Leaving the beer alone might see you feeling better rested and less fatigued during the day.
Giving up alcohol can see you living your healthiest life in just a few months’ time.
It’s summertime and that means an abundance of pool parties, Fourth of July shindigs, and good times spent in the sun.
Very often, these celebrations come hand-in-hand with alcoholic beverages. Unfortunately, our drinking habits can have long lasting effects on our health and happiness.
Looking to challenge yourself this summer? Consider taking a pledge to eliminate or limit your alcohol intake these summer months.
Check out the following benefits and make a positive change this summer season:
1. Decreased tolerance
We’ve all been there: One wine glass makes us loopy and happy until it doesn’t, and we find ourselves needing another glass, then yet another to reach that same happy buzz.
A higher tolerance for alcohol can lend itself to drinking in excess, which can lead to weight gain, liver issues, and dependency.
Abstaining from alcohol for even a month at a time can lower your tolerance once again, helping you push back the amount of drinks you need before feeling the effects of your libation of choice.
2. Your liver gets a break
You’ve likely heard the jests that your liver could use a break after a night out on the town. Lee Davy, life coach and poker pro, shows that this liver-centric joke has some validity.
Davy explains that the “liver has tremendous difficulty breaking down alcohol. It produces oxidative stress. Cell damage occurs, and this leads to inflammation, and in severe cases cirrhosis of the liver. Alcohol also plays havoc with our intestines.”
Our livers are responsible for filtering out the toxins we take in every day, whether that be through food or drink. As noted, our liver is ill-equipped to handle the filtration of copious amounts of alcohol, and even a drink or two on a regular basis can have a long-lasting effect on the liver’s ability to filter and destroy the toxins in the body.
Cutting out alcohol will give your liver a much needed break and help return it to proper function.
3. Better sleep
Sometimes it seems like a glass of wine or a nightcap cocktail can help us dream easier, but alcohol actually interferes with our sleep schedule.
Maia Szalavitz, neuroscience journalist for TIME.com, highlights the detrimental effects of alcohol on our slumber, explaining: “Drinking has long been known to reduce REM sleep, the deepest sleep stage in which most dreams occur and during which memories are likely stored and learning occurs.”
When relying on alcohol to get sleep, you’ll find that you simply can’t consolidate your rest with the help of this depressant. It can actually interrupt deep sleep, cause fitful rest, and lead to insomnia.
Leaving the beer alone might see you feeling better rested and less fatigued during the day.
4. Skin benefits
Let’s not forget the outward physical effects alcohol can take — namely, the skin.
Alcohol dehydrates you, which can suck all the fluid out of the skin. This can cause more wrinkles and a ruddy appearance.
Alcohol is an inflammatory liquid, meaning it can inflame the tissue and create flushing, red skin. If you drink over a long period of time, you might find your face is consistently red with no solution in sight.
Luckily, if you don’t have years of consistent drinking (that’s two drinks or more per day) under your belt, your skin can bounce back and return to its natural luster.
5. Fewer empty calories means more room for nutrition
Alcoholic beverages are filled with empty calories. A pilsner can have 145 calories; say you have three beers when you head to that pool party — that’s over 400 calories that provide little-to-no nutrition.
This excess of calorie intake can have an impact on your weight, which can affect every aspect of health.
Giving up alcohol can see you living your healthiest life in just a few months’ time.
If you’re looking for a way to live healthy and happy this summer, consider leaving the alcohol alone. You’ll be amazed at how much better your body feels, and get to bask in the glow of all of these benefits.
