What Happens to Your Body When You Quit Drinking?

Cutting back or quitting drinking can be a beneficial step toward improving your health and overall wellbeing.¹ This page will help you understand the positive effects of quitting alcohol, including what happens to your body when you stop drinking and how to start the path to recovery.

Timeline of Changes After You Stop Drinking Alcohol

The exact benefits of quitting drinking can vary for each person depending on different variables, such as how much and how often they were drinking, what their tolerance level was, whether they were physiologically dependent on alcohol, and other individual health factors.^2,3,4,5

Hours After Quitting Drinking

Upon quitting drinking, the body is no longer subject to the potential harm of alcohol, allowing for natural healing processes to begin. Consider the following:

• Hydration – Alcohol acts as a diuretic, increasing both urine production and output, which can cause dehydration. When drinking stops, however, the body can restore its hydration levels, quickly resulting in benefits such as increased energy, better cognition, and improved digestion.⁶
•  Improved sleep – Alcohol can produce negative effects on one’s sleep, including disruption of the REM and SWS cycles, which can lead to insomnia, daytime sleepiness, and the continued use of alcohol to self-medicate.⁷ More restful sleep can be obtained once alcohol is no longer being consumed. ⁷ 

First Month After Quitting Drinking

Within the first month after quitting drinking, sleep continues to improve and the benefits of continued hydration may start to become obvious, such as clearer, more youthful looking skin. Some people may also experience fluctuation in weight, with some losing weight due to no longer consuming empty calories from alcohol and others gaining weight as a result of better nutrition. 

Three to Six Months After Quitting Drinking

Depending on the severity of one’s alcohol consumption, the liver may start to heal itself around this timeframe (if not sooner).⁸ The liver is capable of regenerating itself on its own, especially when toxins like alcohol are not present in the body.⁹ Quitting drinking can allow the liver to recover much of its mass and function.⁹ 

The heavy, chronic use of alcohol has been linked to internal inflammation of several organs and systems, including the liver, heart, brain, and the gastrointestinal system.10Inflammation of these and other parts of the body can decrease after a few months without alcohol consumption. 

Six Months to 1 Year After Quitting Drinking

Around six months after quitting drinking, improvements across the cardiovascular system can occur. These may include:^11,12

• Decreased risk of heart disease. 
• Improved blood pressure (especially for those who had elevated blood pressure while drinking).
• Improved heart function, specifically in the primary pumping chamber of the heart.

Additionally, marked improvements to the immune system are notable around this time, as alcohol is no longer present to disrupt immune pathways throughout the body.¹³ Therefore, ailments and illnesses are less.

Lifelong and Long-Term Impacts of Quitting Drinking

As abstinence from alcohol continues past one year and on, additional benefits can still be obtained. These can include:¹

• A reduced chance of stroke.
• A reduced risk of various types of cancer.
• A decreased risk of liver disease.
• A potentially stronger immune system.
• Sustained recovery from alcohol use disorder (AUD).
• A lower risk of cognitive problems, such as dementia.
• Better mental health and a reduced risk of problems like depression or anxiety.
• Improved relationships with family and friends.

Quitting drinking alcohol and going through recovery is a process that isn’t always going to be easy or enjoyable. However, no matter how things might seem right now, it’s important to know that there is hope, and proper treatment can help you attain and sustain sobriety. 

How to Start the Recovery Journey

If your loved one is struggling, our pages on helping a loved one with addiction and convincing someone to go to rehab can help you understand the signs that someone should go to rehab and explain how to get help. Our facilities offer individualized, evidence-based treatment on all levels of care, including medical detox, inpatient drug and alcohol rehab, and outpatient addiction treatment programs.

When you’re ready to reach out, please call us any time of day or night at to speak to a knowledgeable and compassionate admissions navigator. We can help you understand how to choose a rehab facility and using health insurance to pay for rehab, and quickly verify your insurance.