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People drink alcohol for various reasons. Some take the occasional drink as part of socialising.
On the other extreme, others are hooked onto it, addicted, in other words. The occasional drink has been touted to have some benefits. But there is overwhelming data about the association between alcohol and a host of medical conditions.
Some have argued for zero alcohol intake as the only healthier option.
The brain isn’t spared from the effects of alcohol. This is so much the case that alcohol abuse specialists have tracked what happens to the brain during periods of abstention.
After one day, brain effects are mostly related to how much you drank the previous day.
If you had overindulged, you would almost certainly experience withdrawal symptoms. These will include an emotional crash, irritability, anxiety, and even some depressive symptoms. This is all in addition to physical symptoms, such as dehydration, nausea and headaches.
Extending alcohol abstention to a week gets you to start reaping mental and emotional benefits. Those with pre-existing anxiety and depression start to gain better control of their symptoms.
Your mood and cognitive function become better, meaning sharper memory and mental clarity. You also experience better sleep and get a boost in energy levels. Your overall mental output veers towards better performance.
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Brain recovery
Those persisting with abstention for a month have even more to gain. The brain fog brought about by endless partying and hangovers is all gone.
Without all the alcohol associated cravings, mood swings and sleep disturbances, you start getting into a real healthier lifestyle.
You now have more time for healthier hobbies, such as physical exercises, mental relaxation activities and better eating habits. All this feeds into better brain function.
The renewed cognitive clarity may unmask other health issues you may have been harbouring, prompting you to deal with them appropriately.
It takes some willpower to abstain from alcohol substantially. It may not matter so much for those having the odd drink. But if your drinking habits are getting the better of you, experiencing alcohol free spells may be the prompt that gets you to better health.
Those already hooked require more than willpower to abstain; ample help is out there for all sorts of addictions.
If you can live as a teetotaler, your predisposition to any alcohol-related ailments remains at zero.
Dr Alfred Murage is a Consultant Gynaecologist and Fertility Specialist.
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