Alcohol has long been considered a great way to celebrate, from birthdays to anniversaries, even just as a reward after a long day of work. While not necessarily unhealthy, alcohol can be fatal in copious amounts. While it’s nice to kick back and enjoy a couple of cold ones with the boys, some people do consider quitting alcohol altogether.

So for those asking, here’s what happens to your body when you give up alcohol for a month.

Mental Health Is Improved

Alcohol may seem like a mood elevator especially when you’re dancing and having a great time being with your friends, however, it is actually a depressant that could possibly have negative effects on your overall mental health. Alcohol could aggravate low moods and cause low energy levels, making situations feel worse than they actually are.

Giving up alcohol for a month allows your brain to level out, allowing you to have more clarity and deal with mental health issues in a more positive way.

Improved Hydration

Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning it dehydrates you as it makes your body flush out fluids more frequently. One of the most easily identifiable hangover symptoms is dehydration. People suffer from dry skin, and your lips crack easily. Low hydration levels also affect your concentration and energy, which could greatly impact your overall performance at work, during your gym sessions, or even classes.

When you stop heavy drinking, you’ll feel more alert and aware, and your performance at work or in class may even improve. Plus, your skin will begin to regain its plumpness and your face will reclaim its natural glow as you improve hydration.

A Healthier Liver

Drinking any type of alcohol is bad for the liver especially since the human body just isn’t built to process alcohol. When you drink heavily, even just a few times, the liver has to work extra hard to process it and over time, the liver can get exhausted.

Your liver is constantly working to regenerate itself and produces new cells all the time, with the intention of fixing any problems that may pop up. It is one of the human body’s most important organs, so it is absolutely crucial that it stays in good shape.

When you give up alcohol for a month, your liver eventually flushes out all of the leftover byproducts that were produced over time, and within a few months you will benefit from cutting out alcohol

Improved Weight Loss

When you stop drinking heavily, your overall calorie intake decreases. Unless you replace alcohol with another high-calorie substitute, cutting out alcohol could actually help you lose weight. Most alcohols have more calories per gram compared to protein and carbohydrates, so if you keep drinking, all those calories add up thus causing weight gain. Cutting out alcohol from your diet gets rid of that danger and allows you to lose weight more easily.

beer
This is a representational image of a mug of beer. Pixabay