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As you begin to embrace a sober life, you may be thinking about how hard it can be to wind down or deal with life’s everyday stress without alcohol.
For those dealing with the overwhelming disease of alcohol addiction, it can be difficult to imagine life without drinking as alcohol has become their go-to for relaxation and feelings of happiness and self-confidence. But heavy alcohol use can impact your health negatively, and all it does is numb your brain and senses. If for anything, the feelings you get while using alcohol are but temporary, the stress and underlying issues remain and may only make matters worse.
While it’s true that relearning how to live life without alcohol can be downright difficult, there are plenty of ways you can enjoy life without the booze.
That said, we have listed some ways on how to unwind without alcohol:
How to Unwind Without Alcohol
1. Read a Good Book
There’s nothing like a good book to keep you company, and if you find it hard to focus on reading a book, you can try listening to an audiobook instead.
2. Take a Long Bath
When you’re worn out from work, coming home for a long, warm bath can help you wind down and relax. Use your favorite bath oil like lavender, rose, or aloe. Epsom salt can also do wonders for your muscles and loosening stiff joints. Soak for several minutes, breathe, and just relax.
3. Practice Yoga or Physical Exercise
Mindfulness in yoga can deliver a feeling of ease and calmness. Meanwhile, engaging in physical exercises is not only good for your health but can help release the feel-good hormones – endorphin, serotonin, and dopamine – that can evoke feelings of pleasure and make you feel good about yourself.
4. Sip a Cup of Tea
Find your cozy place and drink a cup of warm tea. Tea is not only a relaxing drink but also offers tons of benefits to the body.
5. Indulge Yourself with a Pampering Massage
A good massage is known to be a great way to decrease the level of cortisol, the stress hormone, in the body. It’s also excellent for improving mood and triggering lasting feelings of relaxation.
6. Learn to Meditate
Meditation has been shown to be a powerful strategy for relaxation. Just sitting down somewhere you feel cozy and comfortable, and focusing on your breathing can help you relax. Yoga is another great way to enhance your recovery while working on mindfulness and keeping fit and healthy. The numerous benefits of practicing yoga for recovery will ultimately lead you to a more holistically healthy self.
7. Listen to Relaxing Music
Listening to happy and relaxing music is an effective mood enhancer and offers a tremendous way to relax our mind and body.
8. Get in Touch With Nature
Going outside and connecting with nature can do wonders in making one feel relaxed and happy. Find some green space and go for a walk, breathe the fresh air and marvel at the beauty and tranquility of nature.
As much as we would like to achieve our goal of sobriety in the snap of our fingers, the path to recovery requires many small, challenging steps. It’s a process that will take time, but the rewards are far more than you can imagine. One of the crucial steps we can practice is the art of learning to unwind and relax without involving alcohol. Once you embrace this in your daily life, you’ll start questioning why you ever needed alcohol in the first place.
