10 Rewarding Side Effects of Giving Up Alcohol

Living alcohol-free has given me a fresh perspective

There were many years of my life where I never could have imagined giving up alcohol. It was a big part of my routine. I enjoyed wine with dinner, drinks with my coworkers on Fridays, and exciting nights out on the town. The time came, though, that I decided to throw in the towel. I said goodbye to my old friend, booze. Here’s what has changed.

My hair has been revived.

I have great hair, or so I’ve always thought. However, about sixty days after giving up alcohol things got even better. My hair looks fuller and has a natural shine to it. My friends have asked me if I’m using a new product. I didn’t put the pieces together at first, but since I have not changed anything about my hair-care routine, I know it’s the lack of alcohol.

I wake up before my alarm goes off.

What? This one is a shocker for me. I am not a morning person. I do not get up until the very last minute. It is good that my phone has become my alarm in recent years because I’ve worn out my fair share of snooze buttons. Things have changed, though. Most days I am waking up naturally about 10–60 minutes before my alarm. It has had a very positive change in my morning mood.

My mornings never consist of reviewing last night’s texts and photos.

Another thing that may be contributing to getting rid of my Grumpy Cat morning routine, is the certainty that I did not do anything stupid last night. I have spent way too many Sunday mornings reviewing the texts from the night before with horror. It is nice to not have to sit with my face in my hand wondering how I am going to justify “that one.”

My hands never shake at work anymore.

Every time I had a few too many cocktails, my hands would shake the next morning. I always noticed it with paper. When I would be passing out an agenda in a meeting or even handing off a check across my desk, there was an unsteady tremor there. I always blamed my low blood sugar. Now I’m as steady as can be, so it must have been the booze.

My weekends feel much longer.

The first couple of weekends I spent not drinking was hard. I felt like time didn’t move. I was in bed at 8 pm on Friday night pouting because I wasn’t drinking. The pouting subsided, but the slow-moving time did not. I really enjoy having more productive hours in the days. I can actually get some work done in the mornings and end my day with a movie. The icing on the cake is remembering the whole film, and not restarting the same thing over six times. Who doesn’t wish they had more hours on their Saturday?

I am eating healthier, with less effort.

Everyone knows a hangover is best cured with a big greasy meal. Not drinking means no more hangover meals. What I didn’t know would happen is that I am craving healthy foods way more than I did before I quit drinking. It is much easier for me to stick to a healthy balanced diet. I don’t know the science behind it, but I know I no longer crave grease and sugar as much.

I can put more miles in on the treadmill.

I did not have any problems with my workouts. I am not a fitness fanatic, I just appreciate the effect a regular brisk walk/run has on my mind and my bum. Like many people though, the last half mile was the worst. That’s about the time I’d start burning a hole in my machine’s display with my sweating eyeballs. After about thirty days alcohol-free though, I noticed something strange. The treadmill beeped before I expected it. I was able to go a further distance naturally.

I can pick up my kid at any time of night.

My daughter is in middle school. Her social life is booming. I have accepted the fact that my primary job in life is to be her chauffeur. However, that always meant planning her rides before my nightly wine. On the weekend, forget it, I was rarely in good driving shape after 9 pm. If she was out, she better have a sleepover. There is something so satisfying about knowing I can drive at any hour with zero risk of having alcohol in my system.

I’ve grown a “fun money” account.

Wine, beer, and liquor are not cheap. Stocking up with the weekly grocery run was sometimes adding forty dollars or so to my tab. If I add in quick after-work drinks, the food I ate while out drinking, and the Uber rides — phew. I’m really not sure how I did it. I never missed the money, but now, I’ve been able to tuck away an extra fifty dollars a week. I hope to use the money to celebrate at the beach with a Virgin Pina Colada.

I am less congested

This is one of the more surprising side effects. I have had allergies my whole life. The spring and the fall are the worst for me. It doesn’t really affect my daily routine, it is just something I’ve learned to deal with. A few months after quitting alcohol though, I am noticing much less snot in my snoot. I still struggle with allergies, but now I wake up in the morning feeling less congested.

I did not give up alcohol for any of the reasons above, but they are all great perks. Have you given up alcohol for a period of time and noticed any unexpected bonuses? I’d love to hear about it.