Credit: Getty
Strong Women
Trying Sober October this year? Here’s what really happens to your body when you stop drinking for a month
By Anna Bartter
2 years ago
6 min read
If you’re considering ditching the booze for Sober October this year, you’re probably wondering what the benefits are. What really happens to our bodies when we quit drinking for a month?
It seems that going sober has never been more on-trend. We’ve all got at least one friend who waxes lyrical about giving up alcohol and you can’t move on social media for celebrity posts about quitting booze. Our feeds are littered with fancy-looking non-alcoholic alternatives and the days of nursing a warm, flat soft drink are long gone.
While there are many online trends to be wary of, abstaining from alcohol for a week, a month or longer might just be the most beneficial one yet. “Reducing alcohol intake is part of the wellness revolution that has been gaining huge traction in recent years,” says Paul Beavis, CEO of Wild Idol.
“Drinking culture has changed and people are discovering new and alternative ways to have a good time, with less social stigma around abstaining from alcohol. Cultural moments associated with abstinence, such as Sober October, offer an ideal opportunity for people to reassess their relationship with alcohol.”
If you’ve ever struggled with feeling less than chipper the morning after a heavy night, you’ll be well acquainted with just how much alcohol can affect us physically and mentally, so it stands to reason that you might notice some benefits when you don’t drink.
From improved mental health to better digestion, we take a look at what really happens to our bodies when we stop drinking alcohol for a few weeks.
What are the benefits of Sober October?
Credit: Getty
Sober October is a month-long initiative organised by UK charity Macmillan Cancer Support that challenges social drinkers to switch their pints and pinots for soft alternatives and, ideally, raise money in doing so. If you’ve ever toyed with the idea of quitting alcohol, it can be a great way to dip your toes in and see if the sober life is for you – without a long-term commitment.
And the benefits of banning the booze – even if only for four weeks – are myriad.
Mental health benefits
Anyone who has ever experienced the grim reality of hangxiety will attest to the fact that alcohol negatively influences our mental health – and the experts are unanimous on this point.
Reduced anxiety
“In practice, alcohol often acts as a depressant,” says certified psychology expert and life coach Bayu Prihandito. “While it might offer temporary relief or even feelings of euphoria, the long-term effects include increased anxiety and depression. In my experience, people who quit drinking report an improved mood, clearer thinking and better sleep at night.”
Better sleep
Research shows that excessive consumption of alcohol affects sleep quality and duration, which can have an impact on our mental health. While drinking can make us feel tired, we’re far more likely to crash out and have junk sleep rather than restorative rest when we’ve enjoyed a tipple or two – and no one wants to wake up with a dry mouth and racing heart, right?
Improved concentration and productivity
We’ve all had days when we’ve dragged ourselves to the office feeling less-than-sprightly, and it’s not fun – or productive.
“It’s amazing how much more engaged and present you are in the moment when you wake up clear-headed,” says Beavis. “You also won’t lose a day feeling hungover and unproductive as a result of not drinking the night before. The health benefits and improvements from reducing or quitting drinking contribute to a general feel-good factor, which is so rewarding.”
Physical health benefits of quitting alcohol
As if the mental health advantages of getting sober weren’t enough motivation, there are a whole host of physical benefits that come alongside ditching the booze - and yes, you will notice the difference in just a month.
How much of a difference you notice – and how quickly – will depend largely on your usual alcohol consumption, so it will vary from person to person. Full disclosure: if you’re partial to a regular tipple, be prepared for a (hopefully short-lived) period of discomfort.
“The physical health changes will be more noticeable if you’re a heavier drinker,” explains personal trainer Sarah Campus.
“If you’re used to drinking a lot, your body may rebel at first if you cut off all alcohol completely. You could break out in cold sweats or have a racing pulse, nausea, vomiting or shaky hands. But in time you will have improved skin, as well as better energy and productivity.”
You may also like
9 of the best non-alcoholic red, white, rosé and sparkling wines
Faster recovery and reduced risk of injury
“Alcohol has an inflammatory effect on the body and while inflammation is a natural immune response, the long-term effects are linked to diabetes, heart disease, cancer and even Alzheimer’s disease,” says Lauren Johnson Reynolds, a nutritional therapist and wellbeing coach.
“In the short term, the inflammatory effects of alcohol show up as classic hangover symptoms such as nausea, headaches, a puffy face and loose stools, but over time these can progress to serious intestinal inflammation, imbalance in the gut microbiome and an increase in the liver’s production of C-reactive protein, which actually signals to the body to increase its inflammatory response even further.”
The good news is that the effects of going sober can impact inflammation levels in the body quite quickly, and you’re likely to notice that you’re less prone to injury, aches and pains after working out and recover faster from your session.
Improved gut health
We all know how vital gut health is to overall health, and the good news is that small tweaks such as quitting alcohol for a month can trigger noticeable improvements in digestive function, and you might notice your toilet visits become more regular alongside reduced alcohol intake.
According to the charity Guts UK, one of the main advantages of Sober October is that it encourages us to consume less alcohol even when we’re back to normal drinking habits - and this is only a good thing for our overall health and wellbeing.
Small tweaks can trigger noticeable digestive improvements
Bayu Prihandito
Improved physical performance
It doesn’t take a personal trainer to work out that if you’re well-rested and clear-headed, you’re more likely to feel motivated to work out and to have more energy when you’re training – good news for all of us, whether soft hiking or hardcore HIIT is your jam.
“The biggest advantage of going sober was the progress I made when it came to fitness,” says Kate Rowe-Ham, a personal trainer and founder of women’s health platform Owning Your Menopause. “I was able to wake up feeling much more refreshed and I noticed that all the effort I was putting into my workouts really began to pay off – my energy increased and I was happier all round.”
So, if you’re tempted to give it a try this October, it might just be the key to better mental and physical health.
If you’re concerned about your alcohol use, it’s important to seek help and support. For advice and information, visit Alcohol Change UK here. Alternatively, speak to your GP or other healthcare professional.
Images: Getty
A weekly dose of expert-backed tips on everything from gut health to running, plus receive our 8-week beginner’s guide to strength training.
By signing up you agree to occasionally receive offers and promotions from Stylist. Newsletters may contain online ads and content funded by carefully selected partners. Don’t worry, we’ll never share or sell your data. You can opt-out at any time. For more information read Stylist’s Privacy Policy
Thank you!
You’re now subscribed to all our newsletters. You can manage your subscriptions at any time from an email or from a MyStylist account.