The benefits of drinking less
If you’ve made the decision to cut back on alcohol you could be in for some pleasant changes. Not only will you feel and look better, but you’ll also reduce your risk of a range of serious health problems
A better night's sleep, brighter skin, and improved mood. Cutting back on alcohol can have positive effects on the way you look and feel – often within just a few days.
By reducing the amount you drink and having several drink-free days a week, it can also lower your risk of serious diseases, including several types of cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, liver disease, and stroke.1
How much alcohol is too much?
The UK Chief Medical Officers' (CMOs’) low risk drinking guidelines recommend it’s safest for both men and women to drink no more than 14 units a week, spread over three or more days with several drink-free days, and no bingeing.2
One unit of alcohol is 10ml or 8g of pure alcohol.3 The number of units you are drinking depends on the size and alcohol content of your drink.
If you’re currently regularly drinking more than the low risk drinking guidelines, you will be building up a tolerance to alcohol. This might mean that you notice the effects of alcohol less, but the more you drink the greater the risk to your health – including the risk of becoming dependent on alcohol.4,5
It’s also important to limit how much you drink on any single occasion. By avoiding drinking heavily over a short space of time, often called ‘bingeing’ or ‘binge-drinking’, you will be reducing your risk of accidents, making decisions you regret, and alcohol poisoning – which can be fatal.6
Benefits of reducing your drinking
There are lots of positive changes you will start to notice soon after reducing how much alcohol you drink. Feeling better in the mornings, being less tired during the day, better looking skin, and feeling more energetic.7 Find out more here.
- Deeper sleep and more energy
Alcohol affects your sleep. When you drink, you spend less time in the important Rapid Eye Movement (REM) stage of sleep,8 with the end result that you wake up feeling less refreshed. Even just a couple of drinks will have an effect. If you drink less, you’re less likely to snore,9 or need to get up to go to the toilet during the night10 – so you should get a better night’s sleep and feel more rested the next day. - Brighter mood
Alcohol can make stress and feeling anxious worse.11,12 That’s because it disrupts the delicate balance of chemicals and processes in your brain, affecting your thoughts, feelings and actions – and sometimes your long-term mental health.13,14,15 Drinking less can help you avoid low moods, more of the time – try keeping a mood diary to see if you notice the improvements from cutting back. - Better skin
Alcohol dehydrates your body, including the skin – and this happens every time you drink.16,17 When you drink, the dehydrating (or ‘diuretic’) effect of alcohol means your skin loses fluid and nutrients that are vital for healthy looking skin.18 Cutting out the dehydrating effect of alcohol means your skin will be losing less fluid and vital nutrients – so you could wave goodbye to dull, dry skin - Slimmer waistline
Alcohol contains around seven calories a gram – almost as many as a gram of fat.19 Most people who drink alcohol consume it as ‘extra’ calories to their normal diet, so by cutting back you will be reducing your total calorie intake which can help you maintain a healthy weight.20 - A happier stomach
Alcohol irritates your gut – including your stomach.21 Drinking too much alcohol can cause gastritis, and ingestion which causes heartburn.22,23 If you’re cutting back from heavy regular drinking, you will be allowing your body to digest food and absorb vital nutrients normally again, particularly certain proteins, vitamins, and minerals.24 - Discover new interests
If you tend to drink in the same place, or at the same time, or with the same people, cutting back may mean you change your routine. By doing something different with your time you could discover new interests and meet new people. You might even save some money too. - Lower your risk of alcohol-related harm
When it comes to your medium- to long-term health, cutting back on alcohol will lower your risk of serious diseases such as heart disease,25 liver disease,26 and stroke.27 It’s also likely to improve your overall physical and mental wellbeing. Your level of risk will depend on how much alcohol you have drunk over the long-term, and other lifestyle factors. But deciding to reduce how much you drink is a positive choice.
Cutting down (or stopping) drinking can have huge positive effects for your health and wellbeing. It’s important to stay motivated along the way, click below to find tips to achieve your goals.
Want to change the way you drink?
Get the free app from Drinkaware. Track how much you drink, calculate units and calories, and set goals to help you moderate your drinking.
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Other related content
Here are some other advice pages linked to motivation to the benefits of drinking less.
How alcohol can impact you
References
[11] Becker, H.C. (2017). Influence of stress associated with chronic alcohol exposure on drinking. Neuropharmacology, 122, 115-126.
[14] Becker, H.C. (2017). Influence of stress associated with chronic alcohol exposure on drinking. Neuropharmacology, 122, 115-126.
[18] Goodman, G. D., Kaufman, J., Day, D., Weiss, R., Kawata, A. K., Garcia, J. K., Santangelo, S., & Gallagher, C. J. (2019). Impact of Smoking and Alcohol Use on Facial Aging in Women: Results of a Large Multinational, Multiracial, Cross-sectional Survey. The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 12(8), 28–39.
[20] Kwok, A., Dordevic, A.L., Paton, G., Page, M.J. and Truby, H. (2019). Effect of alcohol consumption on food energy intake: a systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Nutrition, 121(5), 481-495.
[21] Haber, P. S., & Kortt, N. C. (2021). Alcohol use disorder and the gut. Addiction, 116(3), 658-667.
[25] Chiva-Blanch, G. and Badimon, L. (2020). Benefits and Risks of Moderate Alcohol Consumption on Cardiovascular Disease: Current Findings and Controversies. Nutrients, 12(1), 108.
Last Reviewed: 15th April 2026
Next Review due: 15th April 2029