How to Relax Without Alcohol: 18 Tips
How to Relax Without Alcohol: 18 Tips
You’ve had a really long day. All you want to do is get home, close the door, and pour yourself an ice-cold beer or large glass of wine (perhaps a few).
If this sounds like you, then you’re not alone.
According to research from drinkaware UK, 34% of adults reported drinking wine at home in 2021, and 23% reported drinking more than the recommended limit of 14 units of alcohol per week in England.
But given the known short and long-term health effects, including on mental health, you might find yourself wondering if there are alternative ways to relax without alcohol.
Thankfully, there are plenty of great ways to de-stress that don’t involve booze. In fact, because moderating (or abstaining) from alcohol has so many positive health outcomes, you might find that your stress levels are lower overall. And, in terms of getting that refreshing ‘cracking open a cold one’ experience, science is on your side.
Research has found that both non-alcoholic and alcoholic beer trigger a reward response in the brain, which is driven by beer flavour, rather than alcohol content.
So choosing to relax without alcohol doesn’t mean you’re missing out. On the contrary, choosing to go alcohol-free is a win-win.
In this article, we’ll take you through 18 smashing ideas that won’t get you smashed, but will still help you let off steam after a long day.
How Can I Unwind without Alcohol? 18 Tips
According to Dr Claire Rostron, Senior Lecturer at The Open University, people tend to drink for different reasons: the taste, lowered inhibitions, for a dopamine hit, or even to help them sleep.
Whatever your reasons, there are loads of other ways to relax that don’t involve the hooch.
Take a look:
Find alcohol-free alternatives. If you just love the taste of something boozy, perhaps paired with the perfect meal, take a look at some of the alcohol-free beer and wine options out there. Many are brewed before the alcohol is removed, so still maintain a wonderfully complex flavour profile.
Exercise it out. Research has shown that drinking alcohol causes the release of endorphins (feel-good hormones) in the body which encourages you to reach for more. But ethanol isn’t the only trigger for endorphins. Exercise can achieve the same result, so go work it out at the gym (or at home!), for a healthier high.
Familiarise yourself with the effects of alcohol. Alcohol can have profound effects on your physical and mental health. Make sure you know all of the facts by consulting a trusted source, such as this guide from NHS England, so you can make the best choices for your health.
Treat yourself. Does that ice-cold beer at the end of the day feel like your well-earned treat? There’s no arguing that you deserve some ‘me’ time (we all do). But why not try exploring other ways ‘to take the edge off’ instead? Get a massage, get lost in a good book, play your favourite video game or take a really indulgent bath. Whatever it is, make sure it’s time carved out just for you.
Channel your inner adrenaline junkie. An adrenaline rush, from doing extreme sports like skydiving or riding a scary roller coaster follows a biological pattern that’s responsible for that ‘on top of the world’ feeling. Don’t feel like jumping out of a plane any time soon?
According to Dolf Zillmann's excitation transfer theory, horror movies cause psychological arousal which then intensifies feelings of relief and pleasure when it's all over, aka a euphoric high. (It’s just one theory though, so don’t force yourself to watch A Nightmare on Elm Street unless you want to…)
Make some noise. For many, alcohol’s power to lower inhibitions gives them a feeling of release. But instead of worrying about what you might’ve said/did on your latest night out, find a way to let it all out when sober. Take up drumming, sing your heart out to some classic power ballads, scream into a pillow—whatever feels good. And the best bit? You’ll remember it all with crystal clear clarity the next day.
Identify your triggers. It might be useful to think about when and where you tend to drink and if there’s a pattern. For example, some people might find themselves reaching for the wine bottle after dealing with a stressful situation, or when meeting up with certain friends. If you can identify the situations which tempt you to tipple, you can start to put things in place to help you abstain.
Learn something new. Do you ever reach for the vino because you’re feeling bored? Satisfy your need for mental stimulation in other ways with something like a cooking class, language lesson or a new team sport. You’re likely to meet other folks there too, which means you’ll be expanding your social circle too—bonus.
Practise yoga and/or meditation. Alcohol acts as a nervous system depressant which is why people tend to feel more relaxed when they drink alcohol (at least at first). But calming activities, such as yoga, meditation and mindfulness can also promote a sense of wellbeing and relaxation—without the headache the next morning.
Volunteer. According to the Royal Voluntary Service, more than 80% of volunteers report an increased sense of wellbeing from offering their services to their community. Getting involved with a cause you care about can do wonders for your confidence and help you meet other like-minded people.
Become a mocktail mixologist. Enjoy crafting cocktails? Why not apply your mixology expertise to the mocktail world? There are loads to choose from, including cranberry sangria, virgin mojitos and of course, the classic Shirley Temple. With the impressive range of non-alcoholic spirits, wines and beers now available, there’s no need to settle for plain ol’ lemonade.
Surround yourself with support. We’ve all been there: egged on to have ‘just one more’ by that well-meaning (or sometimes not so well-meaning!) friend. Research has shown that when it comes to alcohol consumption, peer pressure is most definitely a thing—even among adults. So whilst it’s not always possible to avoid, choosing to surround yourself with people who will support your decision not to drink may help relieve some of the pressure.
Fix something. So here’s the thing, when sloshed, or recovering from being sloshed, you’re in no state to attend to the DIY job that’s been waiting for months (read: years).
So instead, make the most of your lack of hangover and use your new-found sharp-headedness to finally put those shelves up or paint the spare room—you’ll feel so accomplished after.
Dance like no one’s watching. Is the only way to get you on the dancefloor with a cocktail or four? Why not create your own stay-at-home dance party and let loose? No one’s there to see (or judge) your moves (save your pet cat). The benefits of dance on physical and mental health are well documented—for example, in this recent Polish research study which explored the effect of dance on the wellbeing of older women.
Laugh. We all know the power of a belly-aching laugh. Apart from the bonus ab workout (no, really) laughter has numerous health benefits, including relieving tension, soothing stress and relieving pain. So instead of reaching for your favourite tipple at the end of a long day, why not find something (or someone) that makes you chuckle instead?
Create an alcohol-free zone for relaxation. If drinking alcohol has become a habit for you, then choosing to abstain is going to take some willpower. So increase your chances of staying on the wagon by creating an alcohol-free zone to relax in. That may take the form of a particular room, the garden or even, the whole house!
Cook up a storm. Feel like something really decadent? Put the Irish cream liqueur away and get your mixing bowl out instead. Indulge your taste buds by concocting your favourite treat—red velvet cupcakes, gooey brownies, or even some homemade pizza. Lacking culinary skills? Grab a friend and head to your favourite milkshake bar or burger bar for an extravagant night out without the hangover.
Get in touch with nature. Often, our busy modern lives don’t give us many opportunities to connect with nature. But getting in touch with the wild has positive effects on our mental health, so much so that it forms the basis of a particular kind of therapy, called ‘ecotherapy’. More of an urban jungle dweller? Try tending to a few window boxes or houseplants to still gain the benefits Mother Nature has to offer.
When you find opportunities to relax without alcohol, you make room for new experiences, new friends, or even a new lifetime hobby.
So whether you just want to take a break from the booze for a little while, or cut down your intake on a more permanent basis, trying out some (or all!) of these ideas could be a great step towards better mental health.
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