How to relax and unwind without alcohol

You can take the bottle of wine off your grocery list

A drink on the couch is a part of many of our routines after a stressful day. But there is a list of habits that are both more relaxing and better for us.

Whether wine or whiskey is your drink of choice after a long day, it’s easy to reach for a glass when we feel our stress levels rising.

A tipple can make us feel calm thanks to its ability to boost our brain’s release of an inhibitory neurotransmitter, and limit the release of a neurotransmitter linked to anxiety. 

It can also feel like a little self-care treat and a way to dedicate time to force ourselves to unwind.

But it’s easy to find a mind numbing drink somehow becoming a daily occurrence, and while it can make us feel calm, alcohol can also wreak havoc on our physical and mental health, and even increase the risk of seven types of cancer, according to the Cancer Council. 

Many of us are crossing unnecessary purchases off of our grocery lists as the cost of living crisis continues, at the same time as focusing more on our health and mental wellbeing. So it’s no surprise more people are saying they’re sober-curious or taking a break from drinking. 

If you’re hesitant to drop your go-to de-stressing ritual, there are great non-alcoholic drink substitutes, such as Barnes and Brown’s Miss Agave tequila and NON’s wine alternatives. Many alcohol brands also offer alcohol-free alternatives to their most popular drinks. 

But if you want to curb your craving for a drink altogether, there are plenty of non-liquid relaxants you can try. Image: Pexels

But if you want to curb your craving for a drink altogether, there are plenty of non-liquid relaxants you can try.  

Six ways to relax without alcohol

Listen to music

Music has been proven to reduce stress and ease anxiety. 

If your taste isn’t exactly soothing, you might want to consider listening to one of the several songs that have been specifically designed to reduce stress. Image: iStock

So put your headphones on and work your way through your playlist of choice until you feel calmer. 

If your taste isn’t exactly soothing, you might want to consider listening to one of the several songs that have been specifically designed to reduce stress.

Workout

The idea of a high intensity sweaty workout sounds like the least relaxing thing imaginable, but exercising can be a super easy way to unwind. 

Going for a walk, run or bike ride is a surefire way to get warm quick and can help you zone out into a meditative state. Image: Pexels

If your house is as cold as mine, you’ll be looking for something to warm you up more than a glass of pinot anyway. 

Going for a walk, run or bike ride is a surefire way to get warm quick and can help you zone out into a meditative state. 

You can focus on your breathing while benefitting from the stress-smashing feel-good hormones released when you get moving. 

Laughing can relieve stress by soothing tension, stimulating our organs and improving our mood.

Get socialising

While your alone time with your drink may feel more relaxing than the thought of being around other people, socialising can be one of the best ways to unwind. 

Quality time spent with our friends and loved ones can release dopamine, and laughing can relieve stress by soothing tension, stimulating our organs and improving our mood according to Mayo Clinic. 

Breathe better

Our breath can get fast and shallow when we’re stressed. 

Alcohol is a depressant, but you can slow your breathing and calm your body on your own. Image: Pexels

Alcohol is a depressant, but you can slow your breathing and calm your body on your own. 

You could try one of the many guided breathwork or meditation guides on YouTube.  

Get reading

If you’ve ever locked into a book and found yourself still reading hours later, you know how easy it is for a good novel to distract you from your thoughts. 

If you’ve ever locked into a book and found yourself still reading hours later, you know how easy it is for a good novel to distract you from your thoughts.  Image: Getty

Studies back up reading’s relaxing qualities, with one suggesting the hobby can reduce stress by up to 68 per cent. 

You can boost relaxation with some mood lighting via a sunset lamp or fairy lights, surround yourself with snug blankets and play some calming music too.

Try to find your new hobby

If your brain and hands need to be busy to distract your brain from that meeting you can’t stop stressing about, consider delving back into an old hobby. 

Whether it’s knitting, painting, pottery, cooking, dancing or something else entirely, getting back into something you know you enjoyed is satisfying, and any improvement will give you a big enough sense of fulfilment to distract you from your stressful thoughts. 

Originally published as How to relax and unwind without alcohol