10 Benefits of quitting alcohol

One small step for myself, one giant leap for my life

On the 1st January 2023 I decided to make a 'radical' change.

After my wild student phase and the rowdy early professional years that followed, I decided I would stop drinking alcohol.

Cold turkey.

The original goal was to go 1 full year without drinking and I have to admit that this challenge seemed very ambitious. Considering that I had been enjoying the occasional drink (and the occasional blowout) since I was in my late teens.

What happened next quite surprised me.

The longer I went without it, the more I started to enjoy my newfound alcohol-free existence. I did start to get slightly frustrated by the frequent question of 'why I stopped drinking', but quickly adapted by asking people why they DO drink.

One year flew by and I had realised one thing: I wanted to keep this habit up and I was curious to see if I could just quit drinking on a permanent basis.

Currently, I am 2 years and 9 months into my journey and I believe I have discovered why I have been able to keep this up for so long: the advantages of not drinking are just too good!

I am not the type to keep this valuable information to myself, so without further ado, here are 10 benefits I have experienced since I stopped drinking alcohol.

(1) I don't have to suffer through hangovers anymore

This cycle may sound familiar to some people.

You drink too much on a night out -> you feel terrible the next day and regret the fact that you went large -> you tell yourself you will never drink again -> you end up doing the same thing the following weekend.

Why do we do this to ourselves?

This is one of the biggest reasons that I am still not drinking at present. There is nothing better than waking up on a Saturday and Sunday and feeling refreshed and ready to attack a new week.

Feelings of anxiety and dehydration have been replaced by feelings of restfulness and clear mindedness.

(2) My sleep has improved immeasurably

Going out for drinks usually involved very late nights and thus an interruption of my typical sleep schedule.

From Mondays to Thursdays I would usually be in bed before 11pm and on Fridays and Saturdays, I could sometimes be up until 3am or 4am in the morning (if not later).

I felt so refreshed after these nights out!

Said no one ever

Furthermore, drinking alcohol also seemed to ruin my sleep quality, as some nights I would sleep for 9-10 hours and still feel tired.

Nowadays, I sleep like a baby and I would not have it any other way.

(3) I started being more productive at work

Sometimes, after having had a bit of a 'rough' weekend, my brain would need a couple of days to recover. Mondays were usually a write off and Tuesdays would usually bring me back up to 75% of my capabilities.

Not sleeping enough and dehydrating your brain reduces your productivity?

Who would have thought it?

Mondays feel completely different for me now. No more brain fog, no more exhaustion, and no more productivity related frustration.

(4) I started to save a lot more money

Nights out can be expensive.

REALLY expensive.

Imagine spending 100 euros on a night out that you can only partially remember and the results of which leave you feeling terrible the day after.

Does not sound like a particularly good investment does it?

The money that I have saved on nights out has started to go to things that actually have a lot of value:

• Exotic holidays

• Savings for buying a house

• Concerts

• ...

(5) I don't say things I don't mean anymore

It's a frequently recurring theme: two people arguing with each other after having one too many drinks.

Nothing wrong with a polite disagreement obviously, but when you consume alcohol, the civilised version of yourself can tend to disappear.

Unfriendly things are said in the heat of the moment and before you know it, you have made your best friend or your girlfriend really angry.

Then the day after you wake up with a feeling of dread and the knowledge that you will have to repair some of the damage from the night before.

(6) I don't do things that I will regret the day after

Not only do you say some ridiculous things when you are drunk, but sometimes you also do unthinkably dumb things when inebriated.

Starting fights with strangers, injuring yourself because of a fall, and breaking glasses are just some of the things that happen to people who have that one drink too many.

Getting drunk carries a lot of risks and there have been so many instances of people who have gotten themselves into all kinds of terrible circumstances, because of being drunk.

Being sober does NOT mean you are boring. It just means you do more sensible things with your evenings.

(7) I completely changed my diet

Sometimes, bad habits reinforce other bad habits and this is definitely the case with drinking alcohol.

When you have consumed quite a few drinks, you usually start to get cravings during your night out.

Do these cravings usually involve a desire to eat a healthy salad?

Not really.

Kebabs, McDonalds, Burger King, and other types of fast food tend to be the most popular options.

Then the day after, you feel so terrible that you don't feel like cooking food for yourself. End result? You end up ordering food.

If you want to have a healthy diet, you might want to stop drinking.

(8) I lost a significant amount of weight

In the previous chapter I mentioned the impact that drinking alcohol can have on your diet. However, this is only one part of the story.

Depending on what type of drink you are consuming, alcoholic drinks can be quite calorific. One pint of beer can contain between 210 - 280 calories, which is the equivalent of a protein bar.

If you have 5 pints, it is like having a substantial meal.

Let that sink in.

Imagine you have already had a breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Having 5 pints of beer would be like having a second dinner.

No wonder people start shedding weight after cutting out drinking from their lives.

(9) Working out and doing sport became more important to me

What's one thing that you don't like doing when you are feeling incredibly tired?

Yes, working out.

As was mentioned previously, drinking can have an impact on other habits that you are trying to build or remove.

If you have low energy levels, you don't feel like working out and this starts to become a vicious circle. Working out can give you energy, but if you don't do it, you will feel too tired to work out.

Ever since I have quit drinking, I feel energetic and I am currently in the best shape of my life. Without drinking holding you back, the potential for getting in shape is limitless.

(10) I prioritise things that are important

In the 2 years and 9 months that I have not had a drink, I started to realise something: I am much more critical about how I spend my time.

I used to go to nightclubs and be stuck in a hot, sweaty, cramped space listening to music that I did not even like. Sounds like a great time, right?

Back then, I would drink more to make the night seem more 'enjoyable'. Not a particularly good way to live your life, if you ask me.

At present, I will only do things that are a 'hell yeah' for me. If things don't excite me or make me feel enthusiastic, I will not do them. Simple as.

Still not convinced?

Ok ok, I know this article comes across as slightly preachy.

If you cannot relate to any of the information above, then maybe this article is not for you.

I don't think everybody should go 'cold turkey' tomorrow, even though I do think it would be a good thing for people in relation to their health, but I would like to encourage you to have a think about how alcohol is affecting your life.

Try and stop for a while and see how you feel.

Many people believe it will have a major impact on their social life and to a certain extent it does. However, your best friends will understand why you may want to pursue this action.

And if they don't, they are probably not really your 'best friends'.

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