For those of us who drink, the alcoholic beverage is basically a go-to when we’re stressed. But, and don’t be mad, limiting alcohol when you’re feeling agitated is important. The main reason is that alcohol messes with your sleep and sleep messes with your mood. And as luck would have it, a bad mood can also mess with your sleep. So before you enter into this cyclical situation, hear us out.

Alcohol can have sedative effects and make you drowsy, which seems like a path to sleepiness, but it’s misleading. A few hours after you’ve consumed alcohol, it raises epinephrine levels in your body. That’s a stress hormone that increases the heart rate and just generally stimulates the body. This can lead to waking up throughout the night. 

When you’re feeling restless or agitated, replace alcohol with water. If that feels like the saddest thing you’ve ever heard, then have fun with it! Slice up some lemons, add a dash of bitters, and make it a hydrating mocktail 💦