How to Stop Drinking: 14 Tips for Success

So, depending on how much you typically drink on a daily basis, cutting that out might simply mean you’re taking in fewer calories. Dr. Dasgupta said for social and moderate drinkers, participating in a month break won’t make much difference to their bodies. However, for people who exceed recommendations in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, he said staying away from alcohol for a month can reap changes. If you need a break from alcohol, going alcohol-free for a month or more can bring about many physical and mental health benefits.

• We aim to help you stop using alcohol and empower you to maintain lifelong sobriety.Quitting alcohol may seem daunting; however, you can do it!
• According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, alcohol should be consumed in moderation — up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men.
• Identify a family member or friend who you can call on to provide emotional support.
• Even if your relationship with drinking consists of occasional social drinking with friends or occasionally over-indulging in wine and cocktails during the holiday season, alcohol can still leave its mark.

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Research from 2018 showed that a month-long break from alcohol was enough for moderate-heavy drinkers to see improvements in insulin resistance, blood pressure, body weight, and cancer-related growth factors. Many people notice an increase in physical energy and mental alertness after a 90-day break from alcohol. Without the lethargy that often accompanies drinking, you might feel more motivated to exercise, pursue hobbies, and stay productive in your daily life. Increased energy and focus can lead to improved performance at work or in personal projects, making you feel more accomplished and engaged. That’s why many of us wonder if a month of avoiding drinking is enough to “reset” your liver back to normal. It’s true that taking a break from alcohol for any amount of time will be beneficial overall, with some research showing that liver function begins to improve in as little as two to three weeks.

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Just like a broken bone or infection needs time to heal, so does an overworked liver. While this depends on the amount of alcohol you have had over the years, your liver can see partial healing within two to three weeks, but this will depend on your health history. Alcohol weakens the immune system, making your body more susceptible to illnesses and https://ecosoberhouse.com/ infections. Over time, excessive drinking can impair your body’s ability to fight off common illnesses like colds and the flu. Stopping alcohol is worth it, but it can be an uncomfortable and even dangerous experience. Anyone stopping alcohol should discuss their plan with a doctor and seriously consider undergoing a medically-supervised detox.

• While many think drinking alcohol before bed will help them nod off and stay asleep, it’s quite the opposite.
• Over time, it’s a driver of inflammation — and in heavy drinkers — sets the stage for cirrhosis.
• By avoiding alcohol, you’re taking a big step toward improving physical health.
• Her work has appeared in over 50 publications, including The Washington Post, O!
• Alcohol is also linked to poor sleep quality, so you might feel more energized after a week without alcohol, she added.

Different Drinking Levels

They are more introspective about their alcohol use,” Larson said. It’s important to remember that labeling yourself is not necessary to take a step back and reconsider alcohol’s role in your life. That’s why Mehta recommends being kind to yourself and thinking about this as an experiment. This article is part of a content partnership with our friends at Tempest, the first evidence-based digital recovery platform. Combining therapy with support groups can greatly improve your odds of success. During this period, you can expect to develop new skills you may have never learned that made you more susceptible to AUD in the first place.

Knowing why you drink is essential, says Cyndi Turner, LCSW, LSATP, MAC, a Virginia therapist specializing in addiction treatment and alcohol moderation. For some people, heart damage from alcohol overuse isn’t reversible after any amount of time. The good news is that the sooner you lower your intake, the better it will be for the health of your heart. How fast you’d potentially lose weight ultimately depends on how much you were drinking beforehand.

What happens when you stop drinking for 30 days

6 tips to help you try dry January, or taking any break from alcohol. Depending on the extent of liver damage you have, you may need to completely abstain from alcohol in order to give your liver the best chance for recovery. Talk to a doctor about your personal history and what’s right for you. If you’re worried that you have any of these symptoms of alcohol dependence, talk to your GP or seek further information from a support service. Another tip, if you tend to go to the fridge to get an alcoholic drink soon after getting home from work, you could replace that drink with a chilled non-alcoholic drink. For most people, participating in month-long challenges will provide a range of benefits and little downside, even over the longer term.

These tips will help you cut back on drinking alcohol.

It’s OK — and, in fact, very normal — if you’re feeling ambivalent about changing your relationship with alcohol, says Ellinwood. Just as you might think to yourself, “maybe I should get more sleep this taking a break from alcohol week,” you can think, “maybe I should check in with myself about my alcohol consumption.” Here’s how to start. Recovery from AUD is marked by stages of abstinence, withdrawal, repair, and growth.

If you’re an otherwise healthy person, Dr. Galligan says it should take your immune system just a few weeks to bounce back. If you drink in excess, cutting out alcohol for a period of time can help your liver, heart, and body composition. The irony of alcohol is that we often drink to feel relaxed, to tamp down anxiety. But over time, White says, this can lead to escalating levels of anxiety.