Every year Sober October encourages people to take a month of alcohol to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support. Tens of thousands of people have taken up the challenge, raising hundreds of thousands of pounds in the process.

As well as raising money for a good cause, the initiative is an opportunity to take a very positive step to improve people’s physical and mental health. It often surprises casual drinkers, who do not think that they overindulge in alcohol, just how much better they feel after taking a month off.

The long-term health benefits of giving up alcohol are well known, but people who complete dry months often report lesser known upsides, such as better moods, finding it easier to concentrate and having more regular sleep patterns.

This October will be the first nationally recognised ‘dry month’ since the pandemic restrictions ended, so could be a great opportunity for people who over-indulged during lockdown to re-evaluate their drinking and see the effect that is it having on their physical and mental health.

Dee Johnson, an Addiction Therapist at Priory Hospital Chelmsford, agrees; “The benefits of cutting out alcohol are much greater than just avoiding the obvious effects of excessive drinking.” She explains that over time, alcohol negatively affects the body’s physiology; “Alcohol is a central nervous system suppressant, so it interferes with the brain’s neural communication pathways. These are essential for sending the correct information for the body to respond to, for example, they are why you flinch and remove your hand you touch a hot surface. Regular alcohol use will slow down and impede such vital reactions, on such a subtle level that a person may not be consciously aware of the maladaptive effect.”

She adds; “This also means alcohol slows down cognitive and emotional responses, and inhibits the ability to think quickly and clearly.”

Dee says it is not just the brain that is negatively affected by drinking; “Alcohol can stop the body absorbing thiamine, an essential B Vitamin that converts our food into energy, which can make you feel sluggish and tired if you do not get enough.”

These physical changes in turn take their toll on people’s mental health, as Dee explains; “Becoming tired and sluggish has the knock on effect of being irritated, angry and detached. These feelings are not beneficial for maintaining happy relationships, and being in a constant negative agitated state at home and at work can chip away at your self-worth.”

“Over time alcohol can supress our senses, so quitting or cutting down can bring so much more joy, appreciation and pleasure of what we can taste, smell, hear and feel. It also prevents people from being able to process their emotions healthily, leading to more mental health issues and therefore work and relationship issues.”

People who go sober for October spare themselves these effects, and by the end of the month will be feeling much better for it. “Physically being more alert, engaged, and able to maintain information and think clearly are easy wins that just make daily life a bit less of a struggle” says Dee. “Removing a product that actually causes depression and heightens anxiety is a bonus, for yourself and those around you”, she adds.

While everyone will feel the benefit of giving up alcohol for a month, people who are really struggling with their drinking should seek professional help. The first place to go is their GP, and other support is available at Alcoholics Anonymous or a provider like The Priory, which offers free addiction assessments at many of its alcohol rehabilitation centres across the UK.