4 reasons being alcohol-free helps me feel different
1 Sleep
I was one of those people who slept badly when I had drunk (as I type this I wonder if there is any other sort).
After a particularly bad binge I staggered to bed taking my shoes off half way up the stairs (trip hazard next morning) hanging my top on the top of the stairs, jeans discarded in the bathroom (didn’t bother to brush teeth or take make up off), bra on the hallway bookshelf and knickers pinged across the bedroom (could’ve been perceived as sexy – absolutely wasn’t).
I collapsed into bed and was asleep within two seconds, deeply and snoring. Ah, the relief of that moment. About 3am I’d wake up with my head spinning and wonder why I’d ended up in this state and then an hour after that I’d be so thirsty but unable to drag myself to the kitchen for a drink so I lay there thirsty and wide awake.
Throughout the night I’d suffer with hot and cold sweats, a headache, a spinny head, ongoing thirst and a rising sense of dread about what I’d said to whom and how I’d got home. I would endlessly question how and why I’d got into this state and, of course, promise myself that I’d never do it again.
2 Hangovers
As I got older, they affected me more. My body was no longer as effective at processing the alcohol as it had been. I’ve tried every hangover ‘remedy’ in the past. Pharmacist options, full sugar fizzy drinks, copious amounts of tea, fried breakfasts – none of it works, it’s all just a distraction from the pain I was in.
3 Productivity
If I had drunk the night before my mornings were slow to start. I always did what I had to and would’ve looked fine from the outside but my work rate wouldn’t have been as good as it could be.
4 Relationships with my family
I used to regularly meet my Mum friends on a Friday night at one of our houses and we would feed the kids and then let them scamper off to play or look at screens while we got stuck in to the fizz. Don’t get me wrong there was a lot of fun had on these occasions but also, after the first couple of drinks, a lot of nonsense talked and a lot of stories repeated endlessly.
The children were pretty much ignored, we kidded ourselves they were happy but actually we didn’t know that for sure because we didn’t go and check on them and often when they came into the kitchen asking if it was time to go home they were told ‘not yet’ and our needs and wants were firmly put before theirs – sad, I know, you don’t need to tell me!
Now, things are very different… . I sleep well, don’t suffer any hangovers, brain fog or tiredness induced grumps, I’m productive at work, I’ve got my life in order and organised, my skin looks great, I eat well and my time with my family is SO much better spent!
It took a long time to make the decision to go alcohol-free… and I’ll never say it’s forever but with things looking how they do now – why would I ever go back?
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