This is what happens to your body if you don't drink for one month
No idea how you all are doing, but my Dry January is going surprisingly well. I haven't had a drop since New Year's and I actually want to postpone this as long as possible. Not because I like to forbid myself things, far from it, but because I notice that an alcohol detox every now and then can do no harm. This way, Sundays suddenly become a lot more enjoyable, I am worth something on Mondays, and I give my liver a well-deserved break, which is not entirely unimportant. Now I mention a few examples, but a month without drinking alcohol has a few more advantages that undoubtedly make it a lot easier to skip that drink next time.
1. You sleep better
You may fall asleep like a log (okay, that might not always be the case), but waking up refreshed definitely doesn't come from alcohol. Besides a hangover, your sleep cycle is also quite disrupted. It consists of two types of sleep: non-REM sleep and REM sleep. No alcohol ensures that these are less interrupted, giving you more energy in the morning and making you much more enjoyable to be around.
2. You lose weight faster
Hate to break it to you, but alcohol contains quite a few calories. Red wine contains about 82 calories, a glass of white about 67 calories, and if you go for beer, it never ends — one glass of 250 ml contains 110 calories. But that's not all. Alcohol also slows down your metabolism, making it harder for your body to process fats and sugars. So that chicken dürüm at two in the morning? It's already bad for you, but with a drink too many, it's even worse.
3. Your immune system gets better
Your immune system also gets a boost. When you consume alcohol, it is suppressed and affects cytokines, molecules you need in your body to prevent getting sick. My tip: don't drink alcoholic beverages for a while and suddenly you won't be catching colds all the time.
4. You can handle peer pressure better
Once you decide to spend the evening sober, you start to realize how often you are tempted by everything and everyone around you to just take that one shot of tequila or accept that free beer from your friends, because ‘it's just fun’. By staying steadfast, others quickly get the impression that they don't need to ask again, and it becomes easier for you as well. Not a bad trait to learn, I must say.
5. You will look better
Alcohol pulls all the moisture out of your body. That's why you pee so much when you drink: you lose more fluid than you consume. This has several effects, but your skin is where you (and others) will see the most difference. A dehydrated skin leads to a tired look with wrinkles and red spots. You can even experience this after one night of heavy drinking. An alcohol-free skin, on the other hand, stays well-hydrated, giving you a fresh appearance and delaying wrinkles for as long as possible.
Source: mellowed.nl, priorygroup.com
