Consuming less alcohol could be one of the smartest things you could do for your well-being. But it’s always easier said than done because once you’ve developed a habit of drinking, it’s hard to stay away from it.
Fortunately, there is a plethora of information available online, like ED Latimore’s informative post and others like it, to assist you in that area. Knowing about the benefits of drinking less could help you decide about your alcohol consumption.
If you plan to start drinking less, here are some advantages that you could reap from it:
1. Improved Mood
Excessive alcohol disrupts natural brain processes, which can leave you vulnerable to depression. Drinking can induce anxiety as well. Lowering your alcohol consumption could allow you to experience life more fully.
When you start to break away from drinking alcohol, you are likely to find that your attitude may change and that you will possibly feel more optimistic in general. Since you won’t be feeling the usual side effects of excessive alcohol consumption or hangover, your mood may improve.
2. Improved Liver Functionality
The liver is responsible for several vital functions of your body. Alcohol-induced liver diseases, such as cirrhosis, may develop over time in people who consume large amounts of alcohol. On the other hand, these diseases are manageable and could be improved by avoiding alcohol use.
Cutting back on alcohol consumption allows the liver to concentrate on certain functions rather than operating overtime to filter alcohol. Since the liver is a resilient organ, significant impacts could be seen after only a few weeks of withdrawing from alcohol.
3. Better Brain Function
Excessive alcohol intake could affect your brain and raise your chances of dementia. Research found that alcohol could also affect the frontal lobes of the brain. This part is responsible for the following functions:
- Motor function
- Problem-solving
- Memory
- Language
- Judgment
- Impulse control
- Social and sexual behavior
This could be the reason why people under the influence of alcohol act differently than normal. Alcohol not only has a short-term effect on the brain, but it may also contribute to extensive neurological deterioration.
On the positive side, reduced alcohol intake could boost brain performance and contribute to greater attention and concentration.
4. Healthy Digestive System
Consuming alcohol also has a negative effect on the digestive system. Overproduction of gastric acid caused by alcohol could disturb the normal functions of the stomach. This may result in gastrointestinal ulcers. Alcohol consumption could also induce diarrhea and cause the body to lose fluids.
Many of the health problems associated with alcohol do not manifest themselves until later in life. Reducing your alcohol intake today could significantly decrease the risk of negative health conditions.
5. Better Immunity
Are you prone to catching a cold? Your regular alcohol intake may be the culprit. A single incident of excessive drinking could cause a strain on your immune system and induce inflammation.
Though mild to moderate consumption wouldn’t put you at significant risk, you can lessen and beat inflammation if you don’t drink excessively. As a result, your immune response could be improved significantly.
6. Improved Sleep and More Energy
Alcohol consumption also affects sleep quality. It lowers the supply of melatonin, a hormone that induces sleep. On the other hand, it increases the chemical adenosine which influences sleep control.
Though alcohol may appear to make you feel sleepy, it simply keeps you from falling into a deep, restful sleep. If you routinely consume alcohol to make you sleep, it could take several days for your system to transition to a natural sleep pattern without drinking.
Lessening your alcohol intake could help enhance your quality of sleep and make you feel more relaxed. Better yet, you might wake up and feel revitalized and ready to tackle the day ahead. This could help you concentrate, remember things, and be more effective during your daily tasks.
7. Better Hydration
The human body is fully reliant on water. It’s important for circulation, body temperature control, and waste elimination. Alcohol is a diuretic, which means it speeds up the process by which the body excretes water by urine. As a result, the kidneys generate more urine and maintain less water.
If you lessen your alcohol consumption, the antidiuretic hormone levels return to normal. So, your kidneys would release enough amount of urine. Your entire body will feel healthier if you can preserve fluids and remain hydrated.
8. Healthier Appearance
Cutting down on alcohol could support you in keeping a healthier weight. For instance, the average bottle of wine contains 30 grams of sugar. That’s eight spoonsful of sugar in a single serving!
Alcohol is also high in empty calories, which means it’s high in energy but low in nutritional value. Limiting your alcohol drinking could be one of the simplest ways of reducing your calorie consumption.
Another benefit of consuming less alcohol is that it could enhance your skin. Dehydration caused by alcohol could result in the following noticeable symptoms:
- Dry and wrinkled skin
- Swollen lips
- Eczema
- Bloodshot eyes
According to a study, alcohol could also cause rosacea or facial flushing. The same study also noted that facial flushing in reaction to alcohol is linked to a greater risk of developing cancer in men from East Asia.
9. Improved Sexual Functions
The quality of your organ systems could be significantly decreased by drinking alcohol. While alcohol may enhance sexual desire, it also affects the function of your reproductive organs. Curbing alcohol consumption could enhance a person’s sex life substantially.
10. Better Dental Health
The second leading cause of tooth decay and oral sores is alcohol. Reduced alcohol intake could aid in the prevention of dental problems.
11. Saves You Money
Other than health benefits, cutting back on alcoholic drinks could also be good for your bank account. People sometimes neglect to realize the amount of money they spend on alcohol.
Calculate the amount you pay on alcohol in a typical week. Then, multiply it by the number of weeks you drink in a year to get the annual overall expenses. Think how much money you could be saving in the long run.
Bottoms Up
Now is the time to make adjustments that could protect your health and wallet. Drinking less alcohol could benefit you significantly. Though you may not see any of the advantages immediately, you could be improving your health and overall well-being for the future.
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