After one month of abstaining from drinking, blood sugar and weight improved, and the risk of diabetes dropped… Lower risk of chronic diseases and ‘up’ positive energy
[일요신문] As the year-end season approaches, the number of drinking parties increases significantly more than usual due to year-end parties being held here and there. When you get intoxicated with the Christmas and year-end atmosphere, you tend to drink too much. In the UK and the US, it has become a trend to spend the end of the year getting drunk and then try to abstain for a short period of time in January of the following year. It’s called the ‘Dry January’ campaign. This movement, which first started in the UK, has the meaning of ‘drying out’ the liver by abstaining from alcohol for at least one month in January. Going further, there are also replica campaigns that are gradually gaining popularity. The ‘Sober October’ campaign is to give up alcohol before the end of the year, in other words, to give your liver a rest by spending a month ‘sober’.
Will abstaining from alcohol for such a short period of time actually be beneficial to one’s health? Surprisingly, there are many health benefits that appear when you quit drinking even for a short period of time. If you see the positive changes that occur within your body during 30 days of not drinking, it is well worth the challenge. What are the short-term health effects of abstinence that experts say?
In the UK and the US, it has become a trend to try to abstain from drinking for a short period of time during the month of January after getting drunk at the end of the year. According to ‘Mail Online’, the number of Americans who practice ‘short-term abstinence from drinking’ campaigns every year is currently about 40 million. It amounts to hundreds of people. This means that campaigns such as ‘Dry January’ and ‘Sober October’, which encourage people to quit drinking for a month and take care of their health, have become a craze for a long time. In the case of ‘Dry January’, it is found that more than one in ten American adults do not drink alcohol during the month of January for health reasons.
Looking at this craze, you might think: ‘Will not drinking alcohol for just a month help my health?’ Experts say that it is helpful enough. They even say that the positive health effects begin to appear within an hour as soon as you put down the glass. And after a few days without drinking, the alcohol is completely eliminated from the body, and you gradually feel better, and your digestive function and immunity also improve.
From the moment you down your last drink, observe the positive changes that occur in your body over the next month.
#After 1 to 10 minutes
About 1 to 10 minutes after taking the last sip, the brain’s reward system is activated due to the alcohol absorbed into the body. In other words, a feeling of pleasure is felt as a large amount of dopamine is secreted. At the same time, thinking and emotions slow down because the release of glutamate, another brain neurotransmitter responsible for brain activity and energy levels, is suppressed. This imbalance slows down signal transmission between brain cells, ultimately slowing down reaction times. This is why when we get drunk, we lose our sense of balance and cannot control our body at will.
Additionally, drinking alcohol affects bladder function. This is because alcohol has a diuretic effect. Diuretics are substances that block the ‘stay hydrated’ signal that the brain sends to the kidneys, allowing water (fluid) to be discharged more quickly through the bladder. This is why you urinate frequently when you drink a lot of alcohol.
Addiction experts point out that people suffering from alcohol use disorder usually experience a significant increase in anxiety as soon as they put down a drink. “These people are anxious about how they will feel without alcohol in their system or how the process will progress,” says Luke Worsfold, a British addiction counselor.
#1 hour later
About an hour after drinking alcohol, your blood pressure begins to gradually drop. At this time, alcohol has moved to the liver through the blood, where it begins to be broken down by alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH). And in this process, toxins are neutralized, blood vessels expand, and blood pressure drops.
This lowering of blood pressure also has a positive effect on brain cells. In other words, signal transmission between different areas of the brain is improved, nutrients are better delivered to each organ, breathing becomes more stable, the body regains its sense of balance, and the mind becomes clearer.
Depending on the amount of food you ate during the day, you will gradually begin to sober up after an hour.
#4~8 hours later
Most people become sleepy about 4 to 8 hours after drinking alcohol. This is because alcohol releases calming brain chemicals.
But I can’t sleep deeply. At the same time, arousal hormones are secreted, which may disturb sleep. In this case, you wake up every few hours. In fact, according to a study conducted by the ‘Sleep Foundation’, it was found that drinking two drinks for men and one drink for women reduced sleep quality by 24%. This is because alcohol reduces the amount of quality sleep called REM sleep. REM sleep is very important for forming memories and recharging energy, so if it is not met, you may feel tired when you wake up.
Another reason alcohol affects sleep quality is because of body temperature. When blood vessels dilate, warm blood flow increases in blood vessels near the skin surface, causing you to wake up sweating. “Usually when you wake up in the morning, you realize you’ve been sweating all night,” says Worsfold. “Even the bed sheets may be wet, or the blanket or mattress may be slightly wet,” he explained.
#12 hours later
12 hours after drinking alcohol, almost all of the alcohol has disappeared from the blood and symptoms of dehydration become worse. At this time, even if you blow on the breathalyzer, the alcohol content is no longer measured. Blood vessels have also contracted back to normal levels. “The liver also performs normal functions, including digestion and metabolism of vitamins and minerals,” explains nutritionist Rachel Richardson.
However, after this amount of time, withdrawal symptoms may appear among people who show symptoms of alcohol dependence or addiction. This is because dopamine levels begin to drop to abnormally low levels, resulting in slightly depressed feelings. Some people experience more severe withdrawal symptoms, such as shaking or having seizures. “Withdrawal symptoms start to get worse as the liver detoxifies the body and removes all the alcohol,” Worsfold said.
In the case of people who happen to drink alcohol (due to the diuretic effect of alcohol), they become severely dehydrated at this time and complain of hangover symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, thirst, headache, muscle pain, nausea, dizziness, and sweating.
A month after your last drink, your brain and organs will have mostly healed, and you will have more energy, better mood, and more interest in life.#next day
By the next day, most of the alcohol has left the blood. However, a certain amount of it still remains in the digestive system. Because of this, the stomach is still in an unwell state, and symptoms such as constipation or abdominal pain may persist.
This is because alcohol can disrupt the microbiome, which is made up of bacteria and other microorganisms in your digestive system. The microbiome, a group of intestinal microorganisms, not only regulates appetite but also plays a role in preventing infection. However, while alcohol provides nutrients to bad bacteria, it destroys good bacteria. Therefore, as bad bacteria in the intestines increase, symptoms such as abdominal pain, constipation, and excessive secretion of gastric acid may appear.
#Within 10 days
On the second day of not drinking, the alcohol is completely gone from the body. Blood flow and kidneys also return to normal function. After 2 to 3 days, bowel movements return to normal and symptoms such as constipation, diarrhea, and abdominal pain are alleviated. “Stomach acid secretion decreases or returns to normal levels, and the body begins to reorganize,” Richardson said. “Stomach acid that was excessively secreted due to alcohol calms down, and the stomach returns to normal function,” he said. Brain transmitters such as dopamine and serotonin are secreted to normal levels 7 to 10 days after drinking, making you feel better and more energetic.
#14 days later
At this point, your skin will noticeably improve as more moisture is supplied to your skin cells. Additionally, acne disappears, the skin becomes smooth and moist, and pores become smaller. “Alcohol inhibits the body’s ability to retain water,” Richardson said. Therefore, when alcohol leaves the body, the body begins to replenish moisture on its own.”
#one month later
The risk of diabetes is drastically reduced. After one month without drinking, your brain and most of your other organs will be healed. “It depends on how much alcohol you previously drank, but in most cases the liver begins to recover from the stress of dealing with toxins,” says Worsfold.
As blood sugar, cholesterol, and weight improve, the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, liver cirrhosis, and obesity also decreases. When you have more energy and your risk of chronic disease is lowered, your mood improves and your life becomes more positive. “As you feel healthier overall, you find a new interest in life,” Richardson said.
Self-diagnosis of alcohol dependence
Next is the Alcohol Use Disorder Screening Test (AUDIT), one of the alcohol dependence diagnostic tests widely used by medical professionals. Let’s determine whether you suffer from alcohol use disorder using the following 10-question test developed jointly with the World Health Organization (WHO).
1. How often do you drink alcohol?
– 0 points: I do not drink at all
– 1 point: less than once a month
– 2 points: 2 to 4 times a month
– 3 points: 2-3 times a week
– 4 points: 4 or more times a week2. How many drinks do you drink on a typical drinking day?
– 0 points: 0 to 2 drinks
– 1 point: 3~4 drinks
– 2 points: 5~6 drinks
– 3 points: 7 to 9 drinks
– 4 points: 10 or more drinks3. During the past year, when drinking alcohol, how often have you consumed more than one bottle of soju or four bottles of beer?
– 0 points: None at all
– 1 point: less than once a month
– 2 points: once a month
– 3 points: once a week
– 4 points: Every day4. Over the past year, how many times have you been unable to stop drinking once you started drinking?
– 0 points: None at all
– 1 point: less than once a month
– 2 points: once a month
– 3 points: once a week
– 4 points: Every day5. Over the past year, how often have you been unable to do something you normally would have done because of alcohol?
– 0 points: None at all
– 1 point: less than once a month
– 2 points: once a month
– 3 points: once a week
– 4 points: Every day6. Over the past year, how often have you needed a drink the morning after drinking?
– 0 points: None at all
– 1 point: less than once a month
– 2 points: once a month
– 3 points: once a week
– 4 points: Every day7. During the past year, how often have you felt guilty or regretful after drinking alcohol?
– 0 points: None at all
– 1 point: less than once a month
– 2 points: once a month
– 3 points: once a week
– 4 points: Every day8. Over the past year, how often have you been unable to remember what happened the night before because of drinking?
– 0 points: None at all
– 1 point: less than once a month
– 2 points: once a month
– 3 points: once a week
– 4 points: Every day9. Have you or someone else been injured because of alcohol?
– 0 points: None
– 2 points: Yes, but not in the past year
– 4 points: In the past year10. Have relatives, friends, doctors, or other health professionals ever worried about your drinking habits or recommended that you quit drinking?
– 0 points: None
– 2 points: Yes, but not in the past year
– 4 points: In the past year[결과]
0 to 7 points: You are within a reasonable drinking range and have a low risk of developing alcohol-related problems.
Score of 8 or higher: This is a harmful or dangerous drinking habit.
Scores of 8 to 15: Moderate risk. If you drink at your current level, there is a risk of problems with your overall health and life, including work and social relationships. Try to cut down on alcohol.
16-19 points: There is a high risk of complications from alcohol. Because it may be an alcohol use disorder, it may be difficult to reduce drinking on one’s own, so professional help from a specialist or counselor is needed.
20 points or more: Possible alcohol dependence. They may already be causing problems due to drinking and may become dependent on alcohol. You should gradually quit drinking, or at least try to reduce it. You must seek professional help to determine your level of alcohol dependence and ways to quit drinking.
Kim Min-ju, overseas information writer world@ilyo.co.kr
2023-10-26 07:49:00
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