experience changes in mood during a night of drinking, ranging from relaxation and lowered inhibitions to even aggression or sadness. Studies suggest that overusing alcohol can lead to an increased risk of depression and other mental health problems. It’s hardly a secret that having a few drinks alters the way your brain works. This sober curious movement is relatively new, and scientists are just beginning to study the health effects of taking a short break from alcohol.
Set a quit date
Here’s NPR’s Allison Aubrey with what researchers have learned so far. Drinking may seem to help you unwind after a stressful day, but there are some suggestions that drinking regularly can make it more difficult to cope with stress. Alcohol can mask stress in the short term, but it does not treat the underlying causes of psychological distress and mental health conditions. how to take a break from alcohol In the long run, it can actually make them worse, and there is a strong link between excessive alcohol consumption and depression. One thing that our members often mention is that they tend to shake things up in the social sense when taking a break from alcohol – they end up catching up with friends for walks and coffees instead of nights out and for parties.
What happens to your body when you stop drinking?
However, when drinking becomes a nightly habit (that one glass of wine , or two, or three per night to “wind down,” anyone?), it can begin to take a toll on your health and sabotage health goals like weight loss. Drinking too much alcohol can negatively affect your sleep , your mood, your skin, your hormones, and your digestion. It’s always a good idea to periodically examine your relationship with alcohol. A popular way to do this is to participate in a sober month like Dry January or Sober October, which are health and wellness trends that emphasizes taking a break from alcohol for an entire month. But you don’t have to wait for a designated month to take a break from alcohol.
How to Stop Drinking: Making a Plan That Works for You
- There are also certain foods like tea, fish and nuts that can benefit the liver’s function in many ways.
- In severe cases of withdrawal when symptoms are not treated, a person may experience generalized tonic-clonic seizures, delirium tremens, and even death.
- Her anecdote fits with a study of about 850 people who volunteered to abstain from alcohol for one month.
- Beyond Blue also offers a range of helpful resources and support if you or someone you love is feeling depressed or anxious.
- This is known as post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS) and can occur with alcohol and other drugs.
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