Those partaking in Dry January have hit the halfway mark. Some people may already feel different after being alcohol free over the past two weeks, but what benefits does Science say our body and mind should feel without drinking?
According to the European Medical Students' Association, alcohol, even in small amounts, is a depressant and regular consumption of it “changes the chemistry of our brain by decreasing the levels of serotonin — a key chemical in depression.”
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"As a result of this depletion, a cyclical process begins where one drinks to relieve depression, which causes serotonin levels in the brain to be depleted, leading to one feeling even more depressed, and thus necessitating even more alcohol consumption to medicate this depression,” it states.
This can then lead to various swings throughout the week. Without drinking in January, these feelings of highs and lows might stabilise as the levels of serotonin begin to increase again.
Generally, the more alcohol you drink you spend less time in the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) stage of sleep than those who drink lightly or moderately.
REM sleep is extremely important as it’s where the body repairs tissues, builds muscle and most importantly, develops the brain to become healthier.
Having less REM sleep will cause you to become less creative and less reactive.
Research from the University of Sussex shows that those who took part in Dry January 71% said they slept better and 67% had more energy.
The research, led by Sussex psychologist Dr Richard de Visser, was conducted with over 800 people who took part in Dry January in 2018.
Over 75% said they'd learned about their motivations for over-drinking, and 80% said they felt more in control of it.
When the participants were re-interviewed in August 2018, average drinking days had fallen from 4.3 to 3.3 per week, and the frequency of being drunk had dropped from 3.4 days per month to 2.1 days.
The participants also drank less overall six months afterwards, drinking 7.1 units on average on their drinking days, down from 8.6 units.
Overall, science says both physically and neurologically, there is an endless list of benefits when abstaining from drink for a lengthy period of time.
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