This is one of those topics that’s deeply personal. What works for one body doesn’t always work for another. And for me, alcohol and my body simply never got along anymore.
"using a glass of wine at night to take the edge off, only to wake up with poor-quality sleep that left me tired, wired, and craving quick carbs the next day and not feeling like working out. "
Even after just one drink, the body's feedback was always negative. My sleep suffered, my anxiety spiked the next day, and I felt off in ways that were hard to ignore. Over time, I noticed how easy it was to slip into an “oopsie cycle”, using a glass of wine at night to take the edge off, only to wake up with poor-quality sleep that left me tired, wired, and craving quick carbs the next day and not feeling like working out.
And that makes sense. When you’re exhausted, your brain looks for fast fuel. Not because you need more willpower…but because you need rest and I don’t have time a nap most days.
"That ripple effect alone made alcohol feel less like a treat and more like a tax my body didn’t want to pay."
As someone who frequently wears a CGM to test recipes and monitor blood sugar patterns, I could see it clearly: even small amounts of alcohol disrupted my sleep, and poor sleep sent my blood sugar out of whack and made me way more sensitive to carbs the next day. That ripple effect alone made alcohol feel less like a treat and more like a tax my body didn’t want to pay. Although it was interesting, while drinking wine or a sugar-free vodka cocktail with dinner, my blood sugar stayed stable and great even with some carbs at the meal, but only for a few hours, then the crazy ups and downs happened all night.
Eventually, the answer became simple.
It just wasn’t worth it for me anymore. It’s freeing to learn what your “worth it” indulgences are, and chocolate cake is almost always one for me.
Now, I haven’t had alcohol in over five years, and I truly don’t miss the aftermath. I do enjoy the ritual, though…the pause, the glass, the moment. That’s where mocktails came in.
When I’m out with friends, I’ll usually order sparkling water with lime. At home, I love a low-sugar mocktail like the recipes shared below, a diet ginger ale, or even the strawberry lemonade electrolytes + creatine supplement poured in a martini/fancy glass while I’m cooking dinner. My husband thinks this is hilarious—but there’s something about a different glass that makes it feel like a treat. And honestly? That’s enough for me.
"because feeling good the next day matters more to me than a fleeting buzz."
Most restaurant mocktails are loaded with sugar, so I started creating my own easy, sugar-free versions to enjoy at home and on vacation—because feeling good the next day matters more to me than a fleeting buzz.
Do I ever miss that warm, relaxing feeling in my esophagus from sipping wine?
Ummm…yess.
But I don’t miss the anxiety.
I don’t miss the poor sleep.
And I definitely don’t miss the blood sugar rollercoaster.
Realizing that the 30-minute relaxation wasn’t worth the ripple effect afterward was incredibly freeing. Not because alcohol is “bad.”
But because listening to my body finally felt better than pushing through its signals.
And that’s the real takeaway here: pay attention to your own feedback. Your body is always communicating. Learn its language and pivot as needed, which can change in different seasons of life. The trick is deciding when to listen.
xx, Meredith
Check Out My Mocktail Recipes
1 comment
You put into words exactly what happened to me 3 yrs ago. It had become a late afternoon habit. We were “wine people” after all. And so were our friends. Plus with a family history of Alzheimers I realized that needed to hang onto every last brain cell – and that required a good night’s sleep, solid exercise and being more engaged. I will occasionally have a “real beer” at lunch on vacation but its rare. Life is so much better!!
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thepeachiespoon replied:
Thanks for sharing! Love this so much ❤️❤️