The holiday season is so much fun; there’s no doubt about it. But it certainly brings about endless events, lots of overeating and indulging in too many libations night after night. The tough part is that passing up a drink can be so difficult to resist. But at the end of the season, you feel dragged down, unhealthy and just not your best. It’s time to take a break from all the drinking and get back on track to living the best life possible. That means eating right, drinking lots of water, getting back to the grind at work and making exercise a mainstay in your daily routine. Once you do that, it’s incredible how good you feel. You bounce back quickly, and you know your body is thanking you. So what is it that happens to your body when you stop drinking? Here’s a look.
What Happens to Your Body When You Stop Drinking
Here are a few highlights from the body timeline Byrdie and registered dietitian, Jenny Champion recently published. You can read the full timeline here for all the details.
One hour after you quit: This is when your body kicks into full-blown detox mode to clear the alcohol from your bloodstream and prevent alcohol poisoning, says Champion. An hour after your last drink, your liver starts working overtime. Your pancreas also starts producing extra insulin, which causes intense carb cravings.
12-24 hours after you quit: Your blood sugar finally normalizes. “However, if you went wild in the candy aisle during your 2 a.m. junk-food run, you may have kicked off a glycemic roller coaster that could last days,” says Champion. Make sure to nip this in the bud by trading sugar and unhealthy fats for fruits and veggies on hangover day. “Also, because of the diuretic effect booze has on our bodies, you’re going to be dehydrated,” says Champion. So make sure to reach for a water bottle stat. Tip: A cute water bottle always makes the hydration process easier.
48 hours after you quit: At this stage, your body finishes its biggest detox hurdle. “Depending on how much you drank, grogginess, headaches, and tiredness might still be lingering,” says Champion. But the worst is over. Pro tip: Treat any leftover headaches by dabbing some lavender oil on your fingers and massaging your temples.
Pretty fascinating. I love knowing that your body can bounce back so quickly when you recognize that it’s time to take a break. It’s so easy to get caught up in the back to back events and constant night’s outputting you in the position of indulging in a cocktail even when you don’t want to. The lesson here is just like anything else – moderation and balance is the name of the game when it comes to making health a priority. And sometimes taking a step back from alcohol can help reset both the mind and body. Have you ever considered a challenge like “Dry January” or another opportunity to take a break from drinking?
