The initial and most important physical and mental health benefit of no longer drinking is that you have gotten rid of a potentially deadly habit. With the elimination of this bad habit, things such as restored relationships and improved finances will naturally fall into place. What about other benefits, though? Surely giving up drinking comes with more positives than just that. Of course, it does! There are multiple benefits to your health that occur the longer you stay away from booze.
BETTER SLEEP
Passing out is not the same as deep sleep even though it may feel a lot like it. This is due to something called the “rebound effect”. “Once your body has metabolized the alcohol and the sedative effect wears off, you get micro-arousals that disrupt your sleep cycle.” The amount of alcohol that is necessary to put a drinker into this state varies from person to person, but a general rule of thumb would be any more than two drinks in an evening. Instead of cycling through the four stages of sleep and ending in the deep, restorative REM sleep, your body instead goes back and forth between the first and second stages which are the easiest to wake from. Removing alcohol from your diet will help you to get a proper quality of sleep and allow your body to do all of the things it is meant to do while you are sleeping that alcohol normally inhibits.
BETTER HYDRATION
While the effects vary from person to person, generally speaking, the less a person weighs the easier it is for them to become dehydrated as a side effect of drinking alcohol. This dehydration can occur in a few different ways. In its normal state your body produces something called anti-diuretic hormone (ADH). The function of this hormone is to is to help your body reabsorb water. When alcohol is introduced into the system is disrupts the production of ADH which causes the body to lose more fluids than normal through excessive urination. The vomiting that sometimes comes with excessive drinking will also play a role in depleting the body of its vital fluids. Once a person stops drinking the body is able to re-regulate the production of ADH and its internal use of water, causing the former drinker to be more hydrated. Proper hydration of the body improves the appearance of your skin improves, along with your cardiovascular health, your muscles and joints, and your kidneys.
REDUCED SUGAR INTAKE
Alcohol is a depressant that can affect every organ in the body. Once it is consumed, alcohol is absorbed by the stomach and intestines and then passed on into the bloodstream. Excessive alcohol consumption, especially on a routine basis, interferes with the body’s blood sugar levels as well as the hormones needed to optimally maintain those blood sugar levels. Over time, alcohol consumption can reduce the effectiveness of the insulin that the body’s pancreas naturally produces. Many people with alcoholic liver disease will also find that they have glucose intolerance of diabetes. People who are already diabetic need to exercise extra caution when drinking in any amount. When your liver has to work overtime trying to remove alcohol from the blood, it cannot also properly manage your blood glucose levels. Alcohol can also stimulate the drinker’s appetite, causing them to overeat and push their blood sugar even further into a dangerous area. Quitting drinking gives your body a chance to reset itself and it gives your liver a chance to do its job properly allowing for you to be healthier and for your body to be able to regulate its blood sugar levels in moderate amounts.
By no means is this article all inclusive of the benefits that you will see once alcohol is no longer a part of your life. We encourage you to call Asana Recovery today and speak with one of our counselors about some of the other benefits you can expect to experience when you no longer drink. We are here to help you through this difficult time with knowledge and empathy. We can talk to you about our detox programs and our residential therapies as well. Our website has all the information that you need and there is someone available for you to talk to 24/7. Please visit Asana Recovery today so we can help you get started on your way to feeling better.
