Benefits Of Sobriety

By now, most of us are familiar with the health risks linked to regular drug and alcohol use. There’s a wealth of information out there—from books and articles to podcasts and studies—that makes it hard to find anyone unaware of the significant drawbacks of these habits.

With this in mind, today’s blog post will take a different route. We’re not going to rehash the well-known physical health impacts. Instead, we’ll shine a light on three topics that only sometimes make the conversational topic pool yet are crucial to understanding the full spectrum of the benefits of abstaining from drugs and alcohol.

Sobriety gives you more new, free time

Aside from the health benefits that come with being sober, many people report feeling as though they have much more time than they did when using their drug of choice. So, are these feelings actually real? Do you really gain more time when you choose sobriety?

 

Interestingly enough, a 2023 study found that the feeling of more time is more than just a feeling; it’s a reality. The study indicates that individuals in recovery can gain between 16 to 18 hours of new free time, as they no longer need to spend time acquiring, using and recuperating from substances. 

 

All the time that would have typically been consumed by day-long alcohol or drug binges, the recovery time from hangovers or comedowns, and even waiting for a drug dealer to arrive or for an off-licence/liquor store to open at odd hours—these all contribute to the 16-18 hours previously spent on drugs or alcohol.

 

So, what were these people doing with their newfound free time? Below are excerpts from interviews conducted during this study:

 

Participant 3: “On Fridays, if I have time I go for meetings and if not, I go visit with my family, like my parents and my sisters so that kind of fills my time.”

 

Participant 5: “I hang out with my girlfriend more. We are spending more and more time together and I’m happy with it. She supports me in every way.”

 

Participant 4: “My schedule during the week is very structured, which helps me. Structure and consistency are key for me.”

 

Participant 4: “Well, I get up earlier now, I actually make the bed, which I normally did not because I was always in the bed. On a nice day I open the window and go outside and you know just feel more alive.”

 

Transformative sleep benefits

Matt Walker, a renowned neuroscience professor, discussed the concerning links between alcohol and sleep in a 2021 podcast. Now, before we go any further, you might think that alcohol helps you sleep better, right? Actually, the opposite is true.

 

Consuming alcohol and certain drugs (like cannabis) might make you lose consciousness faster, but it doesn’t necessarily help you fall into natural sleep more quickly. Alcohol disrupts sleep quality by causing frequent awakenings throughout the night, leading to fragmented and less continuous sleep. Even if you don’t always remember these awakenings, they still affect the overall quality of your sleep, making you feel unrestored the next day. 

 

Walker also stated that alcohol is particularly effective at blocking REM sleep, which is essential for cognitive functions and emotional health, acting, as he calls it, as a form of overnight mental therapy.

 

Matt Walker’s research clearly shows that embracing sobriety can significantly enhance sleep quality and overall mental health. Without alcohol and drugs, you’re more likely to fall into deep, restorative sleep naturally, which allows for the crucial REM stages essential for memory retention and emotional processing. Over time, consistent sleep patterns supported by sobriety help regulate mood and manage stress more effectively, leading to greater mental resilience and emotional stability. 

 

Avoiding the sleep disruptions caused by alcohol and drugs can lead to waking up feeling refreshed and clear-headed, fully prepared to tackle the day’s challenges. It’s no surprise, then, that many people highlight sobriety as a critical step toward improved mental well-being and long-term health.

Overall life improvements

When people talk about the benefits of sobriety, they tend to focus mainly on its positive effects on physical health. However, this viewpoint might miss one of the most profound impacts of sobriety: its holistic effect on one’s entire life. Choosing sobriety sharpens one’s mental clarity, deepens one’s relationships and leads to a more fulfilling and purpose-driven life.

 

Take a look at Mike Davidson’s blog on the sobriety site IWNDWYT. Mike has thoughtfully shared the overall life benefits sobriety has brought him in a well-crafted post. We decided to delve deeper into Mike’s experiences and explore why he’s seeing these positive changes.

 

• “Kept up with the housework. Now my house is no longer a cesspit” 

 

What’s happening here?: Sobriety boosts energy and mental clarity, making it easier to handle daily chores like housework that might have been neglected due to alcohol’s effects.

 

• “Organised and paid all of my bills. No more late fees because I was too drunk or hungover to pay the damn bills.”

 

What’s happening here?: Alcohol and drugs impair cognitive functions, leading to forgetfulness. Sobriety restores these abilities, improving financial management and ensuring bills are paid on time.

 

• “Caught up with friends. It is important to keep social after all.”

 

What’s happening here?: Alcohol and drug addiction can isolate people or create superficial social interactions centred around drinking. Sobriety creates more meaningful connections and activities with friends, strengthening relationships.

 

• Kept up with the exercise for me and my dog. I barely walked the dog before relying on my SO to take care of him.

 

What’s happening here?: Alcohol and drugs reduce physical activity and energy. Sobriety brings back vitality and motivation, making regular exercise easier and benefiting your health and furry friends.

 

• “Really excelled in work. No more half or zero productive days where I barely keep awake for the whole shift.”

 

What’s happening here?: Alcohol and drugs reduce physical activity and energy. Sobriety brings back vitality and motivation, making regular exercise easier and benefiting both your personal health and your furry friends.

 

• Enrolled in a cooking class. Eating healthier is a lot easier when you know what you are doing!

 

What’s happening here?: Sobriety often leads to a reevaluation of health and lifestyle choices. Learning to cook is a step towards healthier eating and better diet management, previously neglected due to alcohol.

 

Turning to sobriety has clearly transformed many aspects of Mike’s life. These positive changes reflect a renewed sense of control and overall well-being, something that would have been nearly impossible to achieve if he was still drinking alcohol.

Are you ready to make the switch to sobriety?

If you or a loved one has been struggling with alcohol or drug addiction, know that there’s help available for you. Start the recovery process by reaching out to a trusted alcohol rehab or drug rehab facility today. The comprehensive programmes offer alcohol detoxification services, as well as drug detox services, tailored to support your journey to recovery. 

 

Contact Us Today