Table of contents:
- 6 changes in the body when you stop drinking alcohol
- 1. You will sleep better
- 2. Feeling "hungry" for sugar
- 3. Skin is more hydrated
- 4. The liver becomes healthier
- 5. Gradually ideal body weight
- 6. So eat less
Changing habits for the better, there are many temptations. Like when you intend to quit drinking alcohol, of course this is not easy. In order to further convince you to quit alcohol, it's best to know what changes occur in your body when you stop drinking alcohol.
6 changes in the body when you stop drinking alcohol
1. You will sleep better
A recent study in the journal Alcoholism Clinical Experimental Research found that drinking alcohol before bed increases alpha wave patterns in the brain, which can keep the brain working. As a result, this condition causes certain sleep disorders.
By leaving the habit of drinking alcohol you will have better quality sleep and feel refreshed the next day. Apart from getting better sleep, quitting alcohol will also improve your mood, concentration and mental performance.
But usually because of alcohol dependence, in the early days you stop drinking alcohol you will find it difficult to sleep.
2. Feeling "hungry" for sugar
Alcohol is a drink that contains sugar. This sugar will increase the level of dopamine, a chemical in the brain that triggers pleasure.
So when you stop drinking alcohol, at first the body will tend to be "hungry" for sugary foods. This is caused by stimulation of the brain that makes the brain body like you usually experience. This is what sometimes people are not strong and end up drinking alcohol again.
According to Damon Raskin, MD, a certified doctor in Los Angeles and an expert in addictive drugs, you shouldn't be surprised. Try to counteract this effect by consuming other sugary drinks that do not contain alcohol.
3. Skin is more hydrated
Within a few days you stop drinking alcohol, your skin will look more moisturised and refreshed. This is due to the diuretic effect of alcohol, which makes you urinate continuously, thereby expelling a lot of body fluids.
Now, when you stop drinking alcohol, the fluid levels in the body are more balanced and stable than before. Of course, this affects your health status, including skin health. The skin will look more moisturized and less dry.
4. The liver becomes healthier
Reported on the Telegraph page, Professor Moore said that people who stop their habit of drinking alcohol, especially for heavy drinkers, will be very good for the health of their liver organs.
Even though the liver is actually an organ that can repair itself when damaged, too often drinking alcohol can kill various tissues in it. Every time the liver filters the alcohol that enters the body, some of the liver cells die.
So, by staying away from alcohol, it will certainly maintain the health and function of the liver. Your liver will be more optimal in carrying out its function as a neutralizer of toxins in the body.
5. Gradually ideal body weight
Alcohol may feel light just drinking but drinking alcohol will actually increase your daily calorie intake without you knowing it. For example, one margarita contains about 300 calories or more (most of these calories from sugar).
A study in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that men would consume an additional 433 calories each day from drinking moderate amounts of alcohol. While alcohol is also responsible for increasing a woman's daily calories by 300 calories.
Now when you stop consuming alcohol it means that you will cut 433 and 300 calories in a day, provided you do not replace them with other sugar-rich foods. This way, you will get to your ideal weight fast.
According to Professor Moore, reported on the MD web page, by stopping a person from consuming alcohol, there will be a weight loss of around 1-2 kg without doing special sports or doing a special diet, just by stopping alcohol alone.
6. So eat less
According to a study published in the American Journal of Nutrition, alcohol is one of the biggest triggers for people to overeat. This is thought to be because alcohol is able to reduce a person's consciousness so that he continues to eat even though his stomach is full.
Another study published in the journal Obesity showed that some women who received an alcohol infusion equal to 2 drinks of alcohol experienced an increase in food intake by up to 30 percent more than those who received a saline solution.
Toxins in alcohol increase brain activity in the hypothalamus, this makes the brain more sensitive to food odors and encourages them to eat more.
When you stop drinking alcohol this effect wears off and you tend to eat less without the boost from alcohol.
