10 Surprising Benefits of Going Alcohol-Free

At the beginning of my self-development journey, I really didn’t know where to start. I was basically throwing spaghetti at the wall just to see what stuck. But one of the first changes I tried was cutting alcohol out completely, not even a sip, for 75 days. The number of benefits this decision brought surprised me.

I knew intuitively that a period of sobriety would benefit my personal growth, but I didn’t know exactly how. Since I wouldn’t have considered myself a “big drinker” before giving it up, I was shocked by how drastically different I felt at the end of 10 weeks. (I was also shocked by how much my perspective changed about what it means to be a big drinker—maybe I had been one after all?)

It’s amazing how much 75 consecutive days of sobriety changed my life and fueled my self-development. If you’re sober-curious or considering cutting out alcohol as part of your personal development journey, I hope you go for it and enjoy these 10 surprising benefits as much as I did!

1. Less Anxiety

I had no idea before completely cutting out alcohol how much my drinking contributed to my anxiety. I knew that I often felt more anxious the morning after overindulging, but I always assumed it was just because I’d actually embarrassed myself the previous night and deserved to feel ashamed and anxious.

NO.

It turns out that not only was my anxiety after a night of drinking unwarranted, but my anxiety throughout the week was much worse due to weekend binges as well. Even now that I am back to drinking occasionally, I feel a massive difference in my levels of anxiety for DAYS after even just a couple glasses of wine.

(Related: The Best Morning Routine for Anxiety and Panic Attacks)

2. Less Erratic Emotions

This goes hand in hand with the lower levels of anxiety, but cutting out drinking made my mood become much more stable. I found that not only did my mood naturally remain more even, but I was also able to objectively look at my emotions with a clear head and make better decisions about how to react to things.

Having less erratic emotions throughout the days and weeks was invaluable to my mental health, my relationships, and my self-worth. Overall, a very big needle-mover in my self-development.

3. Healthier Skin

It turns out that drinking alcohol makes us dehydrated. (Duh, I know.) What I didn’t realize was the long list of effects that dehydration had on my body and my appearance.

Skin companies are always flaunting models with these glowy, dewy, incredibly hydrated complexions, right? Well it’s tough to achieve that level of dew if you’re constantly dehydrated! 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. So I’m certainly not shaming you or me or anyone else for not being better about our hydration.

However, when I cut out alcohol for 10 weeks, I saw an obvious improvement in my complexion. I was less puffy, more glowy, and never had weird blood vessels appear out of nowhere on my cheeks.

10/10 highly recommend sobriety as a skincare routine.

4. Better Digestion

This is one example of a benefit I didn’t know I needed until I had it. Alcohol irritates the digestive system and can affect how our bodies absorb fluids. Because of that, when we drink, our bowel movements get thrown off! I spent a lot of my young adult life having irregular bowel movements—sometimes diarrhea, sometimes constipation—not knowing that there was anything strange about that.

When I cut out alcohol, I suddenly became very regular. Again, I didn’t know this was a change I wanted in my life until I had it. But now, I can confidently say that having better digestion and more regular bowel movements is something I treasure.

5. Firmer Personal Boundaries

Facts are facts and one fact about drinking is that we like it because it “takes the edge off.” Off of what? you my may ask. In the moment, alcohol can dull the sting of awkwardness, inappropriate-ness, rudeness, manipulation, violence, degradation and many, many other ugly interactions.

However, just because we don’t feel the pang of these crossed boundaries in the moment, the damage is done just the same. We still lose self-respect and respect for others when we allow our boundaries to be crossed under the influence of alcohol. When the edge is never taken off, it’s much easier to stay in control and create firmer personal boundaries, demand the respect you know you deserve, and protect your dignity so you can be proud of the way you show up in the world.

The improved personal boundaries that can result are a huge benefit of cutting out alcohol.

6. Changed Friendships (for the better)

At the time that I discovered it, this benefit felt bitter-sweet. It was a painful realization in my personal development that some of my friendships survived entirely on alcohol-fueled nights. Some of my closest friends felt awkward about my choice to cut out alcohol which resulted in them attempting to guilt me into it and when that didn’t work, in us drifting apart.

I know it’s a cliché to say “you’ll find out who your friends are,” but in this case it’s a cliché because it’s true. One of the unexpected benefits when you cut out alcohol for an extended period is that some people will choose to leave, and it may not be a graceful exit. Others will choose to stay, but you’ll have to redefine your friendship and find shared interests outside of drinking. Either way, it’s a good thing and you’ll come out with better friendships.

You don’t need friendships that can’t survive just because you’re sober—trust me.

7. Better Sleep

If this were the only benefit I’d found from my 10 weeks of sobriety, it would have been worth it. Before I cut out alcohol, I wouldn’t have said that I was a “bad sleeper.” I fell asleep easily enough and didn’t have bad dreams or insomnia, but I was still always tired.

Now that I’m back to drinking occasionally again, it’s so easy for me to pinpoint the difference in my quality of sleep when I’ve had alcohol vs when I haven’t. During my 10 weeks of sobriety I fell asleep at a consistent bedtime, slept through the night, and woke up feeling refreshed early in the morning. I know, revolutionary stuff, right? But let me tell you, when you begin to sleep well and stop sleepwalking through life, life is different.

8. More Energy

Perhaps gaining energy is not the most “surprising” benefit from cutting out alcohol. However, it’s such positive change that I think it warrants mentioning.

I’m sure this benefit goes along with No 7: Better Sleep. When I cut out drinking and was hangover-free for 75 days, I became annoyingly energetic. I suddenly had the physical and mental energy to get all sorts of things done and make big plans for the future.

If you’re interested in self-development, I highly recommend starting with changes that up your energy levels. It’s hard to focus on self-growth when you’re exhausted all the time! By cutting out drinking you’ll find more energy to do the things you’ve always wanted to do with your days.

(Relate: Get More Energy From Your Diet (Download free E-Book)

9. Improved Memory

By the age of about 24, I started to notice a steep decline in my memory. When I was younger I always prided myself on having an excellent memory. But somewhere along the way I started hearing stories about things I’d done that I simply didn’t remember. Plus, I couldn’t recall names or faces or whether I’d already told someone a particular story anymore.

When I cut out alcohol for 75 days, my memory improved drastically.  Not only was I not creating more gaps in my memory by avoiding blackouts, but older memories started coming back more easily and short-term information started to stick again. Processing alcohol is a lot of work for our brains and when we take that burden off the table, you’ll be amazed how much processing power returns for other things.

Recovering my memory has been a huge win in my personal development and continues to be something I’m proud of.

10. Pride in my Commitment

Last but not least, I was surprised by how dang proud I felt at the end of 10 weeks sober. It was a long time and it took intentional decision every day. I turned down happy hour invitations, ordered soda waters, passed up glasses of wine, and found new ways to self-soothe. Despite the challenge, I can confidently say the most powerful benefit I found from 10 weeks without drinking was the pride I felt in my commitment.

My self-development will continue until the day I die, but I attribute my momentum to cutting out alchohol for awhile. That decision taught me I can do hard things and change the way my life looks and feels with my choices.

If you’re sober-curious and decide to take a break from drinking, I’d love to hear what surprising benefits of cutting out alcohol you find. Feel free to add them to the list that so far includes: less anxiety, less erratic emotions, healthier skin, better digestion, better personal boundaries, changed friendships better sleep, more energy, improved memory, and pride in your commitment.

Cheers!