Five ways to relax without alcohol
- 1) Read a good book. Sounds obvious I know but it’s one I often put off in favour of scrolling through my phone.
- 2) Take a long bath. Baths are often my go-to way to relax without alcohol.
- 3) Get outside and go for a walk.
- 4) Practice yoga or any exercise you enjoy.
- 5) Meditate.
What can I take instead of alcohol to relax?
What can I drink to relax instead of alcohol? – While alcohol can mimic feelings of relaxation, it’s a temporary solution. Switch to tea for an alcohol free way to relax. Whether that’s a milky English breakfast brew or a peppermint option, tea is soothing.
- Not only can tea help you unwind, but it’s also a cosy beverage.
- Tea is likely to be the most relaxing alcohol alternative.
- But if you don’t like it, flavoured sparkling water is another good choice.
- Bubbly and fizzy, it can feel just like a sip of alcohol! You can add extra flavourings to this too, such as berries, citrus fruits, and herbs.
Soft drinks are another option, but best to be avoided at night if you’re sensitive to caffeine.
Why am I scared to stop drinking?
2. You Have A Love/Hate Relationship With The Vino – And You’re Afraid Of Losing The Part You LOVE. – Does life without alcohol seem entirely unimaginable, yet you wake up some mornings and ask yourself, “Why do I keep doing this?” Hip Sobriety founder Holly Whitaker said it best: “My life was BUILT around alcohol.
I didn’t have a single sober friend, I made it a point of avoiding dry events and dry people, my dinner reservations were conditioned on the wine list, vacations were excuses to be day drunk. On the other hand, I LOATHED what it was doing to my looks, my self-esteem, my time, my world, my mental health, my maturity, my emotional balance, my wallet, etc.
But living without it seemed like the end of the world. Or at least the end of my world.” She goes on to state what so many of us do; we try to prove to ourselves that we can moderate it so we can keep it in our lives. We love putting these little “drinking rules” on ourselves to see if that might fix the problem.
We say we won’t drink on weeknights or that we won’t drink “Monday-Wednesday.” We say that we won’t do happy hour anymore and only drink wine at home. We say we’ll replace happy hour with exercise, and my personal favorite “we’ll do a sober month.” When you make this kind of commitment, ask yourself: are you obsessing over the decision? Are you finding it all too easy to make exceptions to the rules? Or are you completely going off the charts and then inevitably, filled with guilt the next day? Most people are terrified of moving away from alcohol because of the fear of losing “friends,” and because of the shift in their social lives.
It’s normal. At the end of the day, however, you have to be serious with yourself about what you can and cannot live with – and if alcohol is worth it. Triggers are triggers, and limiting your alcohol intake tends to trigger people to want to drink more (like the whole “grass is always greener analogy”).
How long does it take to break a drinking habit?
Taking a Break From Alcohol: Suggestions for 30 Days // Rev. James E. McDonald, C.S.C., Center for Student Well-Being // University of Notre Dame Occasionally, decisions need to be made about the use of alcohol. Maybe you just want a break, or university, parental, academic or legal pressures have come to light, or you believe you just need to cut back.
What pills act like alcohol?
4. Other Molecules That Work to Enhance GABA – Many other natural and synthetic molecules also interact with the GABA A R. Most well-known are those that enhance the effect of GABA—the so-called positive allosteric modulators or PAMs. These include synthetic molecules such as benzodiazepines (BZs) as well as endogenous molecules such as neurosteroids (see Section 5 below).
- By reducing brain activity, they can stop epileptic seizures and reduce anxiety.
- PAM molecules that enhance GABA A R function are found in the brain (e.g., neurosteroids) and elsewhere in nature, especially in plants and some fungi.
- Over the past century a range of synthetic compounds have also been developed and subsequently discovered to share this potentiating action.
These include the benzodiazepines, e.g., Valium and Z-drugs that are used to treat anxiety, insomnia, and epileptic seizures. Low doses of some of these have been shown in human studies to have effects that are indistinguishable from low doses of alcohol, suggesting they might be alternatives to alcohol,
On the other hand, there are molecules that reduce the effects of GABA (the so-called negative allosteric modulators or NAMs), and these shift the balance between brain inhibition and excitation in favour of the latter, leading to seizures and anxiety. Finally, an important point is that for some of the benzodiazepine PAMs there is a class of molecules that block (antagonise) their positive effect on GABA, e.g., flumazenil.
These are clinically available and can very quickly and effectively reverse the sedative actions of these PAMs, e.g., when used for sedation in surgery.
Why is alcohol my crutch?
Emotional Pain – Does alcohol numb emotional pain? The truth is, alcohol problems and depression are often present together (called a co-occurring disorder). In the short term, drinking can make you feel better by releasing endorphins—hormones that impart a positive feeling. 
Need Help or Have Questions? Schedule a private call with a Ria Health team member and we can help you get started.
Is alcohol a way to deal with stress of everyday life?
You may drink as a way of dealing with stress, and you may experience stress due to drinking. Alcohol triggers chemical changes in your brain that lead to short-term relaxation and long-term stress. Practicing and using healthy coping skills can help you stop using alcohol as a way to manage stress.
What is equivalent to a drink of alcohol?
What Is A Standard Drink? Many people are surprised to learn what counts as a drink. The amount of liquid in your glass, can, or bottle does not necessarily match up to how much alcohol is actually in your drink. Different types of beer, wine, or malt liquor can have very different amounts of alcohol content.
Regular beer: 5% alcohol content Some light beers: 4.2% alcohol content
That’s why it’s important to know how much alcohol your drink contains. In the United States, one “standard” drink (or one alcoholic drink equivalent) contains roughly 14 grams of pure alcohol, which is found in:
12 ounces of regular beer, which is usually about 5% alcohol 5 ounces of wine, which is typically about 12% alcohol 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits, which is about 40% alcohol
How do you know how much alcohol is in your drink? Even though they come in different sizes, the drinks below are each examples of one standard drink : Each beverage portrayed above represents one standard drink (or one alcoholic drink equivalent), defined in the United States as any beverage containing 0.6 fl oz or 14 grams of pure alcohol.