The world population as a whole, drinks way too much soda for their own good. Luckily or me…I never really cared for soda…unless there was a little whiskey in it!

Back in 2014, 13% of the world’s population was obese and that number has and is growing. Soda, is a big culprit of obesity. The high sugar content in soda can pack on the pounds in no time, especially if you drink it often. We live in a world where for less than .99 cents, we can get nearly a half gallon of soda at our local convenience store, a not so healthy alternative to the .99 cent waters in the cooler.

If you were to stop drinking soda and quench your thirst with a less sugary liquid…your body and life would improved drastically.

Here is what happens when you stop drinking soda.

1. You will get more sleep.

Again, the high sugar content and often times caffeine levels in soda, cause the brain and body to think it needs to be active. Therefore, when it comes time to sleep…your body and mind are not fully relaxed and ready for sleep.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, moderate caffeine usage can cause insomnia and sleep disturbances.

2. Your memory will improve!

Researchers have found that long term sugar consumption can lead to impaired memory and hinder the ability to learn.

When animals where put on a high-sugar diet, they had reduced amounts of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which impacted their ability to learn and remember things.

3. Your heart will be pleased!

Because of the high sugar and caffeine content in soda, it causes stress on your heart which can have poor effects on how your heart functions.

Caffeine may increase blood flow to the skin and extremities, blood pressure, blood sugar, body temperature, heart rate, stomach acid secretion, and urine production. The more soda you drink, the greater your risk of having a heart attack.

Research as shown that consuming drinks that have a high sugar content can increase the risk of heart attack, by 19%.

4. Your skin will be healthier!

Credit | Dr. Lane Sebring

You may not like to hear this…but drinking soda can cause premature skin aging. Researchers found after a 5-year study of 5,000 adults, those who drank drinks with a high sugar content had shorter telomeres. Telomeres are the ends of chromosomes. Think of them like the plastic caps at the end of your shoelaces; they exist to protect the chromosome. But as time wears on the telomeres shorten, like your lace caps begin to fray. Telomeres naturally shorten with age.

5. Your smile will be awesome!

Soda can have a negative effect on your smile, because acidic and sugary drinks eat away at the enamel that protects your teeth. If you do drink soda, you should always brush your teeth within one hour of consuming the drink in order to protect that enamel.

6. Your hair will thank you.

According to the American Hair Loss Association, high sugar intake from beverages like soda can indirectly cause hair loss.

Sugar effects hormones in your body, specially dihydro-testosterone, which causes hair loss. If you can control the amount of sugar intake…you can hopefully control the amount of hair loss over time.

7. Say goodbye to the extra pounds!

By replacing soda with water, you could lose a quick 2 to 2.5 pounds of body weight. Keep the trend going…add in a little exercise and watch as your body transforms into a much healthier being!

8. You will feel AWESOME!

Drinking soda is connected with a ton of new conditions that make you feel pretty awful. It can cause disease, obesity and even help bad cells thrive and flourish, sometimes causes various cancers. Mental health goes hand and hand with psychical health. If you are not feeling well psychically, you are not feeling 100% emotionally…and no one wants to feel less than 100% of themselves!