Week one: Improved sleep, better hydration, and more energy
Priory Group’s addictions expert Dr Niall Campbell explains that within a week of ditching alcohol, your sleep will improve. This is because getting drunk means you typically fall straight into a deep sleep and skip the important rapid eye movement (REM) phase, giving you one to two cycles of REM sleep rather than the recommended six to seven cycles a night.
It’s worth noting that in the first week of Dry January you might find it harder to drift off – but while you might get fewer hours of rest they’ll likely be of a higher quality. Alcohol use influences sleeping patterns and it can take time to adjust to a normal sleep cycle that isn’t induced by booze. Plus, withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety and restless legs may keep you up at night.
It’s vital to try to get through the first week without depending on alcohol or other medication for slumber so you can tackle the issue of insomnia rather than masking it, then go on to enjoy the benefits of improved sleep that comes with sobriety.
Along with better sleep, your first week sober will see your body become more hydrated. Dr Campbell says: ‘When drinking alcohol, you lose around four times as much liquid as what you actually consumed. ‘Giving up alcohol can help you stay hydrated, which is beneficial for your brain. Your mood and concentration will be more stable, and headaches are likely to decrease. ‘You also won’t suffer from effects of dehydration such as lack of motivation and increased fatigue, so will have more energy throughout the day.’ You can expect an improvement in sleep quality within a week.
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