As someone who used to drink to unwind from the stresses of life, I was worried about how I would deal with crappy days without turning to wine.
I could really relate to the meme: “Drink responsibly? Shit, responsibility is why I drink”.
Yes I knew that drinking too much wasn’t good for me.
But it wasn’t as if I was lying in a gutter swigging out of a bottle in a brown paper bag.
I was drinking like most other people in my life – as a way to take the edge off and unwind.
The problem was that it wasn’t really working that well.
I knew that drinking wasn’t good for me:
- It was interfering with my sleep
- My perimenopause symptoms were worse when I drank
- I was worried that my tolerance was increasing
- I knew that it was impacting my fitness
- I was concerned about having hazy memories of the night before if I had drunk too much
While I knew all of this, I just couldn’t see how I would manage the stresses of life if I couldn’t have a drink to relax.
So, when I decided to take a break from drinking, I realised that I needed other ways to unwind without the wine.
It’s something I also tell my clients to do – find ways to help you decompress when you’re stressed, angry, frustrated or bored.
Unwinding without wine
Some of the things I do are:
- Meditate
- Swim laps
- Take a walk while listening to a podcast
- Read a book
- Paint
- Journal
Make sure you include some options that don’t take a lot of time.
For example, if I don’t have time to go for a walk or a swim, I can do some deep breathing or a short meditation.
I can even spend five minutes writing in my journal – it’s amazing how much better you’ll feel if you can fill a page or two with all your frustrations (expletives optional!).
So, if you’re drinking to relax after a busy day, consider some healthier alternatives.