Health – Pros of sobering up

Need convincing? You’ll feel and sleep better, lose weight and improve your general wellbeing. Here’s how...

You may be seriously thinking about limiting or going off alcohol completely. You have good reasons, too – you’re tired of calling your girls to find out what happened last night. Errr, let’s just say some details are usually a little bit fuzzy. And, you’re also done waking up fully clothed, with a splitting headache. Besides, recovering from a heavy babalaas just isn’t the same once you hit 25. But, what’s the right amount to drink? Experts say it’s no more than three drinks a day for women.

“Low-risk or normal drinking is defined as no more than three drinks per day or seven per week for women, and no more than four per day or 14 per week for men,” says Dr Nthabiseng Kumalo, a Joburg-based General Practitioner. So, why do men get to indulge more than us ladies?

Dr Kumalo believes this is because men have a bigger body size than women. “Secondly, alcohol disperses in water. Compared to females, males have a higher total body water percentage. This means that for a female and male of the same body weight who consume the same amount of alcohol, the blood alcohol concentration in the female will be higher because of the difference in total body water volume,” she explains.

Need a little inspiration to go off alcohol? Look at celebrities like 49-year-old Jada Pinkett-Smith who hasn’t touched a drop of alcohol since the early 90s, and 45-year-old Pharrell Williams who’s often expressed how drinking simply isn’t for him. Don’t you just love how these two are ageing backwards?

CLEARER MIND, HEALTHIER BODY

“Alcohol generally impairs decisionmaking. What usually starts off as an innocent enough drink can easily spiral into a sequence of poor decisions, which is why it’s usually best to cut alcohol out completely instead of trying to cut down,” says Cape Town-based clinical psychologist Eve Sigalas. She warns that, depending on your level of alcohol dependence, you might need medical supervision to help with the withdrawal symptoms, especially where there’s a history of serious alcohol abuse. “Physical withdrawal can be uncomfortable and even dangerous. In these cases, it’s best to seek professional advice,” she explains.

Vaughan Pankhurst, Clinical Director at the Western Cape-based Recovery Direct,

agrees, adding that while a hangover and its withdrawal symptoms are usually uncomfortable and at times dangerous, the last of these symptoms will generally start subsiding after 72 hours. He adds: “The psychological effects may include feelings of anger and aggression, general anxiety and depression, nightmares and difficulty sleeping as well as a decreased libido. This is, in part, because alcohol use affects neurotransmitters such as serotonin that are implicated in determining our mood.”

Sigalas suggests building a support network to rely on during this process as well as finding other alcohol-free activities to enjoy with friends. Think exercising, joining a park run or a book club, to name a few! “Psychologically, you may free yourself from lots of destructive patterns of behaviour that have possibly impeded relationships or stifled career potential. It also frees you up to confront some of those painful feelings, which ultimately means self growth and greater life satisfaction,” Sigalas adds.

Dr Kumalo breaks down the havoc alcohol can wreak on our bodies in the long run. “Remember that ‘excess’ in this case refers to drinking too much in one go or large amounts over a prolonged period of time. An increase in blood pressure, weakening of the immune system, irregular heartbeat and inflammation of the liver can occur. The latter can lead to liver failure,” she explains.

However, all is not lost. The good news is that quitting can, over time, reverse some of the damage your bodily organs suffered. Below, Pankhurst highlights some of the benefits your body will enjoy once you become clean:

IMPROVED SLEEP]

It may take a week or two, but you’ll sleep better ultimately. According to research, drinking increases brain wave patterns that usually only happen when you’re awake. A nap on the couch is different from getting a good night’s sleep.

It’s no wonder people who drink regularly often feel tired and fatigued during the day.

WEIGHT LOSS

If you stop drinking and change nothing else about your diet or level of activity, you’re likely to lose weight. It’s partially the simple concept of calorie counting — alcohol, especially beer, contains a lot of calories. Plus, you’ll overeat less.

BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS NORMALISE

The body stops maintaining blood sugar levels efficiently when it also has to process alcohol. Not only does alcohol get in the way of your body accessing glucose stores, but it also decreases the effectiveness of insulin, the hormone that regulates blood glucose levels. That leads to wildly out of control blood sugar levels, which, over time, can lead to type II diabetes.

DECREASE IN LIVER FAT

A small study conducted by New Scientist and the Institute for Liver and Digestive Health at University College London Medical School found that abstaining from alcohol for a month led to an average of 15 percent decrease in liver fat (with some individuals seeing a 20 percent decrease). Fat accumulation in the liver can lead to liver damage and eventually liver disease.

EFFECTIVE IMMUNE SYSTEM

Excessive drinking has been linked to many immune-related health effects. These include higher susceptibility to pneumonia and other respiratory disorders, greater likelihood of sepsis and certain cancers, a higher instance of complications after surgery, and poor wound healing, among many others.

REVERSED BRAIN DAMAGE

According to research, alcohol’s most significant impact is on the areas of the brain critical to learning and impulse control. While some of these changes may be permanent, especially for those who abuse alcohol for an extended period of time, there is some hope.■