It’s a common fact that drinking alcohol isn’t the healthiest thing for your body. But how much impact will giving up alcohol completely, or even cutting back on the hard stuff, have on your health?
You’ll sleep more soundly
Studies have shown that drinking before bed can disrupt your sleep by increasing alpha-wave patterns in the brain, which usually only occurs when you’re awake but resting. Better sleep results in better concentration, improved mood and sharper mental performance.
You’ll lose weight
Alcohol contains more calories than you think (a Pina Colada has on average 378 calories and a Long Island Iced Tea has about 789 calories!!), so cutting back will probably mean your dress will fit a little less snuggly. Alcohol also increases your appetite because alcohol heightens your senses, making you crave foods, prompting you to eat more.
You’ll improve your insides
The liver is the only organ in the body that can regenerate itself. If you stop drinking for a few weeks, your liver will start to repair itself and get rid of any excess fat that’s built up over time. To speed up the process, eat plenty of liver friendly foods such as fish, pulses and brown rice and exercise regularly.
Your skin will clear up
Alcohol dehydrates your body, resulting in dry skin and making your face look bloated and puffy. Drinking too much is also thought to deprive the skin of vital vitamins and nutrients. Sticking to soft drinks will alleviate dryness and could even calm symptoms of skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema, leaving you looking healthy and radiant without needing to pack on the highlighter.