Ramadan and quitting bad habits: alcohol

With 8 days for Ramadan to start, is a great way to change lifestyle in the upcoming month. As most Muslims go fasting, praying much and try to change to a positive mindset for a better life and health, also for non-muslims it's a perfect way to get rid of negative habits. For instance to quit drinking alcohol.

There is no doubt that quitting alcohol is beneficial for your brain (and a lot of other things).  But until now, there have been few concrete figures on how quickly your brain progresses when you practice abstinence.  Researchers at Stanford University recently changed that.

RAPID IMPROVEMENT

The researchers scanned the brains of 23 heavy drinkers (think: at least four glasses of alcohol in women at least once a week and six glasses in one day for men) after stopping drinking. The scans showed that the brain made new connections almost immediately after quitting. The rate at which the brain improved during abstinence was even greater in the first week to month than in the following months.

BLACKOUTS

And there was another surprising outcome.  After 7.3 months of not drinking, the participants' hippocampus was again of a comparable size to that of teetotalers.  The hippocampus is responsible, among other things, for learning new things and forming memories.  This part of the brain has to endure a lot during alcohol consumption.  Those blackouts during a night of drinking?  These are the result of a closed hippocampus, professor Erik Scherder once told Margriet.  “The more often you suffer from blackouts, the more damage is done to that part of your brain.”  A damaged hippocampus leads, among other things, to slower thinking and poorer long-term memory.

MORE BENEFITS OF QUITTING DRINKING

Drinking (too much) alcohol is known to pose many risks to the liver and heart. And it can lead to obesity and various forms of cancer, among other things. Curious about even more benefits of quitting drinking? Expert and experienced Saskia van der Zee already listed them for us:

SLEEP BETTER

You probably know that you sleep more restlessly after a night of drinking.  But did you know that alcohol can also have an effect on your sleep the following nights?  If you reduce or stop drinking alcohol, you will notice that you sleep better and deeper and therefore wake up more rested.

A HEALTHIER APPEARANCE

Unfortunately: alcohol makes it less attractive.  Your skin and hair can start to look dull and with excessive use your hair can even fall out.  If you stop, your skin will get a glow after a few weeks and your hair will also grow faster and stronger.

A BETTER CONDITION

Alcohol causes a permanently increased heart rate, which is not beneficial for your condition.  And good fitness is useful for many daily activities.  Think of climbing stairs, shopping and household chores.

ALWAYS FRESH AND FRUITY

In addition to the hangovers that will disappear when you stop drinking, you will also generally feel a lot better.  You have more energy, are more productive and get more excited about things.  Many people who stop drinking also take up new (healthy) hobbies.

MENTAL HEALTH IMPROVES

If your body is in better condition, you will of course also notice this mentally.  In addition, alcohol disrupts the neurotransmitters in the brain, making you feel depressed after use. If you stop, you will soon start to see life more positively.

Dr. Anne: "As you can see it has many benefits. It's worth to try and enjoy an alcohol free Ramadan. Did you know that in Europe the month of January is 'alcohol-free'? It's a challenge to work on yourself. And the community supports the efforts to stop drinking. Therefore give yourself a break. To experience the positives effects of fasting as non-muslim, or even join the fasting. You are more than welcome by many of us to support you to stop eating, smoking and drinking during the day, and improve your lifestyle. You are invited to share iftar with your Muslim friends. Wish you all a splendid Ramadan."

Note: if you need any help according to this topic, do you suffer from an (alcohol) addiction? Do you drink to feel better, forget your worries? Is it a non-resistable impulse that influence your daily life? Then it's wise to follow our ten weeks CBT training in our clinic. Contact: 01102093196