Your calorie intake will be about 9,000 calories less, leading to a potential drop in weight of about three pounds. While you will still likely have some alcohol cravings, you will probably feel pretty good about quitting alcohol. After two weeks without alcohol, the benefits will start to compound. You will probably be well out of withdrawal and mostly recovered from the ordeal. By this point, you will have had about 6,000 fewer calories than you would have previously during a two-week period. Saving the money you would have spent on alcohol will provide you $300–$400 or more by this second week.

Tips For Avoiding Triggers That Lead To Alcohol Relapse

• This isn’t to say that all of your friends will be threatened, or that all of your friendships will change.
• Engaging in sober activities and hobbies can be an excellent strategy for maintaining long-term sobriety.
• You may experience withdrawal symptoms such as sweating, nausea, and an intense urge to use the substance again.
• We want you to be enthusiastic about sobriety and in order to get there, it’s important to have a realistic start point.
• The early days of sobriety are often the most difficult, as you confront physical withdrawal symptoms, emotional and psychological challenges, cravings, and triggers.

Moreover, staying sober promotes better sleep quality and higher energy levels, allowing you to wake up refreshed and ready to tackle the day. One of the most significant benefits of long-term sobriety is improved physical health. At the beginning of sobriety, I couldn’t imagine that I would ever feel at ease as a person in recovery. It felt like things just kept getting more and more complicated rather than having things start to improve. Like many people who get sober, I had a lot to work through in terms of self-awareness and my relationships. Breaking those things down meant facing some difficult conversations.

Is Sobriety Worth It?

From there, they travel to other parts of your body and affect organ systems, including the cardiovascular, immune, and nervous systems, along the way. No more overflowing recycling bins full of bottles being sober sucks to deal with. It’s nice not to have that weekly reminder of how much you were drinking or to worry about the noise they make. Just a simple, quiet bin, and zero side-eye from the neighbors.

• Sober relationships will be a key factor in your recovery journey.
• Alcohol can cloud judgment and lead to poor decision-making, often putting a strain on personal and professional relationships.
• You can provide an excuse, like that you’re on antibiotics, or you aren’t feeling great or want to feel fresh for something you have going on the next day.
• At this point, all symptoms that are going to happen will be present and will be at their worst.

Best Exercises for Recovery

• Money that was once spent on alcohol can now be redirected towards more rewarding and fulfilling experiences, such as vacations, hobbies, or savings for future goals.
• With new converts boasting increased energy, better sleep and an improvement in reasoning and memory.
• You’re taking the first step towards a healthier and happier future.

In short, not drinking alcohol greatly contributes to happier, healthier organs and body systems. Sober relationships will be a key factor in your recovery journey. They will show you that you do not need to drink to socialize and you do not need to be intoxicated to have fun. At the very least, I thought it was going to be unenjoyable forever. The truth is that life today is so much fuller than it ever was when I was drinking. Being fully present for life and being able to open myself up to the people in my life has provided so many opportunities for growth that I would never have had if I’d still been drinking.

Physical Benefits of Quitting Alcohol

By the first week after stopping alcohol, you will be more hydrated. The effects of being well-hydrated will continue to build, having more positive results as you continue sobriety. In this section, we’ll provide you with practical tips and strategies to help you stay sober and navigate the challenges of recovery.

Establishing systems of accountability, such as regular check-ins with a therapist or sponsor, or using an app to track progress, can also prove invaluable in your journey to sobriety. There are numerous ways to embark on a journey of personal growth and healing. Journaling, meditation, therapy, and engaging in sober activities are all excellent methods to gain insight into your thoughts and feelings and to develop healthier coping strategies. It’s been over six years since I first started seriously questioning my relationship with alcohol and considered a life without it.

Whether you’re an addict or you are simply looking to improve your health, here are 14 reasons sobriety makes your life healthier, more fulfilling, and more fun. Staying sober keeps your brain active and engaged, reducing the symptoms of anxiety and depression, improving mood regulation and emotional resilience, and enhancing your overall mental well being and happiness. A clearer, healthy mind typifies the positive effects of sobriety. Leaving alcohol out of your daily life also contributes to your overall cardiovascular health, and reduces your risk of heart disease. And if that wasn’t enough reason to hit the ground running toward sobriety, enhanced lung function and a decrease in respiratory issues might be.

Better Sleep

• You suddenly may feel as if you’ve been picked up and dropped back into a life that isn’t your own, which is normal.
• It is important to remember that recovery is an ongoing process, and the first year of sobriety will be full of ups and downs.
• When we think of “feeling better” in sobriety, most of us are thinking about feeling better emotionally.
• When you stop drinking, it can also reverse the negative effects alcohol has had on your cognitive functions like problem-solving, memory, and attention.

Science shows choosing to be sober, or avoiding alcohol, has myriad positive impacts on your overall wellbeing at every age. As society begins to adopt the idea that opting for the non-alcoholic beverage over the cocktail is one of the better choices you can make, it’s important to tout the positive effects of sobriety on your health. One of the most notable benefits of sobriety is that you regain that desire and ability to put money away. You also regain that desire and ability to work hard and be accountable at your job.

Your Liver Function Will Begin To Improve