It’s become pretty common for people to try and unwind after a long day with some alcohol. But if you’re trying to get sober, then this isn’t going to be an option for you. Trying to find a way to relax without alcohol may be hard at first. After all, it’s likely habit by now. So, how do you kick this habit? And how do you replace it with a better one…

Relax Without Alcohol: Useful Steps

Exercise & meditate

Exercising and meditation are both good ways to relax without alcohol. Each method has been shown to help people release their stress while also improving their overall health. Plus, the nice thing is that you have a lot of options at your disposal.

For instance, many people like to try out yoga or breathing exercises. You can do them at practically any time, and they can help you re-center and focus after a stressful day. Exercise can also do the same, whether you decide to just go on a walk or seriously hit the gym. Find something which works for you, and you’ll find yourself feeling a lot less stressed out.

Be with others

When you have a lot of free time, especially on the weekends, then you may like to spend some time with your friends and socialize. While this is supposed to be a relaxing time, it can be tough if you don’t drink. A lot of places will serve drinks, which can make trying to relax without alcohol seem impossible.

The thing is, it just takes some mental adjustment. It can feel a bit odd to be drinking something like water when everyone has alcohol. Still, that doesn’t mean you can’t still have a fun time. In fact, your friends may even try to help by not drinking themselves or proposing things to do where alcohol isn’t the focal point.

Set up your environment

If you want to relax without alcohol, then it helps to create a relaxing environment in your home. You can do this in a number of ways. Lighting some candles or having some calming scents can help your brain begin to calm down when facing stress. It’s also helpful to listen to some nice, calming music as well.

From there, you should try and find something which you can do that’ll help you relax and keep your mind of off drinking. This could be something creative, like painting or writing, or even just taking the time to cook a nice meal and watch a movie. Once you see that relaxing without drinking is possible, it becomes a whole lot easier to stick with it.