Can non-alcoholic wine still relax you? Some of the biggest questions for those of us thinking of cutting back on alcohol are…
How will I unwind at the end of a long day?
How will I be able to blow off steam?
How will I be able to relax enough to fall asleep?
The answer to your question is this: yes, non-alcoholic wind will help you relax and you won't have to deal with any of the negative side effects. Keep reading for the deets.
We are obviously pretty big advocates for alcohol-free bevs, but don’t just take our word for it. Here are some straight facts on why non-alcoholic wine can still relax you (and more so than alcoholic wine ever could):
I am about to blow your mind with this first fact… Alcohol literally enhances your anxiety! Not only will NA wine “still” relax you, it will actually relax you more than its alcoholic counterpart. Yep, that’s right.
Here’s why:
Your brain wants to be at homeostasis (your normal baseline) at all times. Alcohol is a depressant, which suppresses your central nervous system. Your brain recognizes this and starts producing Glutamate and Cortisol (the “anxiety” and “stress” chemicals) to get you back to your baseline.
But once the alcohol leaves your body, you are left with all this extra cortisol and get that crippling “hangxiety” the next day (or even worse, when you wake up in the middle of the night and can’t go back to sleep)! (Amanda E. White, LPC, author of Not Drinking Tonight)
I know giving up alcohol completely can sound daunting, but if you just commit to drinking more mindfully, you might find that you prefer not drinking because of all the benefits you’ll see in return, like better sleep, improved muscle recovery, healthier immune system, reduced bloating, no hangovers.
So choose something that ACTUALLY (like, scientifically proven) helps you unwind, such as:
Deep-breathing exercises
Going for a walk
Hot yoga class
10-minute body scan meditation
Journaling
Calling/Facetime a friend
Eating your favorite meal
Enjoying sparkling water or non-alcoholic wine
Treating yourself to a low sugar ice cream sandwich
All of these will make you feel just as relaxed as alcohol does (and if I’m being honest, probably more so), plus the peace of mind that you’ll be skipping all the undesirable side effects of drinking.
*News Flash* Just the act of treating yourself to anything after a long day will help you feel better. It does not have to include alcohol.
Remember your 12th grade psychology class? The Placebo Effect, Classical Conditioning, all that good stuff?
Well, studies have shown the effects of non-alcoholic beer on the brain work in a similar fashion. Because we already associate the taste of alcohol with a “good time” and alcohol produces those feel-good dopamine chemicals (initially), we also assocaite non-alcoholic beer or wine with a good time because of the similar taste and feel.
This 2018 study found no differences in brain activity between a 0% ABV beer drinkers and a 4.8% standard beer drinkers when looking at the brain parts associated with feelings of “reward.”
So get those dopamine levels UP without the harsh crash later by going alcohol-free.
You might have heard of “mommy wine culture” or you at least recognize it when you see it.
Shirts that say, “I don’t need therapy, I just need a glass of wine.”
Wine glasses that read, “Mommy juice.”
Or even the baby onesie that says, “Mommy’s more fun now that she can drink again.”
The sheer promotion of alcohol from big advertisers, celebrities, and even your friends on social media can be overwhelming in itself. Since what feels like the dawn of time, the social pressure of drinking is one of the hardest to avoid or turn down.
With non-alcoholic wine, moms will have no fear of unwinding after a long day. Forget the cycle of shame, regret, and potential accidents while drinking.
No longer worry about putting yourself or your children’s safety at risk, or losing out on those small precious moments that are potential life-long memories.
It’s not to say completely abstaining from alcohol is necessary, but by not coping with the stress of motherhood, work, and life in general with alcohol (and going a step further as to not glamorize it) you are taking action to prevent the toxic mommy wine culture.
It is possible to enjoy yourself, actually de-stress, and keep yourself and your children safe by choosing non-alcoholic options (without losing any of the flavor or fanciness)!
How often do you hear people say something like, “After the week I’ve had, I deserve this drink!”
When I hear it, I think to myself… So you deserve to feel anxious and depressed in a few hours? You deserve to act belligerently? You deserve the excrutiating headache tomorrow? Your body deserves to be poisoned?
It might sound dramatic, but these are all symptoms of consuming too much alcohol and it just doesn’t make sense that we think we “deserve” to feel bad as a reward or in celebration of honor of something.
Yes, you do deserve real stress relief, real celebration, and the real satisfaction of something damn delicious. So treat yourself to it! Don’t treat a stressful day with more stress hormones!
My favorite part of living a mostly sober lifestyle is genuinely being able to tell when I’m sick, what exactly feels off, and being able to address that ailment effectively.
When you’re always drinking alcohol, it’s hard to tell what might be withdrawal symptoms, a hangover, or your body just feeling fed up with you treating it like S-H-I-T!
Feel your best with zero regrets.
Choosing non-alcoholic drinks (especially when you’re already sick or in the midst of a stressful life event) can really help you stay in tune with your body and mind and know exactly what you need to feel your absolute best.
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