10 Ways Your Body Will Thank You For Getting Sober

healthy sober lifestyle

The benefits of getting sober far exceed a life without hangovers. You’ll experience a whole host of benefits when you break free from substance use disorder. From losing weight to improving anxiety, your body (and mind) will thank you.

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10 Body Benefits of Getting Sober

Let’s look at 10 ways your body will thank you for getting sober.

Benefit #1: Your Sleep Improves

Alcohol-induced sleep isn’t good quality sleep. In fact, alcohol negatively impacts your circadian rhythm. Early in recovery, you may find that sobriety disrupts your sleep. However, soon, you’ll experience a restful slumber. You may have forgotten what being well-rested feels like, and you’ll be surprised by how much energy you have.

Benefit #2: Weight Control Gets Easier

Depending on your drug of choice, you may’ve gained weight in active addiction. If you drank alcohol, which is full of calories, you likely gained weight. If you used drugs, you may have become increasingly lethargic or have eaten a lot of junk food. Once sober, it’s easier to make healthier choices.

Many sober people also start working out again in early recovery. Not only does exercise help you lose weight, but it also produces endorphins (or the feel-good brain chemicals). For many, exercise helped them feel good physically and mentally.

Stopping drinking or using drugs can help your body to reset. You’re also likely to make healthier choices once sober.

Benefit #3: Your Heart Says “Thank You”

Alcohol and other drugs significantly impact your body’s organs, especially the heart. Substances put an undue strain on the heart, making it less efficient. Many substances can even cause heart disease.

Getting sober, however, is a great step toward improving your heart health.

Benefit #4: You Have More Energy

Poor quality sleep, lack of nutrients, and common mental health problems associated with addiction all cause low energy. Sobriety, improved sleep, and a better mental state can give you more energy. With all the newfound time and energy of sobriety, you may begin exploring new hobbies.

Benefit #5: Your Immunity Improves

Alcohol and other drugs deplete the nutrients you might otherwise absorb in food. You’re then more prone to illness, like colds and flu. When your body is stronger and more capable, it’s easier for it to ward off illness.

Benefit #6: Your Mind Gets Healthier

Drugs and alcohol drastically impact your mental health. Addiction can cause anxiety, depression, and even schizophrenia. Recovery helps to even out your brain chemistry over time. Soon, you may begin to feel less anxious or depressed. You may be more likely to get treatment for any co-occurring mental health conditions that accompanied your addiction so you can reclaim the quality of life you deserve.

Addiction wreaks havoc on your brain chemistry. After some time in recovery, your endorphins and dopamine levels have a better chance of functioning normally.

Benefit #7: Your Skin Improves

Alcohol and other drugs can cause noticeable skin damage. You may get bags under the eyes, have broken capillaries, and break out in acne. When you stop drinking or using drugs, the absence of those substances can cause your skin to improve. In recovery, you’re also more likely to form a skincare routine, eat more nutritious food, and drink significantly more water — all of which improve skin health.

Benefit #8: Your Relationships Improve

This is a physical, mental, and emotional benefit. Recovery helps us to heal broken relationships and be more expressive to those we love. Social and romantic connections can improve and deepen when formed in sobriety.

Benefit #9: Your Self-Esteem and Confidence Will Grow

Sustaining sobriety is a massive achievement. Over time, your success in recovery can improve your self-esteem and confidence regarding other facets of life. When we take such a big step like getting sober, it can spur us to approach new (and sometimes hard) things more confidently.

Sustaining sobriety is an accomplishment. Success in recovery can be a springboard to succeed in other aspects of life.

Benefit #10: You Continue to Improve

Sobriety is a big step toward improving health. As we take inventory, we may find motivation (and confidence) to stop other harmful habits. This could be smoking, gambling, eating unhealthy food, or other habits.