What are the benefits of drinking less?
Researchers have studied people who take part in alcohol-free campaigns such as Canadian Cancer Society’s Dry February when people resolve to give up alcohol for the whole month to see how drinking less affects their health. Some practice Dry January and/or Sober October.
In the UK a 2019 University of Sussex study found that Dry January participants’ health and wellness improved in a number of ways, including sleeping better, having more energy, improving concentration, losing excess weight (alcohol is high in calories), having better skin, saving money, feeling more control over their drinking, and realising they don’t need a drink to enjoy themselves.
How can drinking less help me sleep better?
Studies have found that stopping drinking gives you more energy. That’s partly because drinking alcohol makes it harder to get a good night’s sleep. Alcohol reduces the amount of deep sleep you get, which can make you tired the next day.
Drinking can also make you need to go to the toilet more often during the night, which interrupts your sleep and makes you dehydrated. This could make you wake up feeling thirsty. Drinking can also make you snore more, and more loudly.
More alcohol-free days can help you sleep better more often, leading to more energy and other health benefits.
Drinking less can also reduce the risk of violence, injury, and some diseases like heart disease and cancer.
Want to learn more about alcohol and health? Visit our main alcohol page at www.swpublichealth.ca/alcohol.