Benefits of a temporary break from alcohol

There are many benefits to temporarily abstaining from drinking alcohol, here we round them up.

Cutting down on your alcohol intake can make for a better night’s sleep. Even spending a week not drinking any alcohol means you get more of the necessary rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Drinking interrupts your REM sleep and makes you feel drowsy and affects concentration throughout the day. According to Alcohol Change UK, 70% of participants have better sleep when they have taken part in dry January and 66% have a lot more energy. 

Consuming alcohol in substantial amounts can cause long-lasting effects on a person’s concentration and other normal bodily functions because of how dehydrated it can make you. The Priory group says that when drinking any alcohol, you can lose around four times as much liquid as you consumed. Alcohol is a diuretic so it can cause your body to remove fluids from your blood through your urinary system at a quicker rate than other liquids. This can leave someone with headaches, fatigue, and nausea. 

Another benefit to having a break from drinking alcohol is how much money you will save. Abstaining from drinking alcohol can be cost-effective, whether you are making a trip to the pub for a drink or buying alcohol to drink at home, as the money will accumulate over time. You could save so much money from not drinking at all, but also from other expenses that could relate to it such as the cost of travelling.  

Taking a tolerance break allows your body and mind to have a chance to recover and may be an effective approach to having better mental and physical well-being.