A urine test can detect alcohol for hours and even more than 72 hours after excessive alcohol drinking. New draft Australian alcohol guidelines recommend healthy men and women should consume no more than ten standard drinks per week and no more than four standard drinks on any one day. But evaluations show, regardless of successful completion, taking up a month-long challenge to quit alcohol is linked to reductions in alcohol consumption six months and up to a year later. Before your planned break from alcohol, spend a week or two monitoring the amount you drink and when.

What reducing alcohol can do for your health

Vowers says not drinking makes him feel more present — more grounded. If you’re worried that you have symptoms of alcohol dependence, talk to your GP or seek further information from a support service before stopping. “For patients who https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/cure-for-alcohol-withdrawal-symptoms/ are left with cirrhosis after severe injury to the liver from alcohol, even one drink of alcohol is toxic to the liver,” cautions Dr. Lindenmeyer.

Dry January: The Health Benefits From Taking A Break From Alcohol

Experts say there are benefits to quitting alcohol for a short period, even if you’re a social or moderate drinker. The more you drink, the more likely it is that you’ll damage parts of your heart that you really, really need. If you drink a lot, you might notice heart symptoms that seem to be worse—like palpitations and higher blood pressure—when you first stop drinking. It’s hardly a secret that having a few drinks alters the way your brain works. If you drink in excess, cutting out alcohol for a period of time can help your liver, heart, and body composition.

• Cutting back can improve symptoms, including “hangxiety” – struggling with hangover-related anxiety, restless sleep, and irritability.
• Her fields of interest include Asian languages and literature, Japanese translation, cooking, natural sciences, sex positivity, and mental health.
• “Even moderate drinkers who stop drinking for two months tend to overdrink when they start again,” Dr. Koob says.
• When we drink, according to the CDC, our body breaks down alcohol “into a chemical called acetaldehyde.” Acetaldehyde damages our DNA, which interferes with normal cell growth and function.

Maintain a healthy diet

Over time, this can turn into a detrimental cycle of drinking, feeling anxious, and then drinking more to reinstate a feeling of calm. It’s no wonder why alcohol consumption can lead to reduced mood, increased anxiety, and even depression. Therefore, not drinking, especially for extended periods of time, can lead to significant improvements in sleep and sleep quality. “Because you may sleep more deeply when not drinking, you may notice waking up feeling sharper and more refreshed the next day,” he adds. If you’re having difficulty finding support systems as you experiment with quitting drinking or aren’t sure how to make sober friends, Stewart recommends connecting with sober folks on social media. “The findings of these studies are actually very surprising,” White says.

Is Alcohol A Problem? Online Tool Helps Assess Risk And Find Help

Initially, and for sometime afterward, alcohol may seem to enhance certain experiences. People may seem more accepting or less judgmental, and you might feel you “fit in.” You may convince yourself that experiences are more enjoyable and conversation more relaxed. These beliefs can help rationalize the negative experiences that might also occur. On a recent Friday night, Rob Zaleski and Kim Daniel walk into Marshall’s bar in Austin. They’re going without alcohol for 30 days, they explain, and are documenting their experience in a podcast and on Instagram at #boozelessATX. Over the past 12 years, Marshall has seen a lot of changes in the way people view sobriety.

From month-long sobriety challenges to the Sober Curious movement, more and more people are taking a closer look at the role alcohol plays in their lives. In severe cases of withdrawal when symptoms are not treated, a person may experience generalized tonic-clonic seizures, delirium tremens, and even death. Dasgupta said the best people to avoid alcohol always are those under 21 years old, and not just for legal reasons. “The bottom line is, protect the heart with a low amount of alcohol, but increase the risk of taking a break from alcohol cardiovascular disease with high amount of alcohol,” Dasgupta said. On the other hand, if you drink in moderation, alcohol doesn’t affect LDL and instead increases good cholesterol (HDL). Cirrhosis of the liver (severe scarring of the liver) can occur over time in those who drink excessively.

Biotin supports keratin production, zinc helps maintain healthy oil glands, and folic acid facilitates cell turnover and the regeneration of hair follicles. “Fatty liver is a common phenomenon in individuals who drink heavily and regularly, leading to cirrhosis and end-stage liver disease,” says Mary Wirtz, MS, RDN, CSSD. Steering clear of alcohol, however, gives the liver a chance to regenerate. When your gut microbiome is thrown out of whack, you may experience more direct digestive woes (stomach aches, bloating, gas, pain). Less obvious side effects of a disrupted microbiome include fatigue, sugar cravings, and inflammatory skin conditions, as well. Drinking can send your hormones into a frenzy—it impacts our endocrine system, which allows our body to respond appropriately and cope with changes in our environments.