Four ways quitting alcohol helps you look and feel better

Many people who decide to stop drinking alcohol find a great deal of benefits to their overall wellbeing. In fact, giving up alcohol altogether is becoming a more popular choice among younger generations in the UK.

Last year, a poll of 2,000 UK adults found that Britons are motivated to drink mindfully, with 61% saying they are more inclined to drink alcohol in moderation.

Most of the UK population are not heavy drinkers, with some groups likely to drink more than others. According to Alcohol Change, groups that are more likely to drink regularly or in excess include higher earners, older people and men.

According to the NHS, drinking less than 14 units of alcohol a week is considered “low-risk drinking” - which has been dubbed as such because there is no "safe" drinking level.

But drinking more than 14 units a week on a regular bases can increase the risk of developing certain illnesses, including mouth cancer, throat cancer, and breast cancer; as well as stroke, heart disease, liver disease, brain damage, and damage to the nervous system.

Watch: "Six months ago I quit alcohol - I have never felt better and saved £5k"

The NHS states that research shows drinking excessive amounts of alcohol has also been linked to poorer mental health.

Low-risk, moderate drinking, which means drinking no more than 14 units of alcohol per week that are spread out over three or more days, usually doesn’t result in any health issues.

But if a heavy drinker was to quit alcohol, they would likely see a number of positive changes to their health and wellbeing in a short space of time.

These are five ways that quitting drinking can help you look and feel better.

Your skin improves

Alcohol can impact the appearance of your skin in several ways. According to skin expert Kate Kerr, the sugar content of alcohol can encourage inflammation, which leads to cell damage - which results in issues like ageing, pigmentation, and hydration loss.

Alcohol is also very dehydrating, explains Corina Mihalache, founder of Ace Skin Health. "Alcohol strips the skin of moisture and natural oils, leaving your complexion looking dull, dry and grey.

"It increases the production of free radicals, accelerating oxidative stress and damaging collagen and elastin, which leads to sagging skin and wrinkles."

Quitting alcohol means your skin will be more hydrated and less prone to these issues, improving overall appearance and skin health.

Your sleep improves

Regular drinking can affect the quality of your sleep, leaving you feeling tired and sluggish throughout the day. This is because drinking alcohol disrupts your sleep cycle, according to Drink Aware.

The charity says: “If you stop drinking completely, one of the first things you notice should be improved energy levels, better sleep and finding it easier to wake up in the morning.

"Although some people find drinking alcohol helps them get to sleep more quickly, the quality of sleep is affected. Alcohol disrupts the important Rapid Eye Movement (REM) stage of sleep, which can leave you feeling tired the next day - no matter how long you stay in bed."

Your hair improves

Just as alcohol has an impact on your skin, it can also affect your hair health. Dr Greg Vida tells Yahoo UK that some of the side effects related to heavy alcohol drinking can include hair damage and hair loss.

The dehydration caused by alcohol can cause your hair to become dry, brittle and make it prone to breakage. Excessive alcohol consumption can also deplete the body’s levels of zinc and iron, he says, which are key minerals to maintain healthy, strong hair.

"Hair thinning and hair loss from heavy alcohol consumption should be temporary," Dr Vida, senior surgeon at Harley Street Hair Clinic, says. "If you have noticed your hair getting dry, brittle and thin due to excessive drinking, we recommend assessing your daily intake and altering it to stick with the guidelines of the recommended units or quitting alcohol completely.

"Your hair should then get back to its normal healthy state within a couple of months."

Your mental health improves

Drinking a lot or drinking every day can have a negative effect on your mental health. According to the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RC Psych), alcohol affects your brain chemistry, increasing the risk of depression, panic disorder, and impulsive behaviour.

Hangovers can also make you feel ill, anxious and jittery. If you develop a problem with alcohol, it can cause other problems in your life and affect your relationships, work, friendships, or sex life.

RC Psych says that cutting down or stopping drinking altogether can have a positive effect on your mental health.

“If drinking has been making you feel bad, after a few weeks of not drinking you might start to feel better physically and mentally.” However, the organisation recommends that if you have struggled to stop using alcohol, or if it is worsening your mental health, you should talk to your GP.

Read more about alcohol and health:

• UK women named world’s biggest female binge drinkers (Yahoo Life UK, 5-min read)

• Mental Health Expert Shares The Worst Alcohol For Anxiety (HuffPost, 4-min read)

• Harm caused by alcohol costs £27.4bn a year in England – figures (PA Media, 3-min read)