Rediscovering Physical Energy: How Sobriety Reset My Baseline

I always thought alcohol mostly messed with my mind: mood, anxiety, sleep, etc. Those were the obvious targets, the things you notice right away when you're drinking or hungover. But the biggest surprise for me after getting sober? Physical energy.

The Crashes Are Gone

I don't crash randomly in the middle of the day anymore. You know that feeling—2 PM hits and suddenly you're dragging. You need coffee, a nap, anything to make it through the afternoon. I thought that was just normal adult life. Everyone gets tired in the afternoon, right?

Wrong. It was the alcohol. Even days after drinking, even when I felt "fine," my body was still recovering. That mid-day exhaustion wasn't normal—it was my baseline being artificially lowered by constant alcohol consumption.

No More "Recovery Mode"

My body doesn't feel like it's running in "recovery mode" all the time anymore. When I was drinking, I didn't realize how much energy my body was dedicating to just... dealing with the alcohol. Processing it, repairing the damage, trying to maintain homeostasis while I kept throwing ethanol at it.

Now? My body can use that energy for actual living. For moving. For thinking. For healing actual injuries instead of self-inflicted ones.

Workouts Feel Different

Even my workouts feel cleaner. Not like I'm dragging a dead weight around. My muscles respond better. I recover faster. The soreness is the good kind—the "I worked hard" kind, not the "my body is confused and inflamed" kind.

I have better endurance, better strength, better coordination. It's not like I suddenly became an athlete—I just feel like I'm using the body I actually have, instead of a degraded version of it.

Even Walking Feels Better

This one surprised me the most. Even walking outside feels better. Lighter. Smoother. My joints don't ache as much. My breathing is easier. I can walk for longer without getting winded or tired.

It sounds so simple, but it matters. Movement shouldn't feel like a chore. Your body shouldn't feel heavy all the time. But when you're drinking regularly, it does—and you don't even realize it until it stops.

My Baseline Isn't 20% Battery Anymore

That's what it felt like before: like I was always running on 20% battery. Some days better, some days worse, but never fully charged. Never operating at full capacity. I thought that was just getting older, or stress, or not sleeping enough.

But it was the alcohol. It was always the alcohol, quietly draining my battery in the background.

Now I wake up at 70-80%. Not perfect—life is still life—but sustainable. I can make it through a full day without feeling like I'm running on fumes. I have energy left over at the end of the day. I can do things after work. I can enjoy my evenings instead of just collapsing on the couch.

This Energy Doesn't Feel Forced

Here's the thing that really gets me: this energy doesn't feel forced. It's not like caffeine where you get a spike and then a crash. It's not like pre-workout where you feel jittery and wired. It's just... steady. Clean. Natural.

This is how I was supposed to function the whole time. This is my actual baseline—the one I was born with, the one my body is capable of when I'm not actively poisoning it every week.

So Much Time Wasted on Bullshit Booze

I didn't realize how much alcohol was taxing me in the background until it was gone. I thought I was fine. I thought I was managing. I thought the tiredness, the sluggishness, the constant low-grade exhaustion was just... life.

But it wasn't. It was the booze. Quietly, invisibly draining my energy, every single day. Even on the days I wasn't drinking. Even on the days I felt "recovered."

I feel like I wasted so much time operating at half-capacity. But I'm not dwelling on that. I'm just grateful I figured it out now, and that every day forward is a day at full strength.

If You're Thinking About Quitting

If you're considering sobriety, or you're early in your journey, pay attention to your physical energy. Don't just focus on the mental stuff (though that's important too). Notice how your body feels. Notice if you still have energy at 3 PM. Notice if your workouts feel different. Notice if walking feels easier.

Give it time—it doesn't happen overnight. But when it does click, when you realize your body isn't in constant recovery mode anymore, it's a game-changer.

This is how you're supposed to feel. This is your actual baseline. And it's worth fighting for.