Jennifer Pallian on Unsplash This is a follow up to my recent blog post on alcohol titled, “Are You Drinking Too Much?” That article prompted some interesting conversations with patients. Many folks use alcohol in the evenings as a way to ‘unwind’ after a long day. With so many of us working from home, pouring an alcoholic beverage can be that ritual that signals the work day is over. Ritual is important and having a ritual of crafting a beverage for yourself at the end of the day is lovely. I found myself helping patients concoct an alcohol-free version of a drink that helps them relax without the negative impact of alcohol. I am going to share some ideas with you below – happy (alcohol-free) drinking!
My relaxing beverage changes with the seasons. Something warm is soothing in the colder winter months but I love a sparkling and refreshing mocktail in the summertime.
My go-to in the winter time is warm tea. There are so many fantastic relaxing herbs to choose from. I will list a few of my favorites that I like to drink alone or blended together:
- Tulsi
- Ashwagandha
- Chamomile
- Lemon balm
- Passionflower
Don’t forget you can mix tea bags together. I often add a bag of hibiscus tea to improve the flavor of whatever herbal tea I’m drinking. Also consider buying combination blends.
If you want to increase the relaxation power of your tea consider adding some L-theanine powder and/or magnesium powder.
L-theanine is an extract from green tea that increases alpha waves. This means that L-theanine helps you feel relaxed without causing drowsiness. You could try using a decaffeinated green tea or you can open a capsule of L-theanine and dump the powder into your beverage. I recommend using 100-200mg of L-theanine.
Magnesium is a mineral that has a calming effect. I personally use ‘Natural Calm Powder’ aka magnesium citrate powder regularly in an evening beverage to help me relax after a long day. You can pick up an unflavored magnesium powder so it’s easy to add to a warm beverage or a ‘mocktail.’ Note: magnesium may cause loose stools in large quantities so be careful with your dosing and start with 100-300mg.
If tea isn’t for you, try Golden Milk, a lovely blend of warm milk, honey and spices.
Use relaxing herbs to boost your mocktail. In the warmer months I enjoy putting together a ‘mocktail.’ I keep tinctures of chamomile, lemon balm, passionflower, valerian, and kava kava* on hand. My favorite way to make a refreshing mocktail is to mix some sparkling water (flavored or unflavored) with some tart juice and add a few droppers of a tincture. A tincture is a concentrated herbal extract in alcohol. You will get about ½ tsp of alcohol using this recipe so please skip this if you struggle with alcohol addiction. I listed the tinctures above in order of ‘strength’ for their ability to help you relax. The tincture also adds a little bite and helps it taste like an actual cocktail. Consider using tart cherry juice in your mocktail. Tart cherry has been shown to boost melatonin levels.
Since we want to lean into the power of a ritual, use a fun glass! If there is something about holding a wine glass that really helps you shift into ‘home mode’ then use a wine glass for your new beverage of choice.
What helps you unwind at the end of the day?
*Caution with Kava kava root. Please do not combine with alcohol and don’t use this tincture daily. It can damage your liver (just like alcohol!) if you use it daily for longer than 3 months.
