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Alcohol cessation & autonomic markers (HRV, RHR)

Consumer wearables often show large HRV/RHR swings with abstinence vs drinking; clinical work in alcohol use disorder finds resting HRV tends to rise with longer time since last drink in early recovery—tiered below alongside blog N=1 rows.

Clinical association tier (AUD treatment context)

Eddie et al. 2023 (Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback; PMID 37436518; eddie-2023-aud-hrv-time-since-last-drink) analysed 42 treatment-engaged adults in the first year of a current AUD recovery attempt: resting HRV moved positively with longer self-reported time since last drink (timeline follow-back), with strongest signals on parasympathetic-dominated HRV metrics; associations survived adjustment for age, medications, and baseline AUD severity. Resting HR did not decrease as the authors initially hypothesised—read the short report before mapping AUD clinic findings onto social-drinking cessation in healthy adults.

Consumer / N=1 tier (wearables & press self-experiments)

These rows are not population trials; they show how rings/straps often behave when people stop or resume drinking.

Full alcohol cessation

  • Tom's Guide (2 months): RHR 59 → 52 bpm; high sleep scores on Oura
  • Scott Tindal (Sober October): autonomic metrics improved sober, shifted after resumption (Triathlete log)

Acute alcohol effects

  • Melissa Urban: single evening drink → 1% next-day WHOOP recovery floor

Drinking vs sober comparison (same person)

  • Tanner Garrity: large acute HRV gap sober vs drinking window

Evidence hygiene

  • Do not merge with intermittent fasting, magnesium, or GLP-1 protocols—different interventions and trial literatures.
  • Population mismatch: Eddie 2023 recruits AUD treatment cohorts; Oura/WHOOP anecdotes are healthy self-trackers—use both as triangulation, not one pooled effect size.

Evidence