04.01.2022

WHEN TO RELAX: HEALTHY ALTERNATIVES TO ALCOHOL

In this unprecedented era of blockage and social distancing, alcohol has become a major coping tool for many people.

It may not be surprising, but it can change your life almost as much as a pandemic. Like other substances, it can make us feel good right now, but the long-term effects are very serious.

Here are some healthy non-alcoholic alternatives to alcohol.

Find the missing pieces

According to Marcel Danesi, a professor at the University of Toronto, arranging puzzles brings order to chaos, which gives us a sense of control. Let's face it, things seem very, very out of control right now.

Puzzles distract from the cluttered real world and are a way to make the mind and body work in tandem. When your head and hands put the pieces together, confusion and uncertainty remain in the background.

If you don't like puzzles, try coloring books for adults (there are even pandemic ones).

Practice meditation

If you thought meditation meant sitting on the floor for hours while your legs were bent, think again. A study published in 2019 in Behavioral Brain Research found that just 13 minutes of meditation a day for eight weeks boosts mood while reducing anxiety. If 13 minutes is too much, try 10 minutes or even five.

Breathe

Close your eyes and take a deep, slow breath. Exhale slowly and release the tension in your shoulders. Then take two slower, relaxing breaths. There are also variations on the theme: with your eyes still closed, imagine your partner, friend, loved one or parent smiling at you.

You can also recall the nice things they say and do about you and smile back at them. Or you can just imagine this warmth and kindness as a radiance around them. Positive affirmations take less than a minute, and our thoughts can significantly affect our mood and views.

Look at your food

Literally. Alcohol is not the only supposed "quick fix" to pandemic depression. Many of us also reach for food. And not everything is healthy, so think of other options.

Try to make your food meaningful - taste, texture, crunchy or creamy? Think about taste. Is it salty or sweet? This is one way to be careful and disconnect from stressful thoughts.

Enjoy the sun

You can do this by walking or just sitting in the sun. Sunlight, in fact, stimulates the receptors on the back of the retina, which help release hormones and help us regulate sleep patterns.

Sunlight triggers the release of serotonin (the hormone of good mood) and triggers the synthesis of vitamin D, which can help prevent osteoporosis. Of course, always enjoy the sun in combination with a broad-spectrum sunscreen.

Have a "dry" meeting at Zoom

There are other things to do in Zoom besides work. Play, cook, watch a movie together. The main goal is to maintain social connections that are important for our health. Loneliness is associated with high blood pressure, heart disease, infections and cognitive problems. It may be twice as difficult to keep in touch during a pandemic, but there are creative ways to do it.

Turn off notifications on your phone

It is important that we all keep up with current information, but you cannot follow it non-stop. Limit your time on social media and take the time to choose reliable sources of news.