My Nightly Glass of Wine – Be Aware of Hidden Dangers

Enjoying a glass of wine with dinner or as a way to unwind for the evening is a time-honored tradition that people have been observing for hundreds of years. While having a glass of wine every so often poses no harm to most people, it also could be a risky habit for some people to practice.

glass of wine
A glass of red wine

Nightly Glass of Wine & Hidden Dangers

With each glass of wine that you enjoy, you may inadvertently build up a resistance to the alcohol’s intended effects.

While one glass of wine is meant to calm you and help you relax, it may not be very long at all before you are unable to achieve the level of calm you desire with one glass.

You may soon slide into a habit of drinking two, three, four, or more glasses of wine each night, becoming more inebriated as time passes.

woman drinking glass of wine glass of wine
Watch out for hidden dangers of drinking a glass of wine a day.

Indeed, a nightly glass of wine could be harmful if you are not capable of stopping at simply one glass. While you may feel unaffected, your blood alcohol content most likely says otherwise.

If you have to pick up your child from a late event, or even make a quick jaunt to the store, even though you feel fine, you risk getting pulled over by the police.

If you want to avoid sliding into unintended alcoholism and associated ills, consider other ways to relax; listed below are several substitutions for your nightly glass of wine.

Daily Glass of Wine Substitutions

Yoga

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Try yoga as a way to unwind and relax.

This therapeutic exercise is designed to help you relax mentally and physically as you stretch your body and focus on maintaining your balance. Yoga requires that you meditate and zone out the world as you balance, stretch, and concentrate to hold a variety of positions.

While you may not think that exercise could help you relax, it actually may be a great substitute for your nightly spirit as it is a stress reliever. Even more, you burn off calories and bring valuable oxygen into your muscles instead of adding calories and sugar into your body.

Herbal Teas

herbal tea glass of wine
Drink herbal tea to relax.

If you are in the habit of having a nightly drink, you could de-stress in a healthier way if you switch to herbal tea. At night, avoid those with caffeine as it may keep you awake when you want to sleep.

Herbal teas come in a variety of flavors. Mint has mild sedative qualities, chamomile is a top seller and especially calming, ginseng and valerian help with insomnia and anxiety.

Experiment with these and other herbs to find ones that give you the desired relaxation experience. In addition, teas often provide your body with powerful antioxidants and nutrients.

Meditation and Prayer

woman praying glass of wine
Praying and/or meditation is a great way to relax and find peace.

Meditation is a simple practice and costs nothing. You may find that praying or meditating can help you relax in a way that drinking cannot.

As the goal is to empty your mind of thoughts,  meditating can bring about a tranquil state. It will help you to focus on the present and shut out the business of the day.

Practitioners claim that regular meditation can help you sleep better at night and relieve a variety of ills such as pain, fatigue, depression and high blood pressure.

Bubble Baths or Saunas

sauna glass of wine
A sauna or bubble bath is a great way to relax and unwind after a stressful day.

Warm water can be a great relaxer, particularly if you have had a long day of work that took its toll on your body.

Instead of drinking a glass of wine, which temporarily makes you feel warm and sleepy, you can relax in a healthier and safer way when you soak in a sauna or bathtub full of warm water. You can also add lavender or green tea to your bath if you want a more relaxing and satisfying soak.

A nightly bath or sauna could help you sleep better without the ill effects that you may experience after drinking wine.

You may be unaware that your nightly glass of wine could put you at risk of developing alcoholism.

If you want to avoid this potential risk, a few nights per week you can choose an enjoyable substitution that will help you wind down and sleep well at night.

Or better yet, maybe just cook with wine like this red wine vinaigrette or this red wine pan gravy.