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How to relax without drinking


5 Ways I Psych Central

Using alcohol to relax may help you in the short term, but there are alternatives for relaxation that may be more long lasting.

Alcohol consumption is widely marketed by our culture as a way to unwind from a long day at work and calm your nerves. Alcohol consumption remains a socially acceptable outlet for you to relax.

Still, one should be careful about common myths and misconceptions on alcohol use.

Alcohol doesn’t have to be your only option for stress relief. Using alcohol as a coping mechanism can have short- and long-term negative impacts in many areas of your life. It may help to explore some alternative options for stress relief.

Alcohol may help you relax in the short term. It is a depressant that sedates your central nervous system and slows your brain’s ability to process information.

It alters the neurotransmitters in your brain, including gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which signals your body that you’re relaxed. It also reduces energy levels and slows down your motor functions, speech, and executive functioning.

Alcohol affects the pleasure and reward system within your brain by increasing dopamine levels, making you believe you feel great. However, this feeling of elation only lasts a few hours.

Many people report negative physical and emotional side effects after drinking alcohol. Routinely drinking large amounts of alcohol may be a sign of alcohol use disorder — which can come with a host of side effects.

Alcohol use disorder may impact your productivity at work, increase tension in relationships, or disrupt your emotional life. It may increase blood pressure and increase your risk of developing cancer, liver disease, and stroke.

If you find yourself drinking high quantities of alcohol often, you may feel the following symptoms:

  • trouble sleeping
  • shakiness
  • irritability
  • anxiety
  • depression
  • restlessness
  • nausea
  • sweating

To avoid these feelings, you may feel the need to keep drinking more to delay the unpleasant side effects. While drinking can increase your feelings of relaxation, these consistent side effects can have serious implications for your mental and physical well-being.

Alcohol’s use as a relaxant boasts a long history, but other outlets prove healthier and more relaxing in the long term. People have turned to alcohol to relax because it’s been a conditioned response to stress for thousands of years. Some research suggests that the earliest existence of alcohol was from 7000 to 6600 B.C. China.

Simply, alcohol helps you relax in the short term, but long-term use comes with many risks and potentially negative outcomes. There are better ways to relax than drinking alcohol.

We all handle stress differently. Luckily, there are many ways to relax without incorporating alcohol into your routine.

1. Spend time in nature

It’s no surprise that fresh air and sunshine can boost your mood.

Research from 2020 suggests that taking a walk outdoors can reduce your stress levels and decrease symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Wandering in the wilderness and taking in the scenery are great ways to decompress and find energy during a draining time.

If you’re stuck at work or can’t get away to take advantage of a clear sky or calm breeze, consider streaming nature sounds. You could try listening to sound recordings of nature including:

  • running water
  • chirping birds
  • rain showers
  • gentle breezes
  • rainforest sounds
  • ocean tides

You can find these recordings on platforms like YouTube, Pandora, or Spotify. You can find channels with hours of content to help you unwind or even sleep.

These immersive soundscapes can make your walk around your neighborhood more immersive, giving you more mental space to connect with yourself and reduce your stress.

2. Meditation and breathing techniques

Meditation is also a great strategy for managing stress. During meditation, you can use chants, mantras, or breathing techniques to focus your mind and reduce the feeling of stress in your everyday life.

Breathing techniques, specifically focusing on deep breaths, can help calm your nerves and bring you a sense of emotional balance.

At first, it may seem difficult to let go and be in the moment. Don’t be discouraged — meditation takes time and patience to get used to.

You can find information on mindfulness meditation all over the internet. You may have local meditation centers in your area. Also, the apps Calm and Headspace can be conveniently downloaded onto your phone and give you access to guided meditation any time you need.

3. Yoga

Yoga has been around for centuries. First developed by monks in India over 5,000 years ago as a spiritual exercise to connect your mind and body, yoga has been adopted all over the world as an exercise to help you relax and relieve anxiety.

Yoga incorporates breathing with gentle movements in a ”flow” that works your body yet quiets your mind.

There are many styles of yoga including Ashtanga, Bikram, Kundalini, and restorative yoga. Additional benefits of yoga include increased muscle strength and tone, improved sleep, and increased flexibility.

4. Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is the ancient practice of using natural plant extracts — mostly oils — to improve your health and well-being. When you inhale plant oils like lavender or chamomile, you may find a sense of calmness and relaxation.

Popular methods of inhalation include through diffusers, inhalers, bathing salts, topical creams, and lotions. To use bathing salts, place them into bath water and gently inhale the scents that are emitted from the water.

If you would like to explore aromatherapy, it’s important to first check with a doctor. If misused, essential oils may produce side effects or worsen some health conditions.

5. Creative hobbies

Taking time to enjoy hobbies remains a great way to relax and unwind. Hobbies can be anything from reading a book and gardening to painting and shaping pottery.

Hobbies can take your mind off your daily stressors, allowing you to enjoy the small things in life. If you need some inspiration or are looking to add to your list of hobbies, consider knitting, reading, writing, or whittling.

Anything that sounds appealing to you can be a relaxing hobby.

Alcohol doesn’t have to be your stress cure. In fact, it may make your life more stressful in time. There are many other options, so it can pay to be patient when finding what works best for you.

And you may just find a new hobby or passion that you never thought you’d love.

If you or your partner or friend feels stuck using alcohol to relieve stress, talking about it is the first step.

If you’re struggling to incorporate different relaxation techniques into your routine instead of alcohol, consider joining a support group. Groups are a great way to find support and can offer additional information and advice from personal experience.

You can reach out to a qualified therapist if you’re having trouble transitioning out of alcohol use. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help you reshape your response to stressful events and thoughts — reducing your need to use alcohol as a coping mechanism.

If you feel your drinking has become more than a habit and has started to impact your family, job, or health, SAMHSA’s National Helpline provides free, confidential, and immediate support. They can help you find a local treatment center or provider to get the care you need.

Finally, Alcoholics Anonymous has meetings daily throughout the country. They also provide online meetings where you can work with a sponsor.

While alcohol can relax you on occasion, you’ll likely find more lasting peace and relaxation in other hobbies, exercises, or therapeutic practices.

10 Ways To Relax Without Alcohol

For many Americans today, alcohol is commonly associated with helping adults relax, avoid stressful situations, and free themselves from unwanted emotions and feelings. Fortunately, there are alternative ways to relax without drinking alcohol that are more sustainable long-term and which will improve your mental health.

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Here are ten ways to relax and be healthier without alcohol.

1. Gain Understanding Of Alcohol And How It Affects The Body

One of the first steps toward living a relaxed lifestyle without alcohol is to gain an understanding of how alcohol affects the body. It is a common misconception that alcohol is a safe and effective way to manage stress and negative emotions. One of the reasons so many people drink alcohol so much is the false belief that alcohol is the only way to relax. In reality, alcohol does not ease or relieve stress, but actually exacerbates it. Missing deadlines at work or school,  neglecting responsibilities, and developing financial problems are stress-inducing results of alcohol abuse. Alcohol actually reduces your ability to manage or cope with stress and anxiety. The good news is that sobriety can reverse these effects, resulting in a less stressful life.

2. Exercise

Exercise is one of the best ways to reduce stress. Running, lifting weights, bike rides, or even taking brisk walks can place you in a meditative state.  Experimenting with different methods of exercise is a great way to have fun and try new things.  Unlike alcohol, exercise truly reduces stress, both immediately and long-term. Exercise is also key to maintaining your physical health, an important condiment of happiness and wellbeing.

3. Practice Progressive Muscle Relaxation Techniques

Stress increases your body’s cortisol levels. Cortisol keeps your body in a fight-or-flight mode. You can reserve this effect by One way with Progressive Muscle Relaxation techniques. Progressive Muscle Relaxation is an anxiety-reduction method often used in many behavioral therapy. Studies have shown that these techniques increase your body’s levels of oxytocin and serotonin, both of which lower your blood pressure and improve your mood. To begin, sit quietly in a comfortable position. Be sure you’re in a place free from distractions. Place your hands in your lap or on the arms of a chair. Take a few slow, deep breaths while you begin to focus your attention on the following areas:

Forehead

Squeeze the muscles in your forehead for about 15 seconds. Focus on how the muscles become tighter and tenser. Then, slowly release the tension in our forehead while counting for 30 seconds. Notice the difference in how your muscles feel and the overwhelming sensation of relaxation. Continue this process to renew tension until it feels completely relaxed. Continue breathing slowly and evenly throughout the practice.

Jaw

For 15 seconds, tense the muscles in your jaw. Then, release the tension slowly while counting for 30 seconds. Pay close attention to the feeling of relaxation. Continue this practice until you feel all tension dissipate.

Neck and Shoulders

Raise your shoulders upward and hold for 15 seconds. Slowly release the tension while counting for 30 seconds. Remember to continue to breathe slowly and deeply.

Arms and Hands

Form your hands into fists. Pull your fists in toward our chest and hold for about 15 seconds. You want to squeeze as tightly as you possibly can. Then, slowly begin to release the tension while you count for 30 seconds. Pay attention to the relaxing sensations that occur during this process and repeat until all tension is eliminated.

Buttocks

Build tension in your buttocks for approximately 15-20 seconds while focusing on your breath. Then, slowly release the tension for at least 30 seconds, while noticing the tension melt away and the feeling of relaxation blossom.

Legs

Build tension by squeezing your quadriceps and calves for at least 15 seconds. The harder you squeeze, the better. Then, slowly release the tension from your legs for at least 30 seconds while focusing on the tension evaporating.

Feet

Increase the tension in your feet and your toes. Squeeze to tighten the muscles as hard as you can. After at least 15 seconds, begin to slowly release the tension while counting to 30 seconds. Notice all the tension melt away from your body, leaving you in a full meditative state.

Be sure to take time to really feel the relaxation sweep through your body. Continue breathing deeply at a slow pace. Add some scented candles for aromatherapy to help your body de-stress naturally. This entire process helps you relax without alcohol.

4. Learn Your Triggers

Everyone has their own triggers for alcohol, whether it be a long day of work or a stressful situation. By identifying your internal triggers (such as anxiety, boredom, or stress) or your external triggers (such as overwork, isolation, or certain people or places you associated with alcohol abuse), you can understand and manage your cravings in order to prevent falling back into the trap of drinking alcohol to relax. It is important to set up defense mechanisms now against a future where you might experience these triggers. Plan ahead on good days to challenging days later.  It is always important when learning how to implement healthy coping strategies to avoid drinking to wind down.

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5. Breathe Through Discomfort With Meditation

Many people turn to alcohol to avoid dealing with negative thoughts and emotions. When you drink for emotional relief, you desire to avoid your experiences as they are presented to you, and instead replace them with something else or ignore them all-together. Instead of drinking, you should try mindfulness techniques to handle negativity in your life. A study in the Substance Abuse Journal found that people in recovery from alcohol abuse who engage in mindfulness techniques (or mindfulness-based exercises) experience a significant reduction in cravings for alcohol when they need to cope with something.

Mindfulness teaches us to comfortably be in the present moment. If a negative emotion or thought enters your mind, rather than resisting it, allow it to pass through you. Accepting how you feel is crucial to learning mindfulness. There are many ways to engage in mindfulness, such as by taking long walks, meditating, journaling, and reflecting. To be mindful is to have constant awareness of the moment you are experiencing. Mindfulness techniques can train you to manage difficult situations without alcohol. When you think a discomforting thought or feel stress, try the four-step “S.T.O.P.” exercise. This checklist is easy to use and can help you feel energized, focused, relaxed and creative, all while giving you new insights quickly. Here’s how “S.T.O.P.” works.

S

Stop what you are doing. Press the pause button on your thoughts and actions.

T

Take a few deep breaths. Bring yourself fully into the present moment, and center yourself.

O

Observe what is going on with your body, in your mind, and with your emotions.

  • Body: Ask yourself, “What physical sensations am I aware of in this moment?” Consider this question with regard to your five senses: sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell.
  • Mind: Ask yourself, “What assumptions or expectations am I having about my feelings?” Ask yourself further, “What is the story I am telling myself about why I am having these assumptions or expectations?”
  • Emotions: Ask yourself, “What feelings am I experiencing?” Whether positive or negative, identify them in a non-judgmental way.
P

Proceed with whatever you were doing before the negative emotions began by making a conscious and intentional choice to handle them with healthy coping skills. Consider what you have learned about yourself during the short exercise and contemplate what you want to do with what you have learned.

Remember, the more mindful you are about what’s going on inside your body and mind, the easier it will be to navigate through difficult times, which will help prevent your need to drink alcohol to relax.

6. Practice Deep Breathing Techniques

Your breath is a powerful tool that has been proven to reduce stress and make you feel more relaxed. Deep-breathing exercises can help prevent you from reaching for alcohol to cope with negative thoughts or emotions. Practice this easy-to-follow deep-breathing exercise to obtain immediate relief.

Before you start, prepare yourself by:

  • Wearing comfortable clothing
  • Going somewhere comfortable, such as a bed or chair
  • Deciding to not force this practice to work, which can create stress
  • Keeping this practice simple
  • Aiming to practice deep-breathing once or twice each day. Start with for 5 minutes sessions and work your way up to 20 minutes each time.

It is natural for most people to take shallow, short breaths when they breathe. This actually makes you feel more anxious and fatigued. Healthy deep-breathing involves taking deep breaths through your diaphragm (as if you are breathing through your stomach). Here’s how to gain the maximum benefits of relaxation with deep breathing:

  1. Get comfortable, whether by sitting on your favorite chair with a blanket or by lying down in bed. Find a place where you can fully relax your head, shoulders, and neck.
  2. Breathe in through your nose. Allow your belly to fill with air.
  3. After your stomach fills with air, pause for a moment.
  4. Breathe out throughout your nose.
  5. Repeat.

Continue to follow these steps until you feel relaxed and at ease. When you breathe in, consider placing your hand on your stomach to feel the air rise and fall. The more you practice deep-breathing, the more naturally it will come to you. Deep-breathing is an excellent way to relax and manage stress because it can be performed anywhere, and no one around you will notice!

7. Get Involved With Recreational Activities

Recreational activities can be a great source of stress relief. When you engage in recreational activities, such as by playing sports, going to the gym, or practicing yoga, you meet new people and find new, healthy methods for relaxing. When you spend time with others, you naturally stop focusing on yourself and live in the present. Instead of drinking alcohol, consider visiting recreational or community center in your neighborhood or taking up a new hobby.

8. Reach-Out For Support

As humans, we are naturally social creatures. Isolation can cause us to become depressed and lonely. This can result in major health problems. A strong support system is a great resource during times when you are tempted to drink to relax. Make a list of every healthy, supportive friend or family member you know and carry that list around with you in times of need. Temptation will come and go, but be willing to get help from people you trust. A support system is also beneficial for accountability in sobriety.

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9. Reduce Your Caffeine Intake

Caffeine is a popular stimulant found in coffee, tea, chocolate, and energy drinks. Everyone has a different threshold for how much caffeine their body can tolerate. High doses of caffeine increase your levels of stress, nervousness, anxiety, high blood pressure, and heart palpitations. Studies show that coffee may be healthy in moderation, but it can be difficult to determine how much caffeine is right for you each day. In general, five cups of coffee is considered a moderate amount of caffeine. If you notice that you often feel nervous, jittery, or anxious when you drink coffee, it might be a good idea to assess your caffeine intake and slowly reduce it. When you stop relying on one substance (caffeine) to get through the day, you will be less likely to rely on another substance (alcohol) to relax.

10. Stretch It Out

After a long day of work, many people go home to drink and “relax.”  Your job may involve long hours spent at work sitting in the same spot staring at a computer screen. This alters the blood flow in your body as it slowly becomes as stagnant as your mood. Throughout your day, take short breaks to stand up, move around, and stretch your neck, shoulders, and back. Stretching helps you relax because when you stand up and stretch, you  relieve muscle tension and bring about a healthy blood flow.

Get Help With Alcohol Addiction Today

Do you find yourself struggling with relaxing without drinking alcohol? If so, you may have an unhealthy dependence on alcohol. Contact a treatment provider to learn more about rehab programs which can help you live a relaxing life free from alcohol.

How to relax without alcohol: 5 ways

We tell you how you can replace drinking, but at the same time have a good time.

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We all need to unwind at the end of the day. But if you notice that the main or only way to do this is with a beer or a glass of wine, there are a few alternatives you can try.

For some people, alcohol can temporarily relieve anxiety. It can also be a distraction - something to fill the time. But alcohol can set off a cycle of increased consumption from which nothing good will come of it. For some people, regular drinking can be a means of masking deeper emotional, mental, and life problems, and this coping mechanism can turn into an addiction.

You do not have to completely abandon the traditions that have developed among your friends and family. But you can bring other habits into your life that will also give you a sense of calm and joy. Add some new tools to your toolbox, so to speak. Here are a few alternatives worth trying.

1. Hang out with a friend without drinking

Hanging out with friends is uplifting—it releases feel-good hormones like serotonin and oxytocin. According to a review published in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, oxytocin calms the stress response. Spending time with friends may even help you live longer, studies show. Plan a long walk with a friend or make an appointment over the phone.

2. Get fit

Exercise—whether it's cycling, walking, or free weights—can reduce the stress that makes you drink. In addition, they will give you a portion of endorphins - chemicals that are produced by the body and cause positive emotions.

3. Experiment with soft drinks

There are many soft drinks that taste just as good without the booze. Instead of making your favorite cocktail, try one of the growing number of non-alcoholic beers, or brew a soothing herbal tea that has its own soothing properties.

4. Dance (even if you are alone)

There is something very, very joyful about turning on your favorite music and dancing around the room when no one is looking. Music releases dopamine, the same feel-good chemical that floods the brain when we drink alcohol, a 2019 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found.

5. Keep yourself busy

Doing household chores that you have long neglected can distract you from the desire to drink - no matter how hard it is to convince yourself to do it. Nobody wants to clean the house, but when you do it, it brings great joy.

( See also: How long can alcohol stay in the body and how to understand that you are still drunk?)

No more strength: 10 ways to relax without alcohol

We have collected 10 alternative and healthier ways to cope with nervous tension.

Eat tryptophan-rich foods

Many of us crave food when we're stressed, but that can be a good thing, as certain foods can actually help us relax. Foods containing the essential amino acid, tryptophan, are great when you need to calm down or relax. This wonderful amino acid helps the body raise the level of serotonin, which is a great mood regulator, and melatonin, which helps to fall asleep and dramatically increases the quality and depth of sleep. The list of tryptophan-rich foods is long, but be sure to include nuts, cheese, turkey, chicken, and soybeans in your diet.

Increase your level of physical activity

If you feel stressed, the best thing to do is go for a run or go to the gym. While you may feel more comfortable eating popcorn or chips in front of the TV to relax, exercise is more suited to releasing mood-boosting chemicals like endorphins and anandamide, which help reduce anxiety and improve mental well-being. Not only is exercise great for your mood and stress levels, it also helps you take your mind off your problems and help you fall asleep ( see also: "Express fitness for those who are always busy").

Breathe deeply and slowly

When you're short on time, one of the quickest ways to relax is to take a few deep breaths. Anxiety and stress can make people breathe faster than usual, and taking deep, slow breaths can be an effective way to relax. If you often feel anxious or stressed, it can be helpful to incorporate deep breathing into your daily routine, with numerous programs or apps built into your smartwatch that can help. Do regular breathing exercises or sign up for yoga, Pilates or meditation classes - all of these physical practices use deep breathing techniques to relax and feel good.

Listen to music

Many of us know that listening to our favorite music lifts our spirits. Numerous studies have shown that music is also helpful in relieving stress. Studies have also shown a strong link between music and stress reduction in everyday life, as well as that music reduces extreme stress levels in people undergoing surgery, critically ill patients, and pregnant women. Instead of looking for "relaxing" genres of music, it's better to trust your individual preferences and choose the type of music that is guaranteed to lift your spirits.

Stock up on chocolate

The good news for many is that chocolate, one of the most popular snack foods in the world, is also a great comforting food. Chocolate is rich in magnesium, which helps you relax, and also contains anandamide, a neurotransmitter that helps you experience a sense of calm. High in phenethylamine, chocolate also boosts endorphins, so it's another reason to unwind with your favorite chocolate treat. Luckily, there are now a large selection of really healthy options for chocolate products without the addition of refined sugar ( see also: "10 facts about chocolate that you will love").

Hug more often

Hugs are a well-known mood booster, and research published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine confirms what we've known since the dawn of time - good old hugs are great for reducing stress. Physical contact has been found to increase levels of oxytocin, the “love hormone,” and lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol, allowing us to quickly relax. However, cuddling with people is far from the only option that can be used: warm-blooded pets are also great for cuddling. Pet ownership has also been linked to reduced stress levels, meaning that playing or "cuddling" with your pet can be a great way to unwind after work.

Treat yourself as often as possible

One of the best and most effective ways to relax is to treat yourself. If your budget allows, you can go shopping, spa, beauty salon, massage, facial or beauty treatment, and you can also treat yourself a little on your own: take a bath, light candles and lie down with a relaxing mask for face, listen to soothing music.

Laugh and Smile

Laughter is well known for its therapeutic effects and many establishments now offer laughter therapy or laughter yoga classes for those who want to improve their health and mood. Research has actually shown that even the anticipation of laughter can help us relax, lifting our spirits and reducing stress levels in the body. If you're serious about your vacation, you might consider taking a laughter class, but relaxing with a funny movie, book, or friend is just as good an option to help you unwind.

Try Aromatherapy

To truly unleash your senses, turn your home into a relaxing retreat with scented candles or relaxing essential oils. Some good essential oils for relaxation include chamomile, lavender, neroli, bergamot, patchouli, and ylang ylang. Use these oils to help you relax by adding a few drops to your bath, using an aroma lamp, or using an oil spray indoors. Aroma candles or sandalwood sticks are also good for aromatizing the room.

Focus on the here and now

There are many things that can help you relax. However, if you are not completely immersed in what is happening, it is unlikely that you will be able to fully benefit from any relaxation technique. If you find it difficult to take your mind off stress and put past regrets or future worries away, try making a list of things to do or think about a little later, set a time and date for each issue, then try to clear your mind, put aside obsessive thoughts and calm down.

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