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October is over. For many people, this means the conclusion of Sober October, or a month without drinking alcohol.
Some might be excited for their first drink back. Others may be weighing up the pros and cons of extending this dry spell. But what actually happens to your body when you ditch drinking for 31 days?
There are the obvious, objective perks: no pounding head the morning after a few drinks, and potentially a healthier bank balance too, given the price of a pint nowadays. But there are also less obvious benefits going on beneath the surface.
Below, scientists reveal the benefits you might feel from a month without drinking.
What happens to your body after a day of not drinking?
The time it takes to clear alcohol from the body will depend on your metabolism and, of course, how much you drank. But by the 24 hour mark, it has usually left your body. As a result, you may experience some positives after just one day of not drinking.
Alcohol reduces the liver’s ability to regulate blood sugar, according to Nicole Lee, an adjunct professor at the National Drug Research Institute, Curtin University. “Once alcohol leaves the system, blood sugar begins to normalise,” she writes.
However, Lee continues, if you are a regular drinker, then a day without alcohol might take some adjusting to, leaving you feeling slightly worse to start with.
“You may initially notice disrupted sleep, mood changes, sweating or tremors. Most symptoms usually resolve in about a week without alcohol.”
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Alcohol produces inflammation in the brain, which can lead to low mood (Getty/iStock)
What happens to your body after a week of not drinking?
Seven days into Sober October, more benefits come into play. Most health and fitness experts I speak to stress the negative impact alcohol has on your sleep.
It might make you feel sleepy and help you drift off, but it dampens the quality of your slumber. After a week of alcohol-free sleep, it is likely your energy levels will feel higher and more consistent.
Alcohol also hampers brain function, with knock-on effects on your mood and mental health.
“We know inflammation is associated with low mood when you get a cold; when people had Covid, a lot of them had severe depression and anxiety, and that’s through inflammation,” says Professor David Nutt, head of the neuropsychopharmacology unit at Imperial College London.
“Alcohol produces the same kind of inflammation in the brain. The hangover is partly due to neuroadaptation – the brain adapting to try and offset the effects of alcohol – and partly through the toxicity of alcohol leading to inflammation.
“That inflammation leads to a sense of lowness, flatness, irritability and not enjoying life. This can be mistaken for depression.”
By not drinking for a week, you can remove this effect, leading to improved mood and benefits for your brain health.
A week away from alcohol could be enough to see some improvements in your liver health too, says Katinka van de Ven, an alcohol specialist at the University of New South Wales.
“The liver is important for cleaning blood, processing nutrients and producing bile that helps with digestion,” she writes. “But it can also regenerate quickly. If you have only mild damage in the liver, seven days may be enough to reduce liver fat and heal mild scarring and tissue damage.”
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An extended spell without alcohol can improve your sleep quality and leave you with higher energy levels (Nattakorn – stock.adobe.com)
What happens to your body after a month of not drinking?
A 2018 study published in the British Medical Journal took two groups of moderate-heavy drinkers (those consuming roughly 250g of alcohol per week – around 31 units or 18 standard drinks). One group carried on as they were, while the other abstained from alcohol for a month.
The findings supported the idea that alcohol consumption can increase your risk of cancer and metabolic diseases such as Type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease. Meanwhile, researchers found that one month of abstinence “improves insulin resistance, weight, blood pressure and cancer-related growth factors”.
In other words, post Sober October, it is highly likely that your liver will be healthier, your blood pressure will be lower, your diabetes risk will be down. The positive impact on blood pressure may also improve your heart health.
“You might lose a bit of weight from giving up alcohol,” adds Professor Nutt. “Alcohol is quite calorific.
“There are some people currently consuming 50 per cent of their calories from alcohol, and then they’re not eating because they don’t want to put on weight. But if you don’t eat, alcohol levels rise faster, so you get into more trouble if you just drink without food.”
Your skin may also be “soft, plump and healthier-looking” by the end of the 31 days, according to a spokesperson for Alcohol Change UK.
“Alcohol reduces the production of anti-diuretic hormone, so you lose water and sodium more quickly,” they explain. “A low tissue water content, courtesy of your daily tipple, is the sworn enemy of soft, plump, healthier-looking skin.”
On top of this, your immune system is more likely to be firing on all cylinders by the end of the month, the spokesperson adds – handy as we plunge into the depths of flu season.
“Booze suppresses your body’s immune system, so when you’re free and clear of it for a few weeks you’ll notice you are less likely to succumb to every little cold or virus that hits the office. And even if you do come down with something, your recovery time will be reduced.”
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