Seven benefits of staying sober after Dry January

Flo Theoboldon 17 January 2023
Empty glass bottles lined up on a wall

As we’re halfway through Dry January, could sobriety be a good decision for you?

Maybe it’s finally time to take that big leap and leave behind all the substances that leave you feeling awful. Considering the benefits that staying sober will have on your life is the first step forward. Here are a few compelling reasons why becoming fully sober could change your life dramatically for the better: 

Will I sleep better sober?

The importance of sleep cannot be emphasised enough. When you don’t get the right amount of sleep, you’re going to feel cranky, unhealthy, and just not yourself. Alcohol and other substances alter your body's physiology and are not conducive to good sleep. 

They can keep you up at night with a racing mind, or they can do the opposite and make you constantly sleepy. Both will prevent you from sleeping properly and stop your body from fully recharging. Sobriety can eliminate this issue and help you to stick to a healthy sleep schedule, keeping you refreshed and productive.

What are the health benefits of sobriety? Or what risks do you avoid?

No one wants liver disease or other life-threatening health problems down the line. The reality though is that people are diagnosed with these diseases and complications every day. Abusing alcohol and drugs regularly automatically puts you at a higher risk of being diagnosed with horrible health complications. 

Practising being sober and making an effort to improve your health will reduce the chances of major health complications in the future. 

How will sobriety impact you financially?

Everything has some sort of price, including drugs and alcohol, these are also usually quite expensive for what they are. Staying financially stable is so much easier when you’re sober. As well as saving money in the long run, you’ll be in a better mindset to make responsible financial decisions. Watch your savings grow and your spending become reasonable and comfortable shortly after you turn to sobriety. 

Will sobriety help your social life?

When sober, you’ll find yourself with so much more time and energy to spend with the people who matter to you most. If alcohol and drugs are a consistent part of your life, you may spend a lot of time thinking about the next party. Staying sober is going to allow you to be fully present with others.

You’ll soon see that the relationships in your life mean more than drugs and alcohol do. You’ll also notice how much stronger the relationships in your life get.

Drink and drugs affect your overall mental health

Waking up and not being able to remember anything that happened the night before is not fun, this can cause anxiety and regrets. This can potentially ripple into your social life. It can be unsettling. Even when you don’t fully blackout after a night of drinking, it'll nearly always make your memory a little hazy. 

Being sober will prevent this, allowing you to be more alert and make the most of an enjoyable night. The same goes for your general energy levels. The combination of messed up sleep and damaged memory just makes you feel constantly sloppy and down. Sobriety will really help you get better at both of these and have a positive impact on your academic performance. 

It’s no secret that you are more productive, work harder and have better focus when you’re sober. Higher energy levels and an unclouded mind make it easier to stick to a task. This is especially important to consider if you're still at uni or if you notice your habits are affecting your everyday job.

You can still have fun on a night out with friends, but doing it substance free will benefit you so much the next day. You'll feel proud for still having a good time without relying on substances. 

Will you be more confident sober?

Taking a second to look at yourself to consider how you actually feel when drunk or high can be pretty eye-opening. Do you love yourself and feel proud or confident? Probably not, especially if you start to notice that your substance use is becoming a serious problem.

Sobriety can really change the way you see yourself. You won’t have to worry that people are judging you, be known as the one with no control and a liability. With some changes, self-confidence and self-respect may come easier.

Do you think student culture is too heavily tied to alcohol? Join the Student Hut Community to answer poignant questions like this in our panel.

Flo Theoboldon 17 January 2023