Top 5 Things that Happen When you Stop Drinking Alcohol

No one likes being sick. As humans, we rely on our immune system to not only keep harmful germs and illnesses out, but also to fight them once they’ve made it in. The problem with alcohol is that it diminishes our body’s ability to fight off these microscopic assailants. In fact, a study by published by the international biomedical journal called Alcohol found that, within 20 minutes of ingesting an alcoholic beverage, your body’s immune system is severely weakened, prohibiting it from performing all the functions that keep you from coughing and sneezing for two weeks straight. Getting on the giving up drinking wagon might just be the cold and flu remedy that’s escaped you all these years. Kick the liquor; get less sicker.

While knocking back a few adult beverages can be a blast, the health effects can be downright deadly. Heavy consumption of alcohol can lead to an increased risk of various forms of cancer, including those that affect the liver, breasts and colon, according to the National Cancer Institute. As such, giving up the hooch dramatically decreases the risk of contracting these forms of alcohol-related diseases. However, because moderate alcohol consumption can help reduce the risk of heart disease, the chances of quitting negatively impacting your most important organ may increase. So if you do decide to stop drinking, it may be best to speak with a health care professional to ensure you don’t experience any negative heart-related drawbacks.

It has been long-accepted that a little drink before bed will help you nod off a little quicker. While it is true that alcohol can make you sleepy, the disadvantage begins with alpha wave patterns in the brain. Alpha wave patterns are kind of like the brain equivalent of when you close your laptop, but it doesn't really slip in to sleep mode. Because consuming alcohol before going bed increases these waves, it leads to disrupted sleep. Booze is also a diuretic, which is fancy science talk for saying it makes you pee more. Having to pee while sleeping causes you to wake up earlier and more often than normal. But then of course, the only thing worse than waking up too early is waking up hung-over...

It’s no secret that alcohol doesn’t do your body any favors. However, many people don’t realize just how many calories they are consuming during their Friday happy hour. With sugary drinks such as margaritas and pina coladas containing anywhere between 300 and 500 calories, it is easy to see how cutting out the booze can lead to a thinner waistline. Additionally, a study by the American Journal of Nutrition found that “alcohol is one of the biggest drivers of excess food intake.” How many times have you stumbled home from the club at 3:00AM only to stop for a quick burrito with a side of cheeseburgers? All those late-night snacks and empty calories from liquor add up. Drop the booze and you’ll drop the pounds.

Whether you’re drinking scotch from a crystal tumbler or Pabst Blue Ribbon from an unsanitary beer bong, alcohol can leave a major dent in your wallet. A night out on the town can sometimes feel like a scene from “Ocean’s 11” – where the casino vault is your bank account and Danny Ocean and his friends are the bartenders. Simply put, quitting the hooch will lead to more money in your pocket. From taxes and tips to fine wine and celebratory champagne, drinking is a costly endeavor. Who hasn’t woken up after a long night only to realize that the $100 he or she took out at the ATM is nowhere to be found? Stop consuming alcohol and your wallet will thank you.

Do you agree with our list? What are some of the benefits of quitting alcohol that you know of? For more entertaining Top 5s and awesome Top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to MsMojo.