When did you start noticing positive changes after you stopped?

[confusedttraveller]

I used to drink at least 2 large glasses of wine a night and then a whole bottle Fri, Sat, Sun. I decided this had to stop and have managed to go completely booze free for two weeks.

I just wanted to know how long it might be before I might see positive changes? If indeed they happen? Eg skin looking better, losing weight, sleeping better, better hair?

Do these things happen and if they do then how long do they take to happen?

Thanks

I think it was around 3 months when I looked in the mirror and thought ‘wow, my skin looks great today’. It was probably around the same time sleep really started improving too.

I was already logging and tracking calories in My Fitness Pal as I had been trying to reduce weight. However, when stopping alcohol I found I craved chocolate and sweets so I was simply replacing my alcohol calories with chocolate calories. I was happy enough with that as I just wanted to get a grip of stopping drinking and decided I would deal with the sugar issue another time. I have done and have lost the weight but replacing the sugar in alcohol with other sugars is quite common when going AF I believe.

I think the immediate benefit is no longer waking up at 3am,, dry and gasping for a drink, or tossing and turning all night not having a restful nights sleep, spending the day unable to get off the sofa and do something productive because of feeling ropey etc etc. I’ve also been able to buy things I would have been too skint to save up for before but, now I’m not spending ££ every week in the off-licence, I’m a lot better off financially.

If you get the Drink free days app it actually totals up how much you have saved by not drinking. It’s an eye opener!

Congratulations on 2 weeks AF

Well done 2 weeks is great. I think it's variable but I noticed a reduction in stomach and face bloating at about 3 weeks. This really spurred me on. Sleep started to improve around this time but again was variable. I am just over 3 months now and am having the best sleep, I fall asleep easily, and when I wake I have energy and want to get up and going.

Loads and loads of benefits, as the op described I think you get to three months and can see so many improvements.

It took 3 weeks to notice a slight improvement in my skin, but this was along with healthy eating as well.

I am about 3 weeks in and haven't noticed much in the way of feeling better. I am anxious and evenings are hard which is why I started drinking as it numbed it a bit. Obviously it's a bad spiral as the alcohol makes it worse the next day so I drink again. I was hoping not drinking would get rid of the anxiety but it hasn't really which is a shame. I do like having more money and I feel it's a good decision to stop drinking.

@Weepingwillows12 have you tried looking at diet to help with anxiety? Some foods are more helpful then others, such as whole grains, veggies and fruits, healthy fats. Exercise and meditation might help as well. I have health anxiety, so I know how you feel. I try to do calming things if I am feeling anxious, which usually helps like having a cup of ginger tea or ice water.

Thanks. I am generally in control of it. Just don't like evenings. Not drinking does make feel better about myself though.

@Weepingwillows12
i can relate 100% to your post. 3 weeks AF too