8 Reasons for Giving Up Alcohol For A Month

This year, for the first time, I did dry January. I wasn't sure of the dry month's success because I viewed it as having to give something up. 

Looking back now, going dry for a month didn't feel like I'd given something up. Instead, I gained a lot. 

1. Weightloss

Alcohol is very high in calories. Take a can of Budweiser for example. A single 350ml can has 145 calories. A pint of Guinness has 199 calories. Calories.info has a long list of beers and lagers with their calorie counts. 

Wine is no better. A single class (118 ml) of White Zinfandel has 104 calories and a glass of Merlot 90 calories. 

Looking at those numbers it is easy to see how the calories add up. No wonder I was gaining weight and developing a beer belly before I went dry. 

After a month of not drinking, I have lost 3 kilograms and a few centimetres of my waist. 

2. Better Sleep

I noticed this benefit within the first week. My sleep was deeper and I woke up less in the night. I felt brighter and readier to get up in the mornings. 

Not drinking has also helped to develop a more regular bedtime. 

Often, when I'd had a drink, I'd stay up later, especially if there were still beers in the fridge. Even when I was knackered, I'd often end up opening another beer. 

Without the 'need' to finish my drink, I'm in bed by ten o'clock and get delicious eight hours of sleep.

3. Improved Mood

I never thought that alcohol was impacting my moods so much, but without the daily dose of booze, I feel more alert and happier. 

I have so much more energy and feel more positive. 

Alcohol is a depressant that disrupts the balance of chemicals and processes in the brain. The more we drink, the more alcohol impacts our brain function. 

Regular heavy drinking can lead to mental health issues inlcuding depression, memory loss and even suicide. 

4. Clearer Skin

I noticed an improvement to my skin after a few weeks. It looked clearer and brighter. My features also looked sharper and less bloated. 

Drinking alcohol dehydrates you. According to the Priory Group, drinking alcohol causes you to lose about four times the amount of liquid that you drank. 

When I stopped drinking alcohol and made sure to drink plenty of water, my skin became better hydrated. I'm also convinced that my wrinkles appear reduced following a month without alcohol. 

5. Healthier Attitude Towards Alcohol

My thinking has also shifted. I no longer automatically think of having some wine or beer when I get home from work.

I used to see having a couple of beers or glasses of wine as a way to switch off. During the month of abstinence, I realised it is just as easy to relax without a drink. I don't miss having a beer to help me relax.

Neither do I miss the fuzzy head or hazy memories. 

I still enjoy a drink (yes, I have enjoyed a few beers since the end of my dry month), but I don't want to drink to the extent where I can't remember everything that happened the next day. Or wake up hangover and waste a whole day.

6. More Productive

Not drinking has been fantastic for my creativity.

I haven't had such a productive period in years. I have been writing every single day and the ideas have simply flowed. 

Just in the first two weeks of January, I had written three new short stories, several poems and gone back to writing book number two which had been on a hiatus for a while. 

This reason alone is enough to stop me from going back to a daily dose of alcohol. 

7. Saving Money

Not drinking has saved me money. 

According to Priory, the average person will have saved £89.76 on wine and £72 on lager in a month.

But that is your average person and not allowing for increased consumption when in lockdown. I think I have saved at least twice that amount.

8. Improved Health

Because alcohol is high in calories, not drinking helps to maintain a helthier weight. This can help to lower your blood pressure. 

Lower blood pressure in turn can reduce your risk of heart problems and stroke. 

Cutting out alcohol can also improve the function of your liver. 

 If your liver function is not too badly affected by alcohol, it can recover within 4–8 weeks. (Priory Group)

With the liver playing a part in over 500 vital processes, you also give your body a better chance of removing contaminants, converting food nutrients, storing minerals and vitamins.

Since alcohol is a carcinogen, your risk of alcohol-associated cancer increases with the amount of alcohol you consume over time. Cancers that are linked to alcohol consumption include liver, breast and colorectal cancers. (Healthline)

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Click here for tips to prepare for a dry month.