Tell me the benefits of not drinking alcohol

[bucksfizz23]

Another Sunday hungover and I'm really considering giving up drinking altogether. I just feel so tired and mentally flat. I have loads to be getting on with but just can't find the energy or motivation. Woke up with beer fear. Slept terribly as I kept waking up thirsty. It's just a waste of time.

I seem to have fallen into a routine of not drinking on my working days but as soon as I finish for the week which is on a Thursday I drink consistently each night until Monday again. I have to admit I really relish and look forward to sitting down when the dc are in bed and having a drink in front of the telly. It relaxes me and gives me a nice buzz. But my eating and sleeping habits are definitely impacted by it. Last night was our Christmas work party and I definitely over did it more than I would at home.

So if you have given up alcohol together what benefits have you seen mentally and physically? Do the miss having a drink at social occasions or to relax in the evening?

I have not drunk alcohol for many years. I have several favourite non-alcoholic tipples.

When I first stopped I had to keep explaining to people that it made me ill - nowadays I am one of many and it is as much the norm as alcohol.

Without alcohol I have less diarrhoea and fewer headaches.

Clearer skin -no longer grey and puffy.
More energy
better eating habits
Sleeping better
Richer
Thinner
less anxiety
No wasted weekends feeling shit

I dont abstain 100% of the time but I do have sober months etc and dont take things too far nowadays (I know my limits).

On my sober months, I will buy the TRIP drinks (CBD) and pour into a wine glass to chill out in the evenings.

I will be drinking (not too much) in December as I have my annual girls Christmas meet up and my work xmas do,. I will likely not drink xmas day as I am designated driver.

I am planning to do longer in the new year until my birthday which is in April.

The periods of time I dont drink, I feel much more energetic and calmer. My anxiety disappears.

Not drinking lowers your cancer risk considerably. And increases your life span. You will sleep better and have more energy. Alcohol is a poison and your body will thank you for not drinking.

It's hard to say as I haven't drunk alcohol in nearly 20 years so I can't compare it to drinking personally. Here are the NHS benefits though.

More sleep, more money, more time, more energy
better moods, better skin,

I have never said "never" but I very rarely drink now. The main advantage is that my skin is a million times better - much more noticeable than when I stopped smoking actually. And not having that feeling of angst and dread - not only about whatever ridiculous shit I was chatting, but even if I had a couple of drinks at home, my mood would be in bits the next day. Now, I do have the odd drink, but maybe 2 or 3 in the last year.

And I did used to love drinking - I used to love going to the pub, I used to love bottles of wine at home at the weekend, morning cocktails on bank holidays. I never felt I was a problem drinker - never a fighter or a crier. Just used to get daft and loud. Which was grand in my 20's but not how I want to behave now. My teen daughter's would die of cringe!

I only drink in moderation now but when I stopped entirely:

No hangovers - feeling ‘fresh’ after a night out. I’d sometimes wipe out a whole day with a hangover and then feel like I’d wasted it/not done enough when back to work on Monday.

No beer fear anxiety about said night out

Better sleep - you don’t really sleep/rejuvenate in the same way when you’ve bring drinking, so I could sleep 8 hours but it only felt like 4-5

More cash - meeting with friends for drinks and only spending a few quid on soft drinks rather than what they were spending on bottles of wine/spirits. Also more cash from not buying booze to drink at home.

Lost a little weight.

And of course it’s better for your health overall not to drink.

OP I stopped drinking about 9 months ago then gradually started having the occasional glass of wine when I'm out (but often chose to drive now). Last night I was out for dinner and had 4 glasses of wine and have such a headache and feel shit this morning it's totally not worth it for me anymore.

I've lost almost 3 stone since I cut right back and I'm sure a lot of that is due to hardly any alcohol. I feel better, I sleep better and I look better when I don't drink.

I went to uni and did multiple degrees. The standard was drinking at least a few times a week (pub quizzes, clubbing at weekend). Estimated £50 a week.

Secen years of uni, grand total savings ~£15,000

My mum is an alcoholic, I grew up in a terrible cold and lonely home. So not drinking is one huge benefit there but of course you could be cold and lonely without alcohol too.

so for me, in addition to the others, )and some of these are vain)

• you can drive home and leave whenever you want
• better sleep
• Less puffy all round
• feel cleaner inside
• you look better in the photos from the night

I do drink on special occasions or have just one here and there

I haven't stopped drinking completely, but I remember the days of feeling shit with a hangover on weekend mornings. I can't be doing with that anymore. Since I only drink occasionally, my tolerance to alcohol is pretty low, and if I drink more than two glasses of wine or three spirit pub measures, I feel sick.
My weekends consist of getting up early and getting on with stuff or going out. Yesterday, I was up at 5am, this morning, I had a " lie in " till 8.30.
You will feel soooo much better limiting your booze. If I go nights out, I usually take the car because I can't be bothered faffing around for taxis. Its a great excuse not to drink because nobody will insist on " just have a drink" if you are driving "

I haven't touched a drop since January 2017 and honestly it's amazing op. One of the best decisions ever. I feel so healthy and my mind is always clear. I can hand on heart say I will never drink again for the rest of my life, that's his good it feels.

How

I can't drink now because after 7 years without due to pregnancies and breastfeeding I physically cannot tolerate it at all. So I can have a small glass but I'll risk diarrhea shortly after. So safe to say I abstain!

The benefit is a save a ton of calories and money and can be smug when they take a medical overview of how many units I drink per week.

I dont abstain but inprobably only drink a few times a month and I have found 1.5 glasses of wine is my magic number- more and I feel hungover. The hard part is exercising self control when I am having fun and my brain is telling me more alcohol will mean more fun.

It's not about quitting, it's about finding something you like and look forward to instead. An early walk, a fancy tea, what would you spend your alcohol calories or money on instead? Do you ever think, I'm not paying X for bubble bath or that you cant have a decadent hot chocolate because of the calories? To me, those are way better than alcohol.

I must admit I do notice my bowel habits are a lot more unsettled and unpredictable when I've been drinking. Another reason I won't drink on a work night, I don't want that in our tiny workplace toilet

I know id miss my post work drink on a Thursday but after that it just feels like a habit.

I quit for 7 years & so wish I hadn’t started again because I am now classed as morbidly obese. Really trying to cut down & stop again. DH said I was a different person without booze & he wants me back. Watch this space!

Wishing you all success on this @RabbitsRock, you did it before, you can do it again ☕

It's nonsensical really how we continue doing something we know makes us feel bad. Some nights I'm not even that bothered about having a drink but it gets to that time and I do it out of habit. Other nights I really fancy a drink and look forward to it. I don't get out much so it just feels like a way to unwind and treat myself. But it's not really a treat when you stop and consider how shit it makes me feel in other ways.

I feel sharper and more in control when I haven't had a drink (even though the most I ever drink is half a bottle of wine in an evening), and I've always experienced a sort of anxiety about what I've said or done the next day after a couple (and I do mean literally a couple) of drinks. For that reason, I now don't drink at all and, though I'm not actually any thinner, richer etc, I enjoy nights out and the following days much more.

Drinking tonight just fuels tomorrow’s anxiety - that’s the rationale that made me stop..!

I had fallen into the trap of drinking in the evenings after work to kind of ‘reset’, mental health was horrific at the time, anxiety always at 1 million out of 10 etc, pretty standard story.

i gave up, think I’m at 9 hundred and something days alcohol free now, and my god I feel like a different person.

Richer, thinner, my eyes are brighter, my mental health has NEVER been better, my anxiety has gone from 10/10 to like a 1 consistently- even if something were to happen I just feel calmer and able to deal with things better, intrusive thoughts have stopped, improved taste, bowels are better, skin is clearer, sleep is better, no beer fear!, and a renewed motivation and interest in things - that had gone away while drinking.

I love AF gins and some AF red wines (red wine was my thing), so having a glass or two in the evening still does the job for me and feels like a treat or ‘an unwind’

Do it, it’s the best thing you could do for yourself, both physically and mentally.

Best thing I’ve ever done, bye bye to alcohol and cigs on the same day, didn’t think I would last - few days, let alone over 900!

Do it! Do it! ❤️

I haven't had a drink for 18 months nearly. I've lost 2 stone, have more money, feel better and I'm really proud of myself. It's worth it.

Sleep, money, weight, fitness, less fatigued, clearer mental space and better self control.