Benefits of quitting alcohol almost immediately, explain experts

01 January 2024 , 13:42

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The changes to your body happen almost immediately after giving up alcohol (stock image) (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

For many, January 1 means the start of Dry January - a month of giving up alcohol.

Coming right off the back of December, a month of indulgence, is January - when many people decide to give up alcohol for their health, financial or other reasons. Booze is deeply engrained in our culture, so giving up can be a big challenge.

But quitting the booze has many health benefits, from improving sleep to mental health - and the benefits start almost immediately after stopping drinking. An hour after stopping drinking, your blood pressure will start to improve, which will benefit brain cells, improving the delivery of nutrients. At this point, you'll probably find balance will improve sand your mind will feel clearer, Luke Worsfold, addiction counsellor at Lisa Inside Addiction told the Daily Mail.

It takes time for alcohol to break down in our bodies, and you might find it hard to sleep. But after 12 hours, the alcohol has left the bloodstream completely, and blood vessels have shrunk back to normal.

At this point someone might have withdrawal symptoms as your liver works to detox the body, and you might feel dehydrated. Other things you might notice are fatigue, weakness, thirst, headache, nausea - a classic hangover.

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The day after drinking your gut will still be suffering as the alcohol remains in the digestive system - and can cause constipation. Alcohol can also mess up the gut microbiome, which helps us fight infections. But after two days your body has fully recovered from drinking, which means your kidneys and bowels will function normally.

In five to seven days, your mood will be "boosted", and your sleep pattern will feel "improved" as your feel-good hormones have returned. Amazingly, in 10 days, cells that have been damaged by alcohol consumption "repair themselves", leading to "increased energy".

After 14 days of no alcohol your skin will become more hydrated and plumbed - with acne clearing up and pores being less visible. And after a month of quitting alcohol, experts say: "Blood sugar, cholesterol, and weight all decrease, slashing the risk of chronic illnesses like diabetes, cirrhosis, and obesity."

The NHS drinking "no more than 14 units of alcohol a week, spread across 3 days or more. That's around 6 medium (175ml) glasses of wine, or 6 pints of 4% beer. There's no completely safe level of drinking, but sticking within these guidelines lowers your risk of harming your health."

Ariane Sohrabi-Shiraz