How your body will love you for drinking less alcohol

“According to Alcohol Change UK, the charity behind Dry January, cutting out booze can improve your skin, energy levels and health in as little as a week if you usually drink several times a week or daily.“

Better Sleep: You might miss the soporific effect when you first stop drinking, but alcohol interferes with the quality of your rest, suppressing REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, which is when we dream, and can leave you feeling exhausted. A few days without drinking and you’ll notice a difference. “By days four to seven your body’s systems are back to their usual working levels and you may find that you have more energy and better concentration,” says Lauren Booker, an adviser to Alcohol Change UK

Weight Loss: You could also lose weight. Lucy Holmes, the director of research and policy at Alcohol Change UK, says: “Alcohol contains a lot of excess calories but has little nutritional value.” It can also lead you to snack more than you should, so it’s easy to pile on the pounds without realising it.

Healthier skin: Alcohol can dehydrate your skin, making problems such as
rosacea and eczema more likely if you are vulnerable to them, and is thought to have an effect on hormones, which might make spots and acne worse.

The best way to cut down: If cutting out alcohol completely feels too much, try to cut down. A high alcohol intake (more than 14 units a week on a regular basis) is associated with a higher risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer. The Drink Free Days campaign launched jointly by Public Health England and Drinkaware, an alcohol education charity, recommends middle-aged drinkers aim for several alcohol-free days a week, a minimum of two to three days.