Have you ever woken up night after night feeling like your mind and body have been through the wringer, wondering if there is a better way to live? In a world where “the wine will flow red, round, and the music will play loud,” going teetotal, or completely abstaining from alcohol, will feel like a very unnatural life to lead.
But the benefits of teetotalism can be life-changing for you. Whether you are just curious or totally committed, let us explore why millions around the world are embracing the teetotal lifestyle.
What Does It Mean to Be Teetotal?
First things first, teetotalism is the voluntary choice to avoid all alcoholic beverages for life; it must not be confused with temporary sober-curious breaks, like Dry January. It is also different from sobriety in that being sober or sobriety refers to not being under the influence of any psychoactive substance.
Teetotalism can be traced back to the 1800s, with the Preston Temperance Society meeting in 1883. This society was established by Joseph Livesey, who also authored a book called The Pledge, which contains the following – “We agree to abstain from all liquors of an intoxicating quality, whether ale, porter, wine, or ardent spirits, except as medicine.”
Today, with non-alcoholic options like zero-proof beers and mocktails becoming increasingly popular, being a teetotaler is easier and more socially acceptable than ever. It is no longer depriving yourself of alcohol, but something empowering.
Physical Health: The Foundation of Teetotal Benefits
One of the first things that comes to mind when we think about the benefits of teetotalism is our physical health. After all, alcoholism can impact bodily functioning the most. Here are some of the ways your physical health can improve when you follow the teetotal lifestyle:
Increased Energy
Alcohol is a central nervous system (CNS) depressant; it slows down your brain functioning. This can bring down your energy levels, too. When you stop drinking alcohol, you experience boosted energy levels that impact your focus, productivity, and performance.
Better Sleep
While alcohol is often considered a sleep aid, regular and heavy use of alcohol can be counterproductive to your sleep quality. It impacts the rapid eye movement (REM) stage of your sleep, which is needed for rest and rejuvenation. When you give up alcohol, you will experience a better quality of sleep without any disturbances.
You can further enhance this by putting away digital devices at least one hour before your bed and engaging in deep breathing exercises.
No Dehydration
Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning it can impact your body’s ability to hold on to water, leading to dehydration. When you give up alcohol and keep your body hydrated, you will find that you will feel fresher and rejuvenated than before.
Healthy Weight
Without the added calories of alcohol, you can maintain a healthy weight. By replacing alcohol with a nutritious diet, plenty of water, and exercise, you can move toward greater fitness levels.
Better Skin
As alcohol leads to dehydration, it depletes the skin of its quality and shine. It even gives a prematurely aged look. However, this can be reversed by following a teetotal lifestyle.
Better Liver Functioning
Alcohol hits the liver the hardest, leading to risks like liver fibrosis and even irreversible liver cirrhosis, which can only be treated with a liver transplant. When you embrace teetotalism, you can experience better liver functioning and protect your liver from lasting consequences.
Reduces Risk of Heart Conditions and Cancer
Alcohol increases the risk of heart conditions and cancer, but by following a teetotal lifestyle, one can reduce these risks to a great extent.
Mental and Emotional Clarity: The Overlooked Teetotal Benefits
While the physical complications of alcoholism are more or less visible, the unseen effects are bigger. It is how alcohol affects your mind and brain functioning. So, here are some mental and emotional benefits of teetotalism you stand to gain should you adopt this lifestyle:
Better Brain Functioning
Regular alcohol use impacts your brain chemistry and functioning to the point that it begins to depend on alcohol to feel normal. When you embrace teetotalism, you can reverse this and experience better brain functioning, leading to better focus and clarity.
Enhanced Cognitive Functioning
Chronic alcoholism impacts your learning and memory abilities. On the other hand, teetotalism enhances your cognitive functioning – keeping it sharper even as one ages.
Reduced Mental Health Complications
Alcohol use can lead to or worsen mental health complications like anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, trauma, personality disorders, schizophrenia, and more. This is known as a dual diagnosis. When you follow a teetotal lifestyle, it also reduces your mental health symptoms and protects you from other mental health complications.
Better Relationships
Alcohol takes away from the experience of your relationships. You can resort to secrecy and lying, which breaks the basic trust one should have in their relationships. By embracing teetotalism, you can put in more time and effort into repairing your relationships for joy and fulfillment in your life.
Financial and Lifestyle Advantages: Saving More Than Just Money
One of the more common and often overlooked benefits of teetotalism is related to finance. The financial teetotal benefits are indeed eye-opening. Alcohol becomes an expensive habit, as even moderate drinking can add up to thousands of dollars annually, not to mention the other dollars invested into treating the physical and mental health complications it leads to. By saving on alcohol, you can establish financial stability and invest in things that are better for you – like your interests, passions, and other hobbies.
Alcoholism takes up a lot of your time and money, so teetotalism enhances your lifestyle as well. Without hangovers stealing your days and binge drinking stealing your weekends, you can pursue meaning and purpose in your life. You can even contribute to the environment, as less alcohol consumption means a reduced carbon footprint from production and transport as well.
Overcoming Challenges: Making Teetotalism Sustainable
While the pledge of “We agree to abstain from all liquors of an intoxicating quality, whether ale, porter, wine, or ardent spirits, except as medicine” still holds true 200 years later, teetotalism is not easy, nor is it without challenges.
Cravings and social pressure can test your resolve, but some strategies can help:
- Take baby steps. Try it for a month and focus on the benefits of teetotalism that you have gained. Over time, these positives will outweigh the initial discomfort so that you can lead a free, sober life.
- Build a strong support system that enables your teetotalism; avoid or cut off contacts that enable alcohol use. This can sound difficult, but drawing boundaries is crucial so that you can say no to alcohol.
- Explore alcohol-free alternatives – there are plenty of physical, creative, leisure, and wellness activities you can engage in that are both healthier and fun. For instance, hiking, photography, meditation, yoga, and more.
Of course, in many cases, these tips are easier said than done. Especially when you or a loved one is struggling with heavy alcoholism or alcohol use disorder.
Embrace the Teetotal Lifestyle With Skyline Recovery Today!
The benefits of teetotalism are undeniable, but the path to it can be challenging. When you are struggling with heavy alcohol use or alcohol use disorder, quitting alcohol by yourself can be difficult and even dangerous. But you do not have to do it on your own.
Reach out to Skyline Recovery Center at (310) 269-0038 today. Our expert team offers personalized outpatient recovery programs, including psychotherapy, medication management, peer support, and aftercare. So, do not delay any longer, your brighter future begins now!