Let’s know the ‘Effects of abstaining from alcohol for one month’ Some New Year’s resolutions may require more than a month to show benefits (developing muscle and decreasing weight, for example). However, abstaining from alcohol for one month can result in significant improvements.
Dry January, or abstaining from alcohol for the first month of the year, is a popular New Year’s resolve that might have a variety of benefits. (If decreasing weight is one of your primary health concerns, you can even improve your odds of success.)
Some people are also experimenting with a new fad known as “Damp January,” which focuses on reducing your alcohol consumption rather than fully eliminating it. There is no specific guideline for how much alcohol you can consume during a wet month, although it might range from one serving per week to only having a drink on exceptional occasions. A moist month may be preferable to a dry month for some, especially if you have a history of disordered eating or struggle with overly restricted objectives and habits. Others, on the other hand, may prefer the more defined boundaries of going cold turkey with a dry month.
In either case, greatly reducing or entirely eliminating alcohol for a month might have numerous health benefits. So we asked nutritionists for some of the consequences you might notice at the end of the month whether you leave wine bottles on the rack or beer in the fridge. Check out the 6 Effects of abstaining from alcohol for one month.
6 Effects of abstaining from alcohol for one month
1. You may feel happier
“Alcohol is technically a depressive, and incorporating it in your diet may cause some people to experience poor mental side effects once the booze’s initial effects wear off,” explains Lauren Manaker, MS, RDN, registered dietitian and member of our Medical Expert Board. “A month without alcohol may actually make you happier and improve your mental health.”
In fact, one Canadian Medical Journal Association study discovered that people who either never drank or stopped drinking had a higher quality of life and “greater improvement in mental well-being.”
2. You may lose weight
Alcohol has more calories per gram (7 calories per gram) than protein and carbohydrates, which have just 4 calories per gram. “And, because consuming too many calories can contribute to weight gain, cutting less on alcohol may help you on your weight loss journey. This is especially true if you enjoy super-sugary and caloric drinks like a fruity pia colada, so cutting back on alcohol may result in large liquid calorie savings “Manaker explains.
There are several ways that abstaining from alcohol for one month can help you lose weight. A body of data suggests that when people drink alcohol, they consume more calories from food, which can lead to weight gain. However, research has failed to establish a definite cause-and-effect relationship.
3. You’ll strengthen your ability to fight infection
Give up alcohol during the month of January to help your body’s natural immune defenses. “Excessive drinking alters the intestinal flora in your microbiome, and it does so quickly.
These changes weaken your body’s defenses and increase your chances of getting sick! “Trout states.
4. You may sleep better
While you may believe that a glass of wine before bedtime will help you relax and fall asleep more quickly, alcohol has a negative influence on sleep quality.
“Excessive alcohol use interferes with the regular control of circadian proteins and genes, and it might take weeks for this to return to normal. In other words, when you party, your beauty sleep suffers as a result “Daina Trout, MS, MPH, Health-co-Founder Ade’s and Chief Mission Officer, has Master’s degrees in nutrition and public health.
Trout argues that it takes time for your sleep schedule to return to normal after a period of heavy drinking. So, if you abstain from alcohol for one month, you might notice better peaceful sleep after 31 days!
5. You may reset your digestion
Have you recently experienced bloating and other digestive issues? One strategy to reduce this intestinal irritation is to abstain from alcohol for a month.
“Excessive alcohol use impairs the natural generation of digestive enzymes, resulting in food sitting undigested in your stomach. This not only harms the stomach lining, but it also causes gas, bloating, and indigestion—no fun! “Trout states.
6. You may calm your joint and skin flare-ups
When you stop drinking, the side effects of inflammation, like as skin problems and joint discomfort, may fade away over the course of a month.
“Excessive alcohol injures the intestinal wall on contact, creating inflammation locally and throughout the body,” Trout explains. “A few bad nights can actually induce chronic and persistent inflammation in your body—so what you were calling aging and ugly skin could actually be caused by alcohol!”
One research of over 3,000 women, for example, discovered that those who drank more than eight alcoholic drinks per week had considerably more upper facial wrinkles, under-eye puffiness, mid-face volume loss, and blood vessels than those who drank less or none at all. While a month may not result in a total anti-aging reversal, taking this month off may motivate you to limit your alcohol consumption to support healthy aging.
