You exercise regularly, you eat mindfully, but then Friday comes and like clockwork, you hit happy hour with your coworkers. Five drinks later, you’re thinking about skipping your morning yoga class and sleeping in.
Social drinking (and often excessively on big nights out) is deeply ingrained in our culture as a way to de-stress, connect with friends, and meet new people. However, more and more people are wondering if these unbridled rituals are affecting our physical and mental well-being, and are investigating how to stop drinking.
Beyond not having a screaming hangover, quitting drinking has many benefits, from deeper sleep to better muscle recovery.
1. You will get more out of your training
“Research suggests that alcohol can interfere with the benefits of exercise,” says Aaron White, Ph.D., senior scientific advisor to the director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). “It may be possible that taking a break from alcohol consumption can help a person get the most out of their exercise routine.”
Alcohol consumed after exercise has been associated with delays in recovery due to Impeded rehydration and inhibited protein synthesisIt can also reduce maximum muscle strengthwhich could impair performance during your next workout.
“Drinking alcohol after exercise increases the reduction in muscle strength during recovery,” says White. So stick with the shakes.
2. You will sleep more soundly
A drink can make you sleepy and help you fall asleep faster, but contrary to what you might think, it can wreak havoc the quality of sleep you are having. Although alcohol induces sleep, Impairs rapid eye movement Sleep (REM): This is also when your most vivid dreams occur.
“For most of us, alcohol is known to disrupt and disrupt our sleep architecture,” explains Dr. George Fallieras, medical consultant at BioCorRx“A healthy sleep cycle goes through several phases, including the deep delta wave sleep phase.” When that architecture breaks down, the benefits of restful sleep become less effective, leading to lower energy and focus.
And “sleeping in” on the weekends won’t do much to counteract your disrupted sleep cycle. Spending an entire Sunday sleeping on the couch doesn’t effectively make up for the amount and quality of sleep you lost after a binge.
3. You will feel a sense of accomplishment
“At the very least, taking a break from drinking gives a person a chance to evaluate their relationship with alcohol,” White explains. “Some people may find that their drinking is affecting their relationships, or that they rely on alcohol to relieve stress more than they thought.”
Taking this time for self-reflection can help you focus on your goals more clearly, be more productive, and feel proud of keeping a commitment to yourself. In a study During dry January, 82 percent of participants reported feeling a “sense of accomplishment.”
4. You could lose a few kilos
If you’re wondering whether giving up alcohol will help you lose weight, chances are it will. In that same British study, nearly 50 percent of participants reported losing weight, White notes. Most of us know that cocktails are packed with calories, especially those containing sugary sodas.
On average, a typical beer has about 150 calories, a glass of wine has about 125, and a vodka and soda, the classic, calorie-conscious option, is about 65Not to mention, once you’ve had a few, you’re more likely to reach for a late-night slice of pizza or a burger and fries instead of lean protein and a salad.
5. Your skin will look younger
“Alcohol is a diuretic [substances that increase urine production], that is, it inhibits the antidiuretic hormone,” explains Fallieras. “In addition to dehydrating you, you lose several electrolytes and minerals, such as potassium and magnesium.” These are necessary for many metabolic processes in the body.
Fallieras says that over time, chronic dehydration caused by alcohol begins to affect the skin, especially when combined with poor quality sleep. In other words, when you don’t get enough sleep and don’t drink enough water, you will start to look haggard and accelerate the aging process.
6. Maybe you feel over the rainbow
“Drinking is such an informal and culturally accepted ritual that not enough attention or debate is paid to its psychological effects,” Fallieras says. “But alcohol certainly It affects the neurotransmitters GABA, glutamate and dopamine. in the brain.”
Disruption of these circuits can have short- and long-term consequences, potentially leading to anxiety and depression, decreased concentration, and fatigue.
“Many people who give up alcohol for a month or two report dramatic improvements in their overall outlook,” he says. “For some, it might be the first time in decades that they feel like they are living in color instead of black and white.”
7. You will spend less money
Among the many benefits of quitting drinking for your body and mind, there is also the bottom line: you will save a lot of money. You can even use this practical calculator to estimate how much you spend on alcohol per week, month and year.
For example, if you go out four nights a week and drink about three $12 cocktails, your annual bar bill will be $7,488, not counting tips, of course.
