The benefits of drinking less
Cutting back on alcohol? You could be in for some pleasant changes to the way you look and feel within just a few days, as well as cutting your risk of medium- and longer-term health problems.
A sound night's sleep, brighter skin and improved mood. Cutting back on alcohol can have positive effects on the way you look and feel - often within just a few days.
Cutting back on the amount you drink could improve your overall mental health too. And at the same time you could be reducing your medium- to longer-term risks of serious illnesses including liver and heart disease.1,2
How much alcohol is too much?
The UK Chief Medical Officers' (CMOs) low risk drinking guidelines recommend it’s safest for both men and women to drink no more than 14 units a week, spread over three or more days with several drink-free days, and no bingeing.
One unit of alcohol is 10ml (ten millilitres) of pure alcohol. The number of units you are drinking depends on the size and alcohol content of your drink.
If you’re currently regularly drinking more than the low risk drinking guidelines, you will be building up a tolerance to alcohol. This might mean that you notice the effects of alcohol less, but the more you drink the greater the risk to your health – including the risk of becoming dependent on alcohol.
It’s also important to limit how much you drink on any single occasion. By avoiding drinking heavily over a short space of time, often called ‘bingeing’ or ‘binge-drinking’, you will be reducing your risk of accidents, making decisions you regret, and alcohol poisoning – which can be fatal.
Benefits of reducing your drinking
As well as limiting your risks from alcohol-related health problems, cutting down to stick to the low risk drinking guidelines will have a whole range of benefits that you could notice almost straight away.
1. Deeper sleep and more energy
Alcohol affects your sleep. When you drink you spend less time in the essential restorative REM-stage of sleep,3 and you’re more likely to wake early and find it hard to drop off again. If you drink less, you’re less likely to snore,4 or need to get up to go to the toilet during the night – so everyone should get a better night’s sleep all round.
2. Brighter mood
Alcohol can make stress and feelings of anxiety worse.5 That’s because it disrupts the delicate balance of chemicals and processes in your brain, affecting your thoughts, feelings and actions – and sometimes your long-term mental health.6 Drinking less can help you avoid low moods, more of the time - try keeping a mood diary to see if you notice the improvements from cutting back.
3. Better skin
Alcohol dehydrates your body, including the skin – and this happens every time you drink.7 Cutting out the dehydrating (or ‘diuretic’) effect of alcohol means your skin will be losing less fluid and vital nutrients – so you could wave goodbye to dull, dry skin.
4. Slimmer waistline
Alcohol contains seven calories a gram - almost as many as pure fat. Most people who drink alcohol consume it as ‘extra’ calories to their normal diet, so by cutting back you will be reducing your total calorie intake, which can help you maintain a healthy weight.8 Cutting back will make you less likely to have a 'beer belly'.
5. A happier stomach
Alcohol irritates your gut – including your stomach. Cutting back will lower your risk of heartburn,9 pain (‘gastritis’) and stomach ulcers.10
And if you’re cutting back from heavy regular drinking, you will be allowing your body to digest food and absorb vital nutrients normally again, particularly certain proteins, vitamins and minerals.11
6. Discover new interests
If you tend to drink in the same place, or at the same time, or with the same people, cutting back may mean you change your routine. By doing something different with your time you could discover new interests and meet new people. You might even save some money too.
7. Lower your risk of alcohol-related illness
When it comes to your medium- to long-term health, cutting back on alcohol will lower your risk of serious diseases such as heart disease,12 liver disease13 and stroke14 and is likely to improve your overall physical and mental health. Your level of risk will depend on how much alcohol you have drunk over the long-term, as well as other factors like family history and lifestyle. But deciding to reduce how much you drink is a positive choice.
Cutting down (or stopping) drinking can have huge positive effects for your health and wellbeing. It’s important to stay motivated along the way, click below to find tips to achieve your goals.
Want to change the way you drink?
Get the free app from Drinkaware; track your alcohol consumption, calculate units and calories and set goals to help you moderate your drinking.
Was this information helpful?
Other related content
Here are some other advice pages linked to motivation to the benefits of drinking less.
How alcohol can impact you
References
[2] Chiva-Blanch, G. and Badimon, L. (2020). Benefits and Risks of Moderate Alcohol Consumption on Cardiovascular Disease: Current Findings and Controversies. Nutrients, 12(1), 108.
[5] Becker, H.C. (2017). Influence of stress associated with chronic alcohol exposure on drinking. Neuropharmacology, 122, 115-126.
[6] Boden, J.M. and Fergusson, D.M. (2011). Alcohol and depression. Addiction, 106(5), 906-914.
[7] Kwok, A., Dordevic, A.L., Paton, G., Page, M.J. and Truby, H. (2019). Effect of alcohol consumption on food energy intake: a systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Nutrition, 121(5), 481-495.
[9] Haber, P. S., & Kortt, N. C. (2021). Alcohol use disorder and the gut. Addiction, 116(3), 658-667.
[11] Chiva-Blanch, G. and Badimon, L. (2020). Benefits and Risks of Moderate Alcohol Consumption on Cardiovascular Disease: Current Findings and Controversies. Nutrients, 12(1), 108.
Last Reviewed: 2nd May 2023
Next Review due: 2nd May 2026