It is common knowledge that alcohol is harmful and that giving up alcohol has many benefits. The WHO reiterates this in all its documents, but at The Blue Dolphin Store we do not focus on how bad alcohol consumption is, we rejoice in the great benefits of not drinking alcohol. Giving up alcohol has positive effects on the body and mind. And most importantly, it doesn’t have to be boring or do without your favourite drinks, you can have them in their de-alcoholised version. This is what our non-alcoholic drinks store is for.
If you don’t want to drink a drop of alcohol, we recommend trying 0.0% alcohol drinks.
Benefits of quitting alcohol
The first time you give up drinking alcohol for a while, it is already noticeable. This is known to those who have been encouraged to do a Dry January or a Sober October. These are two very widespread initiatives in the world that generally involve, in addition to a month of abstinence from alcohol, a charitable commitment, such as collaborating with an NGO. We are also familiar with the magical effects of sobriety for those of us who, after summer excesses, decide to sign up for a detox plan.
The physical changes of quitting drinking alcohol include losing weight, improving sleep, improving the appearance of your skin, and more. Here is the detail.
Physical changes when you give up alcohol
Improves overall health
Alcohol consumption worsens health. Alcohol can partially suppress the immune system and weaken the body’s natural defence mechanisms. Some of the benefits of giving up alcohol include boosting the immune system and reducing the risk of autoimmune diseases. Heart and liver diseases such as cirrhosis, hepatitis, stomach cancer and oesophagitis are also reduced. In the case of the liver, for example, when you give up alcohol, it has to process less fat, and therefore it functions better. The liver has a very high regenerative capacity and can regenerate completely from as little as 25% of its size. According to a British study, just four weeks of abstinence could significantly improve liver levels, blood pressure and cholesterol and reduce the risk of developing cancer and diabetes.
Helps weight loss
Giving up alcohol helps you lose weight and keep it off. Why do we lose weight when we stop drinking alcoholic drinks? There are two main reasons: on the one hand, we avoid consuming the calories contained in alcohol. On the other hand, alcohol stimulates other senses, often increasing appetite. It is not for nothing that the word “aperitif” comes from the Latin verb aperire (to open). Originally it was a small drink that “whets” the appetite and prepares the stomach before a meal. Non-alcoholic aperitifs also serve to prepare the stomach, but have far fewer calories.
Promotes restful sleep
Alcohol affects the quality of sleep. Alcohol is a substance that also affects sleep patterns, disrupting circadian sleep-wake rhythms. Quitting drinking helps us to regulate these patterns and by extension, we will have a more restful and less fragmented sleep.
Improves skin appearance
Alcohol dehydrates the skin and makes it look dull. According to several studies, it also causes puffiness and makes the eyes look sunken and dull. Giving up alcohol helps skin hydration, making it look brighter and healthier.
Positive changes in body odour
Alcohol can affect body odour. People who drink a lot of alcohol have a different – stronger – odour emanating from their body. This is because the pores eliminate the toxins in the drink. Quitting drinking alcohol can change body odour and make you smell better, even without using deodorant.
Improved sexual health
Alcohol intake reduces libido in both men and women, according to an article in The American Journal of Psychiatry. For women, alcohol can lead to hormone disruption. In men, alcohol consumption is associated with erectile dysfunction and weak sperm production.
Mental changes when you give up alcohol
There are many mental benefits of quitting alcohol.
Improved mood
Alcohol consumption has a direct impact on mood and can cause depression and anxiety. Quitting alcohol can improve mood and reduce the symptoms of these conditions.
Promotes concentration
Alcohol can impair memory and intellectual functions such as calculation, comprehension and learning. Prolonged alcohol consumption causes acute and chronic brain dysfunction.
Stress reduction
Many people consume alcohol because they see it as a way to cope with stress. However, this is just an illusion. We believe that when we have a drink (with alcohol) we relax and our problems disappear. False, and that is something you realise as soon as you stop drinking alcohol. In reality, the “tranquillity” of the drink is false; alcohol alters the sensations and maximises them; the euphoria you feel with alcohol is very short-lived, it is immediately replaced by a feeling of emptiness, of sadness. Alcohol is a depressant and when you stop drinking, you reduce the risk of depression or anxiety.
Improves interpersonal relationships
Excessive alcohol consumption affects interpersonal relationships, almost always in the worst possible way. Alcohol often makes us moody and irritable. Quitting drinking alcohol can improve communication and strengthen relationships.
Enjoy the benefits of giving up alcohol, switch to non-alcoholic beverages
You can stop drinking alcohol and still enjoy the taste of your favourite drinks. At The Blue Dolphin Store we make it easy. We have plenty of quality alcohol-free drinks, fun and full of flavour to suit all tastes and occasions: non-alcoholic wines, alcohol-free spirits to enjoy the best 0% alcohol cocktails without losing your mind. Not to mention 0.0 beers: there are all kinds of non-alcoholic beers: lager, gluten-free, ale, black, IPA, Radler. You can give up alcohol and still treat yourself… or more than one, because these de-alcoholised drinks have all the flavour but none of the drawbacks of “traditional” alcoholic drinks.
