Taking a break from alcohol is beneficial in more ways than you realize, even if it’s just for a month

Exercise boosts serotonin and dopamine in the brain, and a quick shot of both will make the happy chemicals release, and you won’t want to drink. Of course, we all want a simple, achievable number for how long we should abstain from alcohol in order for our bodies to taking a break from alcohol fully heal from its effects. Another thing that will help your liver’s journey in recovery is good nutrition. There’s no miracle diet by any means, but the Mediterranean diet, for example, can help fill some of the nutritional gaps you may have due to alcohol use.

Alcohol does the same thing, so it’s very possible that when you give up one substance that causes happy-making chemicals to float around your brain, you’ll be more likely to reach for the other. Giving up alcohol can be tough—but the benefits make it worth the effort, says Damon Raskin, M.D., a Los Angeles-based physician who is board-certified in addiction medicine. “We came to a realization that we were drinking way too often and way too much,” says Zaleski. After one month, the researchers documented a reduction in the participants’ GGT. “And I know I wouldn’t be doing those things if I was still drinking.”

Here’s What Happens to Your Body When You Stop Drinking for 30 Days

If you’re keeping up with this average (or less), the damage from alcohol is most likely minimal. There has been some research conducted on how abstaining from alcohol detoxifies your liver over time. A 2021 https://ecosoberhouse.com/ review of research notes that several studies determined that two to four weeks of abstinence from alcohol by heavy-alcohol users helped reduce inflammation and bring down elevated serum levels in the liver.

So far, there are a handful of studies that point to some benefits of abstinence for even moderate drinkers — in addition to the widely recognized benefits for people who have alcohol use disorder. “You get the best benefit from alcohol when you drink in moderation. Just being dry for 1 month and going back to drinking in excess is a bad idea. If you are drinking in excess, it’s better to cut your alcohol intake,” said Dasgupta.

Things That Happen When You Stop Drinking Alcohol

For instance, Dry January was established in France in 2020 following evidence of its success in the UK. Families may not know exactly what is going on, but they begin to mention changes they are noticing. You may tell yourself that nothing is different and your family is just being paranoid or picking on you. Denial of these changes can negatively affect family members and family life. This new site may be offered by a vendor or an independent third party.

“Studies show that women who drink heavily are more likely than men to develop cirrhosis,” Dr. Garbutt says. We spoke to James Garbutt, MD, a professor of psychiatry at UNC’s Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, to learn how alcohol works in the female body and how to know if a break may be right for you. Patient does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Notice changes in how you feel

Drinking alcohol before bed, even one glass of wine – impacts our brain’s ability to go into REM sleep – the type of sleep that is restorative and helps us to really feel rested. Drinking can also give us a rebound effect when we wake in the early hours of the morning, when the alcohol in our system has worn off and our brains are overstimulated. You may find that alcohol-free sleep is much better quality and that you generally feel more rested and refreshed the next day. As I’ve reported, alcohol use disorders fall along a spectrum.

• Josep Genebriera, M.D., a dermatologist at Advanced Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery, points out that drinking causes both short-term flushing and long-term changes to your skin.
• Within a few days of cutting out booze, you’ll notice your skin looking and feeling more hydrated.
• Excess alcohol consumption may cause weight gain, which means that cutting out alcohol could lead to weight loss for some people.
• Symptoms can range from headache, elevated blood pressure, heart palpitations, and nausea and vomiting to tremors, hallucination and in severe cases death.
• Substitute some new activities like a hobby or fitness activity to keep busy.
• Some people like to drink alcohol in the evening because it helps them fall asleep faster.