What happens when you stop or reduce drinking? A timeline of benefits.
We often hear about the risks of alcohol, from poor sleep to increased disease risk, but what positive changes happen when we stop? Whether you're taking a break or cutting back, your body and mind begin to thank you almost immediately.
In our latest piece published in The Conversation, we’ve unpacked what happens when you stop drinking, week by week, month by month. Here's a taste of the timeline:
After a few days
Hydration improves, and your body starts to rebalance. You may feel a bit foggy at first, especially if you've been drinking heavily, but things begin to settle.
After 1 week
Many people notice better sleep, fewer night wakings and more energy. Your liver starts to recover, and mental clarity improves. Anxiety may begin to lift.
After 2–4 weeks
Your blood pressure stabilizes, skin appears healthier, and your liver fat starts to decrease. You may also start to notice subtle shifts in your mood and overall wellbeing.
After 3–6 months
Big gains in heart health, immune function and blood sugar control start to show. Inflammation reduces and your memory may improve significantly.
After a year or more
The risk of serious conditions like heart disease, stroke and alcohol-related cancers drops dramatically. Financial stability and life satisfaction often improve too.
The benefits are different for everyone, depending on your starting point and how much you were drinking. But one thing is clear… there are gains to be made at every stage!
Make sure to also check out the interactive timeline included in the Conversation piece to see the benefits of stopping over time.
Ready to explore what a break might look like for you? Whether it’s a week, a month or more, every step makes a difference.
👉 Read the full timeline in our new article on The Conversation written by our CEO Prof Nicole Lee and Research and Evaluation Manager Dr Katinka van de Ven.
In the meantime, if you’re thinking about changing your relationship with alcohol, our free services like Drink Tracker, My Drink Check or the Daybreak app can help support your goals.
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I was a binge drinker for 50 years, one drink was too many and 20 wasn’t enough. However I still managed to live a normal life, brought up three children, organised a big move to Australia for the whole family when I was forty and had a successful career.
Behind closed doors however my life was a mess. Everything we did was done with alcohol. The more I drank the more I needed.
My husband was also a big drinker, difference being with him, he could stop after one, no problem.
Alcohol however caused so many arguments which at times could get nasty.
My husband’s way of helping me was to lock all the alcohol away and I could only drink when he said I could. Of course that was a recipe for disaster. I would buy alcohol on my way home from work and down it as fast as I could knowing the drinks fridge and cabinet would be locked when I got home, I would hide full bottles everywhere so I always had access to my own stash.
My husband begged me to stop, I just couldn’t. I eventually decided aged 68, the time had come to stop or I was going to kill myself or more importantly someone else on the road. I used self hypnotherapy and for some reason it worked straight away and I had no withdrawals, this was three and a half years ago and I am still ‘dry’.
During this time my husband still continued to drink alcohol four nights a week at home and once a month we would meet up with friends and go on a pub crawl, this still happens to this day. None of them understand when I say I don’t mind two drinks in the pub but a whole 6 – 8 hours is boring. No one ever suggests a night out that doesn’t involve alcohol and my husband still drinks at home four nights a week. My husband promised if I stopped drinking the arguments would stop, would you believe they are ten times worse. I sometimes think “if you can’t beat them, join them”. Luckily I realise if I started drinking again my husband would be back in control.
Do I feel better not drinking? Physically I do. Mentally I don’t. I still can’t sleep at night.
So if you decide to give up drinking make sure you have the support of your nearest and dearest, unfortunately I went it alone.