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If you're going tee-total this January here's what to look for (Image: Getty)
Dry January is almost halfway over, and with more than 15 million people in the UK choosing to go alcohol-free this month, millions of people will now be seeing some of the benefits of kicking the booze.
Martin Seeley, senior sleep expert at MattressNextDay, says that Dry January can have many benefits - including a change in the quality of your sleep among other things.
The first sign that you may have been enjoying alcohol too much before taking a break is a marked improvement in your sleep.
Seeley said “A normal sleep cycle consists of four stages: three stages of non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and, finally, one stage of REM (rapid eye movement).
£These cycles repeat in this order each night, and last around 90-120 minutes So, four to five cycles for eight hours sleep.
“But, alcohol can suppress REM sleep in the first two cycles. This is because alcohol can act as a sedative, making you fall into a deeper sleep quickly.
"So your sleep is out of order and imbalanced. You’ll have more slow-wave sleep and less REM sleep (which is the stage you are most likely to dream), decreasing your sleep quality.”
You might notice an improvement in your sleep (Image: Getty)
Alcohol can affect your physical appearance too. It breaks down collagen, which we need to keep our skin firm, so it can speed up the signs of ageing.
Add to that, the lack of vitamins due to drinking can give your skin a grey, shallow appearance.
After a break from drinking you may notice your skin looks brighter, and breakouts can lessen.
It’s also common for people to fall asleep with makeup on after a long night of drinking, which can clog your pores and trigger acne.
According to Seeley, a reduction in wrinkles and a better complexion can go hand in hand with limiting your alcohol intake.
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Struggling to remember things after drinking is a sign of unsafe consumption (Image: Getty)
The other way that alcohol can affect you is through your memory.
Alcohol affects your short-term memory. It slows down how the nerves communicate in the hippocampus, which plays a vital role in helping you form and remember those memories, so if you’ve ever awoken the morning after the pub with a blank spots you were likely drinking more than is safe.
Without alcohol, your short term memory should improve so you can wake up feeling refreshed and with a perfect memory of how the previous night played out.
English (US) ·