10 Positive Changes in Your Body When You Cease Alcohol Consumption

Many individuals engage in the consumption of alcoholic beverages fairly regularly. Whether it's savoring a glass of wine at night or sharing a beer with friends, consuming alcohol isn't uncommon, nor is it inherently negative.

However, alcohol is not particularly beneficial to one's health either. Moreover, excessive drinking can lead to significant negative impacts on one's life. If you find this to be true for yourself, it might be time to consider gradually reducing your alcohol intake. Skeptical about the benefits of cessation? Here are ten positive bodily changes you can expect when you cease drinking.

1.  When you stop consuming alcohol, your digestion will enhance.

The liver plays a crucial role in digestion by naturally filtering toxins from the body and aiding in the elimination of substances that should not be digested. However, consuming excessive amounts of alcohol forces the liver into overdrive, diverting its focus solely to filtering and metabolizing ethanol and the toxins present in alcoholic beverages. This is why excessive drinking can lead to:

• Lead to fatty liver disease
• Cause liver inflammation
• Result in cirrhosis or liver failure

Fortunately, the liver has a remarkable capacity for recovery. If one stops drinking before causing significant damage, the liver can heal and return to its fully functional state in a matter of weeks.

However, even excluding the liver's role, digestion is still adversely affected. The human digestive system processes alcohol differently compared to other toxins and substances, struggling to manage its effects. For instance:

• Alcohol from fermented drinks, including wine and beer, cause an overproduction of gastric acid in the stomach.

• Excessive alcohol intake can irritate the stomach and even damage the gastrointestinal tract and lining.

• Alcohol begins to damage food-digesting cells the moment it enters your body.

• Alcohol can increase your risk of ulcers in the gastrointestinal tract.

2.  Your sleep quality may improve if you abstain from alcohol consumption.

If you've ever consumed a significant amount of alcohol, you might have observed that it induces sleepiness shortly thereafter. This could lead you to believe that alcohol benefits sleep; however, this is not true. Although it may cause fatigue and hasten the onset of sleep, it also hinders the quality of restorative sleep. That is why, even after a night of drinking, you may still wake up feeling tired!

According to studies, this because alcohol can cause the following problems:

• Alcohol messes with your sleep-wake cycles and throws off your Circadian rhythm.

• It prevents you from getting deep sleep, which is necessary for proper rest.

• Alcohol relaxes your throat muscles, which can increase your risk of sleep apnea or even make you snore more.

It’s true that at first when you stop drinking alcohol, you may find it harder to sleep. But if you keep at it and practice positive bedtime and sleep habits, you’ll notice that your sleep quality improves significantly and will feel much fresher and sharper every morning.

3.    YOUR SKIN LOOKS BETTER

Have you ever noticed that individuals with alcohol dependency often exhibit poor skin conditions, including noticeable reddish patches on their face? This is attributed to alcohol's numerous adverse effects on the body, which collectively harm the skin.


• Broken facial or nose capillaries
• Lower levels of collagen that cause the skin to sag or appear loose
• Dehydration that causes dry skin
• Inflammation that causes acne and other problems
• Higher risk of jaundice
• Higher risk of psoriasis, an inflammatory skin disease, according to studies.

When you stop drinking, you’ll find that your skin will regain elasticity and lose much of the yellowing and redness that was occurring from alcohol.

4.    Your risk of developing cardiovascular disease decreases.

Did you know that consuming alcohol is detrimental to your heart health? The statistics are clear: heavy drinkers have a twofold increase in the risk of dying within 24 hours compared to non-drinkers, and this risk escalates to sixfold within a week.

It's important to recognize that even without immediate severe symptoms, alcohol abuse can heighten the risk of developing cardiovascular problems such as:

• Ischemic stroke
• Atrial fibrillation
• Myocardial infarction
• Hemorrhagic stroke
• Heart failure

While the impact on your heart from ceasing alcohol consumption may not be immediately apparent, scientific evidence clearly indicates that drinking elevates your risk of heart disease. This fact alone is a compelling reason to quit.

5.    Your immunity strengthens when you cease alcohol consumption.

To combat bacteria, germs, viruses, and other harmful microorganisms, it is essential for the human body to produce a sufficient number of white blood cells. However, excessive alcohol consumption can disrupt your immune system, resulting in a reduced count of these beneficial cells and compromising your safety. This is also the reason why individuals who consume alcohol excessively are more prone to diseases such as tuberculosis and pneumonia.

Once you cease alcohol intake, your immune system starts to recover. You will observe a decreased susceptibility to illnesses, including colds and the flu, leading to improved health and increased strength.

6.    You will experience improved mental health.

A lot of people use alcohol as a coping mechanism for poor mental health. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health in America shows that a whopping 9.2 million adults in the United States experienced a substance use disorder and a mental illness at the same time in 2018. Still, a shocking 60% of them didn’t receive any form of treatment. Common alcohol-drinking comorbidities include:

• Bipolar disorder
• Anxiety
• Schizophrenia
• Depression

The precise relationship between addiction rates and mental health disorders is somewhat unclear; however, it is evident that they are caught in a potentially lethal cycle. Individuals suffering from mental health issues may attempt to alleviate their symptoms through the use of alcohol, but this can exacerbate their condition, leading to increased consumption. This creates a dangerous snare that can be challenging to escape.

At first, when you stop drinking, you may feel that your mental illnesses have gotten worse as the withdrawal sets in. Seek professional help if necessary, and once you wait off that first difficult roller coaster, you’ll notice that you have a clearer head and much fewer symptoms of your disorders at lower severity.

7.    YOU’LL BE MORE HYDRATED

Did you know that alcohol acts as a diuretic? This means it prompts your body to expel water and hydration through increased urination. After consuming substantial amounts, you might find that you feel an urgent need to urinate more frequently.

Here's how it works: alcohol consumption leads to a decrease in the levels of the antidiuretic hormone (ADH) in your body. ADH plays a vital role in signaling your kidneys to conserve water. Therefore, a reduction in ADH causes your kidneys to diminish their water retention, resulting in more frequent bathroom visits.

Once you cease alcohol intake, you'll promptly observe a noticeable reduction in your bathroom trips. Consequently, your hydration levels will improve. The human body is predominantly composed of water, which is essential for circulation, waste elimination, regulating body temperature, fostering positive mental health and overall wellbeing, among other functions. Adequate hydration is crucial for optimal functioning of these bodily processes, and abstaining from alcohol allows you to replenish them.

8.    YOU’LL RECEIVE BETTER NUTRITION

Consuming alcohol leads to a significant reduction in essential nutrients within the body. This occurs due to several factors:

- Alcohol consumption causes a depletion of vital nutrients.

- Many individuals with alcohol dependency opt to ingest alcoholic beverages in place of consuming nutritious meals.

- The ability of the body to digest, assimilate, store, and eliminate nutrients is impaired by alcohol, potentially resulting in nutrient deficiencies and malnutrition.

Ceasing alcohol intake allows the body to recalibrate its nutrient processing mechanisms. This enables the efficient utilization of stored food reserves. Additionally, there is an increase in motivation to consume balanced meals, which contributes to overall well-being. Consequently, many individuals experience weight loss or an improvement in body composition upon abstaining from alcohol.

9.   When you stop consuming alcohol, your memory and cognitive abilities are likely to enhance.

Have you ever observed that your memory becomes less reliable after consuming alcoholic beverages? This is often due to the impact on your hippocampus, a vital area of the brain responsible for learning and memory functions, as indicated by studies. Indeed, alcohol consumption can cause this brain region to diminish in size!

Regrettably, the beneficial changes in your brain may not be immediately apparent when you cease drinking, since alcohol can significantly disrupt your cognitive processes. However, within several months to a year, the structural alterations your brain has undergone will begin to reverse, enhancing your ability to:

• Maintaining attention span
• Utilizing positive thinking skills
• Remembering things
• Solving problems

10. YOUR RISK OF CANCER DROPS IF YOU STOP DRINKING ALCOHOL

Many individuals harbor fears of cancer development, and it is widely recognized that alcohol acts as a carcinogen. The likelihood of contracting this alarming illness escalates with increased alcohol consumption, and prolonged drinking further amplifies the risk significantly. Engaging in such behavior places oneself at risk for:


• Esophageal cancer
• Breast cancer
• Liver cancer
• Head and neck cancer
• Colorectal cancer

Furthermore, research indicates that alcohol is associated with 3.5% of cancer-related deaths in America. While this impact may not be immediately apparent upon ceasing alcohol consumption, the long-term health benefits are substantial.