In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleWeight LossBetter SleepImmune SupportBetter HydrationReduced Cancer Risk
In This ArticleView All
View All
In This Article
Weight Loss
Better Sleep
Immune Support
Better Hydration
Reduced Cancer Risk
For many people, sipping on a bold glass of wine at the end of a long day, enjoying an ice-cold beer while watching a sports game or enjoying a trendy cocktail at happy hour may be part of a daily routine. Yet, going alcohol-free has been increasing in popularity.
Whether you’re opting in for Dry January or Sober October, swapping out your cocktail for a mocktail may be a better choice if you are trying to manage your weight, feel more energized, or simply want to lead a healthier lifestyle.
Why?Even though you may initially feel energized after a drink, alcohol is a depressant, meaning that ingesting it can slow brain function. Heavy drinking over time can lead to some pretty severe outcomes, ranging from memory loss to heart disease, liver disease and cancer.
How Much Alcohol Is Too Much?
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You May Lose Weight
When people want to lose weight, skipping theirfavorite sugary foodsor hitting the gym a bit more is often the first step. But since alcohol provides 7 calories per gram (compared to 4 calories/gram for carbs and protein), avoiding the booze can help reduce weight, mainly if your drink of choice contains a large volume of alcohol.
While some studies have not found an association between body mass index and alcohol use, alcohol has some significant effects on the body that can impact your metabolism and ability to lose or maintain weight.Alcohol can negatively impact our quality of sleep and cause us to make poor food choices—factors that can cause weight gain—and if your taste buds favor alcoholic drinks that include high-calorie sugary mixers (we’re looking at you, piña coladas), skipping these drinks can have a greater impact.
I Quit Alcohol for 30 Days—Here’s What Happened
You May Sleep Better
Although alcohol can have a relaxing effect and increase a person’s ability to fall asleep, it can also adversely affect sleep. Consuming excessive amounts of alcohol increases your risk of suffering from poor sleep quality. It can even result in short sleep duration and snoring.
One reason this may occur is that alcohol can reduce melatonin secretion in the brain.Since melatonin is a hormone that plays a pivotal role in a person’s sleep-wake cycle, also known as circadian rhythm, impacting its secretion can wreak havoc on a person’s ability to get some quality shut-eye.
You May Better Support Your Immune System
Bumping up our vitamin C intake, washing our hands and getting quality sleep are all tried-and-true ways to help us stay cold and flu-free (although nothing is guaranteed). But less-known is that drinking too much alcohol isn’t doing our immune system any favors and can actually reduce how well it functions.
Among the many ways that alcohol can suppress the immune system, booze can negatively impact the balance of the gut microbiota.Poor gut health and microbiota imbalance can ultimately weaken one aspect of how our body protects us from illness.
You May Stay Better Hydrated
Alcohol consumption is known to increase our urine output, causing us to retain less fluid.
Drinking even small amounts of alcohol can have a temporary diuretic effect. “Alcohol causes antidiuretic hormone (ADH) levels to drop, and as a result, the kidneys produce more urine and retain less water,” Sal Raichbach, Psy.D., LCSW, chief of clinical compliance at Ambrosia Treatment Center, said. “When you stop drinking alcohol, you restore ADH levels to their natural state, and your kidneys expel the appropriate amount of water.” By retaining water andstaying hydrated,your whole body will feel better.
“Our bodies are entirely dependent on water,” Raichbach said. “Every cell in our body uses water in one way or another. It’s essential for circulation, maintaining body temperature, and helps to get rid of waste. Without proper hydration, the heart must work harder to pump the same amount of blood, and your kidneys will eventually start to fail.”
What Happens to Your Body When You Don’t Drink Enough Water
You May Reduce Your Cancer Risk
Consuming high amounts of alcohol may increase the risk of developing seven different types of cancer—pharynx, larynx, esophageal, mouth, liver, colon and rectal, and breast cancers.Research has pointed out four possible ways that alcohol may increase your risk of cancer: damage to DNA, increasing oxidative stress, altering levels of hormones, and alcohol can lead to an increase in absorption of carcinogens, such as those from cigarettes.
Need Support?If you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol dependence, misuse or addiction, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat 800-662-4357 for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.
Need Support?
If you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol dependence, misuse or addiction, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat 800-662-4357 for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.
The Bottom Line
So, have some fun trying out some mocktail recipes. From abooze-free mojitoto astrawberry shrub mocktail, the options are endless. And who knows? You may just find a drink that you love even more than the go-to cocktail you’ve been drinking for years—and you may feel better after drinking it too!
12 Non-Alcoholic Drinks to Please Any Crowd
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SourcesEatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Alcohol use and your health.Inan-Eroglu E, Huang BH, Hamer M, Britton A, Stamatakis E.Alcohol consumption and adiposity: A longitudinal analysis of 45,399 UK Biobank participants.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(19):11945. doi:10.3390/ijerph191911945National Library of Medicine. Medline Plus.Weight loss and alcohol.Zheng D, Yuan X, Ma C, et al.Alcohol consumption and sleep quality: a community-based study.Public Health Nutr. 2021;24(15):4851-4858. doi:10.1017/S1368980020004553Kurhaluk N, Tkachenko H.Melatonin and alcohol-related disorders.Chronobiol Int. 2020;37(6):781-803. doi:10.1080/07420528.2020.1761372Koob GF, Colrain IM.Alcohol use disorder and sleep disturbances: a feed-forward allostatic framework.Neuropsychopharmacology. 2020;45(1):141-165. doi:10.1038/s41386-019-0446-0Fernandez-Chiappe F, Hermann-Luibl C, Peteranderl A, et al.Dopamine signaling in wake-promoting clock neurons is not required for the normal regulation of sleep inDrosophila.J Neurosci. 2020;40(50):9617-9633. doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1488-20.2020Calleja-Conde J, Echeverry-Alzate V, Bühler KM, et al.The Immune system through the lens of alcohol intake and gut microbiota.Int J Mol Sci. 2021;22(14):7485. doi:10.3390/ijms22147485Mackus M, Stock AK, Garssen J, Scholey A, Verster JC.Alcohol hangover versus dehydration revisited: The effect of drinking water to prevent or alleviate the alcohol hangover.Alcohol. 2024;121:9-18. doi:10.1016/j.alcohol.2024.07.006U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Office of the Surgeon General.Alcohol and cancer risk.National Cancer Institute.Alcohol and cancer risk.Rumgay H, Murphy N, Ferrari P, Soerjomataram I.Alcohol and cancer: Epidemiology and biological mechanisms.Nutrients. 2021;13(9):3173. doi:10.3390/nu13093173
Sources
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Alcohol use and your health.Inan-Eroglu E, Huang BH, Hamer M, Britton A, Stamatakis E.Alcohol consumption and adiposity: A longitudinal analysis of 45,399 UK Biobank participants.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(19):11945. doi:10.3390/ijerph191911945National Library of Medicine. Medline Plus.Weight loss and alcohol.Zheng D, Yuan X, Ma C, et al.Alcohol consumption and sleep quality: a community-based study.Public Health Nutr. 2021;24(15):4851-4858. doi:10.1017/S1368980020004553Kurhaluk N, Tkachenko H.Melatonin and alcohol-related disorders.Chronobiol Int. 2020;37(6):781-803. doi:10.1080/07420528.2020.1761372Koob GF, Colrain IM.Alcohol use disorder and sleep disturbances: a feed-forward allostatic framework.Neuropsychopharmacology. 2020;45(1):141-165. doi:10.1038/s41386-019-0446-0Fernandez-Chiappe F, Hermann-Luibl C, Peteranderl A, et al.Dopamine signaling in wake-promoting clock neurons is not required for the normal regulation of sleep inDrosophila.J Neurosci. 2020;40(50):9617-9633. doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1488-20.2020Calleja-Conde J, Echeverry-Alzate V, Bühler KM, et al.The Immune system through the lens of alcohol intake and gut microbiota.Int J Mol Sci. 2021;22(14):7485. doi:10.3390/ijms22147485Mackus M, Stock AK, Garssen J, Scholey A, Verster JC.Alcohol hangover versus dehydration revisited: The effect of drinking water to prevent or alleviate the alcohol hangover.Alcohol. 2024;121:9-18. doi:10.1016/j.alcohol.2024.07.006U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Office of the Surgeon General.Alcohol and cancer risk.National Cancer Institute.Alcohol and cancer risk.Rumgay H, Murphy N, Ferrari P, Soerjomataram I.Alcohol and cancer: Epidemiology and biological mechanisms.Nutrients. 2021;13(9):3173. doi:10.3390/nu13093173
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Alcohol use and your health.Inan-Eroglu E, Huang BH, Hamer M, Britton A, Stamatakis E.Alcohol consumption and adiposity: A longitudinal analysis of 45,399 UK Biobank participants.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(19):11945. doi:10.3390/ijerph191911945National Library of Medicine. Medline Plus.Weight loss and alcohol.Zheng D, Yuan X, Ma C, et al.Alcohol consumption and sleep quality: a community-based study.Public Health Nutr. 2021;24(15):4851-4858. doi:10.1017/S1368980020004553Kurhaluk N, Tkachenko H.Melatonin and alcohol-related disorders.Chronobiol Int. 2020;37(6):781-803. doi:10.1080/07420528.2020.1761372Koob GF, Colrain IM.Alcohol use disorder and sleep disturbances: a feed-forward allostatic framework.Neuropsychopharmacology. 2020;45(1):141-165. doi:10.1038/s41386-019-0446-0Fernandez-Chiappe F, Hermann-Luibl C, Peteranderl A, et al.Dopamine signaling in wake-promoting clock neurons is not required for the normal regulation of sleep inDrosophila.J Neurosci. 2020;40(50):9617-9633. doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1488-20.2020Calleja-Conde J, Echeverry-Alzate V, Bühler KM, et al.The Immune system through the lens of alcohol intake and gut microbiota.Int J Mol Sci. 2021;22(14):7485. doi:10.3390/ijms22147485Mackus M, Stock AK, Garssen J, Scholey A, Verster JC.Alcohol hangover versus dehydration revisited: The effect of drinking water to prevent or alleviate the alcohol hangover.Alcohol. 2024;121:9-18. doi:10.1016/j.alcohol.2024.07.006U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Office of the Surgeon General.Alcohol and cancer risk.National Cancer Institute.Alcohol and cancer risk.Rumgay H, Murphy N, Ferrari P, Soerjomataram I.Alcohol and cancer: Epidemiology and biological mechanisms.Nutrients. 2021;13(9):3173. doi:10.3390/nu13093173
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Alcohol use and your health.
Inan-Eroglu E, Huang BH, Hamer M, Britton A, Stamatakis E.Alcohol consumption and adiposity: A longitudinal analysis of 45,399 UK Biobank participants.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(19):11945. doi:10.3390/ijerph191911945
National Library of Medicine. Medline Plus.Weight loss and alcohol.
Zheng D, Yuan X, Ma C, et al.Alcohol consumption and sleep quality: a community-based study.Public Health Nutr. 2021;24(15):4851-4858. doi:10.1017/S1368980020004553
Kurhaluk N, Tkachenko H.Melatonin and alcohol-related disorders.Chronobiol Int. 2020;37(6):781-803. doi:10.1080/07420528.2020.1761372
Koob GF, Colrain IM.Alcohol use disorder and sleep disturbances: a feed-forward allostatic framework.Neuropsychopharmacology. 2020;45(1):141-165. doi:10.1038/s41386-019-0446-0
Fernandez-Chiappe F, Hermann-Luibl C, Peteranderl A, et al.Dopamine signaling in wake-promoting clock neurons is not required for the normal regulation of sleep inDrosophila.J Neurosci. 2020;40(50):9617-9633. doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1488-20.2020
Calleja-Conde J, Echeverry-Alzate V, Bühler KM, et al.The Immune system through the lens of alcohol intake and gut microbiota.Int J Mol Sci. 2021;22(14):7485. doi:10.3390/ijms22147485
Mackus M, Stock AK, Garssen J, Scholey A, Verster JC.Alcohol hangover versus dehydration revisited: The effect of drinking water to prevent or alleviate the alcohol hangover.Alcohol. 2024;121:9-18. doi:10.1016/j.alcohol.2024.07.006
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Office of the Surgeon General.Alcohol and cancer risk.
National Cancer Institute.Alcohol and cancer risk.
Rumgay H, Murphy N, Ferrari P, Soerjomataram I.Alcohol and cancer: Epidemiology and biological mechanisms.Nutrients. 2021;13(9):3173. doi:10.3390/nu13093173
