Are you looking to cut down on drinking alcohol? What if I told you that cutting back on alcohol miiiiiight actually help relieve fatigue and help balance your hormones?
Maybe you know this, or maybe this is the first time you've heard this before... But, imagine having less to drink and not only feeling better but *finally* getting into balance...
That is not just a fairytale, that is real life! And here are the ways in which cutting down on alcohol can get you into balance:
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When I started to research the benefits of drinking less alcohol, I was floored! It can *actually* help with a women's hormones and fatigue. Which are two major issues we battle in our daily lives.
Just the other day I was trying to do something and a wave of frustration came over me like the Great Plague. It stayed with me for DAYS! I was wondering, what in the world...
Until I realized, my sleep was off, I was drinking a little extra with family in town, and I was running on little to no energy... Ultimately, my hormones were all out of wack - duh!
So, here you will learn the staggering ways in which cutting down on alcohol can relieve fatigue and hormonal imbalances to give you new insight into your balances and rhythms, so you can flow with more clarity and energy.
Lastly, you will get all our resources on how to cut down drinking alcohol and instantly reclaim control and find your balance!
This post is all about cut down drinking alcohol!
Cut Down Down Drinking Alcohol
Hormone Balance & Stress Relief Benefits
1. Your body stops acting like everything is an emergency
When you cut down on drinking alcohol you may notice something interesting... You all the sudden feel... Calm!
Alcohol is like the bad influence friend on your stress hormone, cortisol. When alcohol get in the picture cortisol spikes (and not just your drinks). With each drink, there is a measurable cortisol increase.
For our hormones, oh man, when cortisol increases we can expect lower estrogen and progesterone production which affects our overall cycle.
2. Hormones stop backing up in your system
Every women is different, obviously, but for me when I start to feel fatigued and hormonal, it usually is because my liver is not processing correctly.
Which leads to me grabbing my herbal tea for women's health and chugging!
But, when we are drinking a lot of alcohol we can put our liver through too much distress. If our poor liver is trying to process our hormones, then we throw alcohol in the mix... Not a good day for the ol' liver!
A study shows that consuming alcohol increases circulating estrogen in the body. Which can be the issue with hormonal imbalances, thus lower alcohol helps the liver process that extra estrogen.
3. Your calming hormones can actually kick in
Progesterone is one of the main players in women's bodies, and one of her jobs is to support our sleep and emotional balance.
When alcohol is in the mix, she gets kicked to the sideline and cortisol takes over. So, cutting back on drinking alcohol allows progesterone to do her job and keep us calm and balanced.
Don't we love progesterone! Our luteal phase is amazing because of her!
If you have a challenging time managing your drinking, and wondering how to cut back, you can get our free going-out checklist & drink plan!
I use this drink plan every time I go out! Essentially, it guides you through a few questions so you can create a solid intention that actually aligns with you. Leave the house feeling confident and in control!
4. Your liver isn't stuck in damage-control mode
Honestly, this is a HUGE benefit for those who are heavy drinkers (and constant drinkers).
Alcohol demands front row seat to the detoxification process in the liver. Which can be challenging for our hormones who also need a front row seat!
And, our bodies sometimes are not 100% perfect with regulating our hormones (am I right?), so adding huge amounts of alcohol can be detrimental to this sacred process...
5. Your nervous system finally relaxes
Though, studies do show that moderate drinking after a stressful situation can temporarily relieve stress... Once your body is already stressed!!
But, drinking in more of a general context, can actually create stress-related pathways in the brain. How crazy is that!
So, when we cut back on drinking alcohol these pathways reduce and our nervous system can get back to providing our calm, relaxed, and balanced life. However, they say that regulation can take weeks, so hang in there!
6. Your gut starts supporting your hormones
Did you know that your hormonal balance can actually be affected by your gut’s microbiome?! I honestly had no idea, and this seemed so crazy to me.
Alcohol, especially in heavy doses, negatively affects our poor gut microbiome. Which alternatively, affects our hormone regulation.
The more you know!
Energy & Sleep Benefits
7. You finally wake up feeling rested again
When you drink you might realize you fall asleep sooo quickly, right? Sometimes it feels like you even get better sleep instead of tossing and turning to fall asleep.
Well, alcohol prevents your body from going into deep sleep. So, you might feel like you "pass out", but in reality you are sleeping very shallow.
That is great news when we cut down drinking alcohol because our sleep can actually become restorative again.
8. Your energy stops crashing and spiking
Especially if you love those sweet cocktails, alcohol tends to spike our blood sugar. Even in a simple ol' beer! Again, this comes back to our good friend Mr. Liver who is trying to regulate glucose as well.
So, when we cut down drinking alcohol we get more balanced energy levels. And potentially even less sugar cravings!
9. Your body holds onto energy-giving nutrients better
Going back to our gut health... Alcohol essentially makes it really challenging for our system to absorb magnesium and B-vitamins.
Not only that, but alcohol actually pulls out magnesium from our bodies. So, our energy-giving B-vitamins actually have such a hard time doing their job because alcohol is the gatekeeper!
When you cut down drinking alcohol, try taking B-Complex and see if your energy levels start to recuperate (that is not medical advice, please don't sue me).
10. That low-grade “blah” feeling fades
- Just the other day, I drank a bit more than I usually do (it's the holidays and family, you get it). But, I had something like 3 beers 3 nights in a row. By the morning of the last night I could feel it.
- You might know the feeling, just "blah". Motivation seems to not even exist anymore, energy is a thing of the past, and no matter how many coffees you drink it doesn't help.
- When you slow your drinking, it's like a bright light washes over you and the "blah" turns to "yeah!".
11. Your body clock gets back on track
Arguably, my FAV part about cutting back on drinking. Our circadian rhythm is like the cycle that runs our lives. It is so important, so vital, and so sacred to our overall wellness.
I argue that getting our body clock in a nice cyclical rhythm, everything else falls into place. Our energy stabilizes, our hormones stabilize, and our mood balances out.
If you want more guidance on getting into a beautiful cyclical rhythm with your sleep, here is an ideal morning routine to help your nervous system.
Tips on How to Cut Down Drinking Alcohol
Are you wondering now, ok soooo how do I cut down on drinking alcohol?! Well, good news! We have tons of resources for you to learn how to drink alcohol in moderation:
- Tips on how to pace yourself drinking
- Best ways on how to drink less that no one talks about
- Helpful tips when drinking alcohol to instantly reclaim your control
- Healthy alternatives to alcohol to positively change your drinking habits
Also, if you are stuck between just drinking less or quitting drinking altogether, here are some helpful journal prompts to get clarity on your answer.