After completing your month-long challenge and taking a complete break from alcohol for January, you may be noticing some changes in your body and your mind and wondering what the heck is going on: here's the skinny on what your body's been going through while you've been taking a break from the booze.
1. Your brain chemistry was rebalancing itself
Alcohol interferes with your brain's chemical messaging system, particularly affecting neurotransmitters like GABA and glutamate. Research shows that when you stop drinking, these chemical messengers begin returning to their natural balance. This could explain why you might be feeling more emotionally stable, less anxious and less prone to unexplainable mood swings.
2. Your liver got healthier
A 2018 study in BMJ Open found significant improvements in liver function during just one month of abstinence (depending on pre-abstinence drinking levels). Your liver is your body's filtration system, and giving it a break from processing alcohol allowed it to work more efficiently at removing other toxins from your body.
3. Your blood sugar began to stabilise
Alcohol interferes with both your body's blood sugar levels and regulation processes by affecting how your liver processes and releases glucose. After a month without alcohol, your body is better able to maintain steady blood sugar levels, which might explain why you're experiencing fewer energy crashes and feeling more stable throughout the whole day.
4. Your sleep improved
Alcohol significantly disrupts your sleep architecture - particularly your REM sleep, which is where the deepest restoration occurs. A month without alcohol allows your natural sleep cycles to re-establish themselves, leading to more restful nights and, therefore, more productive days.
5. Your gut was healing
Alcohol affects the balance of bacteria in your gut microbiome, an area of biological function that scientists now call our 'second brain'. This isn't just about digestion - your gut health is linked to everything from your immune system to your mental health via the gut-brain axis (the two-way communication between your gut and brain).
When we drink, we also tend to make poorer dietary choices, so removing alcohol and introducing a greater variety of health-promoting foods has allowed your body to become better nourished and more able to fight illness and infection.
6. Your brain & body inflammation decreased
Alcohol consumption, even in moderate amounts, causes inflammation in the brain and various systems in the body. A break from alcohol allows this inflammation to subside, which can improve cognitive function and mental clarity and help you generally feel better all over. Inflammation also leads to increased intestinal discomfort, meaning that after a few weeks, even your bowels were thanking you for the break.
7. Your heart function has improved
Reports from Alcohol Change UK show that alcohol affects your heart function and blood supply, which can lead to high blood pressure, high levels of bad cholesterol and increased heart rate variability (HRV). HRV is a key indicator of how well your body handles stress. Better HRV means your body is more resilient to both physical and emotional challenges. At the same time, a stronger heart function and uninterrupted blood supply can only be a good thing.
What next?
These changes don't disappear the moment February begins. They represent real physiological improvements that you can build upon, whether you choose to stay alcohol-free or move towards more mindful or moderate drinking habits.
If you're planning to reintroduce alcohol, consider:
- Exploring lower-alcohol alternatives
- Maintaining regular alcohol-free days
- Keeping track of how different drinking occasions affect your sleep and mood
- Staying hydrated between drinks
- Ensuring a varied and healthy diet
Remember, this isn't about never drinking again - it's about understanding how alcohol affects your body so you can make informed choices about your relationship with it.
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