Unexpected benefits of taking a break from drinking

When I took a break from drinking I wanted to sleep better, no longer wake up with a hangover and never have hazy memories of what I said or did the night before!

What I didn’t factor in were all the unexpected benefits of not consuming alcohol. It seems that your body and mind reward you for not pouring toxins into yourself – who knew?!

Some of the unexpected benefits for me included

• Enjoying social occasions more (I thought it would be the opposite but it’s actually better socialising sober)
• Having much more energy
• Feeling more content
• Eating healthier – while I generally had a healthy diet, when I was drinking or recovering from a night of drinking my food choices were less than ideal
• Having much more time to do things I enjoy
• Clearer eyes and reduced under-eye dark circles

I reached out to others who have taken a break from drinking to ask what unexpected benefits they had seen.

Here’s what they had to say

“Opening up really interesting/honest conversations around alcohol use culturally in Australia. There are so many reasons people don’t drink, it is fascinating to find out why.”

“I can be relied on. I’m currently looking after my nine-month-old granddaughter and there is no question to be had regarding the care I give her and how I can be trusted 100%.”

“I was worried I wouldn’t have some aspects of my personality when I stopped drinking, I wouldn’t dance as freely or have interesting and meaningful conversations without alcohol as a relaxant. I discovered I had those same elements but without drinking I was more respectful and had better conversations.”

“Being present and alert to enjoy life rather than looking at life through grog goggles.”

Other benefits people shared were

• Money saved can be spent on doing new and interesting things
• No longer worrying if you have enough of your favourite tipple in the house
• Clearer skin
• Discovering new hobbies and enjoying more experiences
• Making new friends who have interests besides going out and drinking

Often when people are considering taking a break from drinking they worry about all the things they may miss out on.

However, when you consider all that you’ll gain – and the list above contains just some of the highlights of a much longer list – no wonder so many people describe ditching booze as a game-changing decision.

If you want to take back control of your drinking and experience some of these benefits, you can contact me for an obligation-free chat about how you can reset your relationship with drinking.