Your First Year of Sobriety: Positive Physical and Mental Health Changes and Challenges

A month-by-month breakdown of what to expect in your first year of sobriety.

Most people who have been through years of alcohol or drug addiction are nervous about their first year of sobriety. But it can be a great time to work on yourself and your health.

Here are some positive physical and mental health changes you may go through in your first year of sobriety.

Photo by Dan Meyers on Unsplash

What are some of the physical and mental health changes that you can expect to experience when you stop drinking?

In general, here are some of the physical and mental benefits you can expect during your first year of sobriety.

• You will sleep better. Alcohol interferes with your body’s natural sleep cycle by suppressing the hormones that regulate deep, restorative sleep. Without alcohol, you may find that you can fall asleep and stay asleep much more easily at night and wake up feeling rested in the morning.
• You’ll feel more energetic. Drinking alcohol on a regular basis can lead to fatigue and sluggishness because it dehydrates your body, interfering with the production of adenosine…