Drinking alcohol is something that’s deeply ingrained into how most people socialise, but what happens when you fight back against the norm and go cold turkey?
According to one former drinker, it changed everything for them.
On Reddit, user u/psychologized posted the result of quitting alcohol for two months by tracking their heart rate variability through their Oura Ring, and the results were amazing.
An Oura Ring allows users to track their heart rate, blood oxygen, breathing regularity, heart rate variability, temperature, activity, and sleep, so that they can have a better insight into their body and health.
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The user, who posted in the r/ouraring subreddit, shared an image of their tracker and it shows an upward trajectory from when they stopped consuming alcohol.
They wrote: “Eight weeks ago, I turned a personal health goal into an experiment by quitting alcohol to see its effect on my Heart Rate Variability (HRV) scores, tracked through my Oura Ring.
“The resulting graph, which I’m sharing with you all today, offers a fascinating glimpse into the body’s response to lifestyle changes.”
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According to the user, before they decided to overhaul their lifestyle, they used to drink ‘once a week’, but it was at those times that they would drink enough to cause a nasty hangover the next day.
Before deciding to quit, they’d been taking part in ‘social events that involved alcohol for eight consecutive weeks’ but believes that their ‘drinking pattern as being well below average’.
Speaking to others in the comments who were curious about the effects of stopping alcohol consumption, they explained that: “Quitting alcohol brought more than just HRV score improvements. I’ve experienced a significant boost in mood and cognitive function, making me feel sharper and more focused.
“My anxiety has nearly vanished, enhancing my overall well-being. Physically, my energy during workouts has increased, allowing me to perform better. So, it’s been a holistic improvement, with the HRV score being just one piece of the puzzle.”
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A fellow Reddit user also believed that the same thing happened to them and shared that they noticed improved sleep, and more energy after going on their sober journey.
They wrote: “There are so many follow on effects, things I noticed as I’ve cut back alcohol including getting much better sleep, rather than having 1-3 days of reduced sleep quality post-drinking, better food choices compared to hangover days, more energy for activities like exercise and social interaction. It just goes on and on.”
Another was simply pleased to be seeing positive content and success stories surrounding no alcohol on their feed.
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They wrote: “These posts are exactly what other users want to see as it may motivate them to make a change and see if it works for them. I’m doing Feb fast and the change has been insane to my HRV, RHR and Deep sleep.
“I’ve had Oura for years and years (since Gen 1) so have a lot of data. And yes, I workout six or seven days a week so know exactly that my change is from alcohol. Nothing else.”
Britt Jones