Summer is boozy. What do you do when its warm and sunny and you want to meet up with your mates? You go to the pub, the park or your back garden and you have a few. And then a few more oi oi. It’s easy to find yourself drinking at least 4 days of the week. Now I know two weeks doesn’t seem like a long period of time and that’s what makes this study even more interesting. In just two weeks without drinking you can notice surprising effects on the body and the mind.
We all know that the organ most closely associated with drinking is the liver and, according to Dr. Jake Deutsch, founder and clinical director of CURE Urgent Care, the effects of drinking are cumulative. What that means is that having a few drinks a day can be as damaging as excessive binge drinking and can lead to ulcers, pancreatitis and cirrhosis.
Weight
So those are the nasty things we’re looking to avoid. But what about the benefits of a short hiatus from the good stuff? Well we’re happy to report that one of the main changes you’ll notice is weight loss. Did you know that a single measure of most popular spirits has a higher calorie count than the equivalent of single cream? A pint of Guinness has 210 calories, while expresso martinis contain a scary 285! With a balanced diet you can lose several pounds in just two weeks.
Skin
There are other aesthetic benefits too. Just like rubbing fried chicken on your face, drinking alcohol can be incredibly damaging to your skin. Those of you with particularly dry or spotty skin will, according to Dr. David Colbert in an interview with the Huff Post, experience a notable improvement over just two weeks. It’s all due to the liver, guys. Who knew?
Productivity
This is where the biggest gains are made. The mind is a complicated place and, it seems, booze does absolutely nothing to help matters. Those who drink are more likely to be depressed and stressed, two serious problems that can lead to more serious diseases like cancer. Your concentration and performance at work can also rise by up to 10% in just 14 days. Not to mention your performance in other areas 😉
Sleep
Sleep and wakefulness are two very important aspects of your day and alcohol can negatively affect them both. Studies by the Wake Forest University Baptists Medical Centre have shown that alcohol can disrupt the deepest parts of your sleep which is why you feel so tired when you wake up. A test by Preventing Chronic Disease found that sleep and wakefulness can both be improved by a much as 5% over two weeks. So you can wake up feeling properly refreshed every single day and actually use your weekends for something positive!
I’m not going to lie, I think I might try this out. I’ll be thinner, my skin will look better, I’ll be more productive and I’ll feel refreshed after every sleep. Not only that, you’ll have a lot more money to your name to spend on experiences, food, clothes etc. But then again it’s Friday tomorrow and I have big plans. Decision decisions!
