Personal Transformation: Six Benefits Of An Alcohol-Free Lifestyle
Over the last few years, there has been an uptick in healthier lifestyle and wellness trends which have translated into taking a more holistic approach towards overall fitness and health. This has meant reaching for more home cooked food, opting for organic and seasonal produce and focusing on a stress-free mode of life. For many, this personal transformation journey—be it anything from reducing fat to gaining muscle to developing a better sleep routine or building a stress-free mental state – has translated into reducing the intake of alcoholic beverages and going absolutely spirit-free towards a more conscious way of living.
This alcohol-free lifestyle is fast becoming a calculated decision for many who have been in the habit of partying hard or for those who want to consume calories in moderation. While drinking sparingly might be quite alright, many are choosing ‘no alcohol’ as their mantra not only for self-development but also to completely change the way they go about their everyday lives. The reasons for quitting alcohol can be many, as are the benefits of going without booze.
Read on below to know more about some of the benefits of an alcohol-free lifestyle:
Better Beauty Sleep
Reducing or quitting alcohol consumption can become a healthier approach to life for many reasons, one of the best ones being quality sleep. The body works on repairing muscle wear and tear at night and a perfect REM sleep cycle also helps the brain’s neurons to function better. When we consume alcohol in the evening, our sleep cycle gets affected because although alcohol might make us feel drowsy, it does little to boost deep sleep which is required for relaxation and rebooting the body. An alcohol-free lifestyle can promote quality sleep when it is coupled by meditation or other sleep techniques.
Better Immunity
If you exercise frequently or run a lot, you might know that physical activity coupled with a balanced diet helps to increase immunity. But our regularity in going outdoors or hitting the gym is disrupted when we consume too much alcohol. As the body is pushed into a recovery mode to cure a hangover, we feel lethargic and end up refusing to take the effort required to combat inflammation and keep infections at bay. So, as a journey towards personal transformation, many choose to quit alcohol in a bid to make the body healthier and stronger.
Reduces Intake Of Empty Calories
Alcohol does little in the way of providing the body with healthy calories. In fact, consuming cocktails rich in sugar, cream or milk might instead increase calorie count, in a non-healthy fashion. While many choose to drink whisky neat or on a bed of ice to reduce calorie intake, others opt to go completely without alcohol so they can reduce the intake of calories that are only going to add to fat stores in the body without boosting overall health.
Better Mental Health
Many researches have indicated that alcohol consumption is directly related to mental health. In winters, many people end up drinking more to warm themselves leading to a drowsier and duller state of mind. Sometimes, this can have serious implications like depression and anxiety. A personal transformation towards holistic living pays close attention to a healthier state of mind and abstaining from drinking can then contribute to emotion regulation, reduced mood swings and lower risk of paranoia.
Improved Liver Function
This one is a no brainer. Alcohol is processed by the liver so we all know the kind of impact excessive drinking might have on this organ. For many who are moving towards a healthier lifestyle, going alcohol-free is an attempt to maintain liver health. However, this also has to be accompanied by reduced intake of oily or excessively fatty foods for the full effect.
Being Hydrated
Alcohol is a diuretic which means that it drains the body of water and of essential electrolytes. Reducing excessive drinking or embracing a no-alcohol life means the body does not have to combat dehydration induced by a night of heavy partying. As with all other healthy living practices, quitting alcohol has to be paired with monitoring overall water intake to make the most of going without booze.
