How Alcohol Effects Our Energy Levels

June 27, 2022 3 min read

How Alcohol Effects Our Energy Levels

Alcohol is a staple at most gatherings, sports games, and parties. A lot of people may even like a glass or two of their favourite alcoholic beverage before going to bed.

There is nothing wrong with having a drink once in a while, but if you have alcohol more frequently or have become dependent on it, especially before bed can actually decrease your energy levels. 

Acts as a Sedative

You might like having a drink or two because it helps you relax. Initially, you feel good and may even feel drowsy. That’s because alcohol is a sedative. It can make you feel tired and lethargic. Most people drink alcohol in the late afternoon or evening when their energy levels are low in the first place.

Affects Sleep

Drinking alcohol to relax and maybe even sleep better is actually counterintuitive. Your body needs a good night's sleep to recharge for the next day. You start out with light sleep and then move into a deep sleep. Deep sleep is when your body repairs internal damage and the brain runs processes that purge and refresh it for the next day.

The REM phase (where your dream) takes place during deep sleep. When you drink, it cuts down on REM sleep, so you get less deep sleep. Alcohol raises levels of epinephrine, a stress hormone. It elevates your heart rate and energises your body causing you to wake up several times during the night. As a result, you are tired and sleepy the next day and may not be able to concentrate. 

Alternatives to an Alcoholic Drink

Next time you want to relax or wind down from a busy day, try one of the non-alcoholic alternatives, make a mocktail or healthier alc-free drinks.

Our Norfolk Punch drinks help you relax and unwind without zapping your energy level – containing over 30 calming herbs, berries and spices making it the perfect natural remedy as a sleep aid as part of good sleep hygiene.

Our Original Norfolk Punchcontains several natural herbs to help you relax. It contains Chamomile to help soothe your mind. Lemon balm to relieve stress and aid sleep. Elderberry helps reduce stress and combat inflammation.

Our Norfolk Punch Cranberry has some of the same soothing herbs and makes you feel like you’re drinking vodka and cranberry juice!

We even have a punch just for women that can ease the symptoms of menopause!

If you can’t function normally without alcohol, find you have become dependent or drink heavily, consider:

  • Limiting alcohol consumption to weekends and have non-alcoholic substitutes on hand during weekdays

  • Making managing stress a priority. Stress is a major trigger of cravings, so spend time with supportive people, exercise regularly, eat healthy and get plenty of sleep (points 1-4 above)

  • Getting help early - many people with a drinking problem don’t come forward for help until it affected their lives in a big way and grossly underestimated how much alcohol they had. managing stress a priority. Stress is a major trigger of cravings, so spend time with supportive people, exercise regularly, eat healthy and get plenty of sleep (points 1-4 above)

  • If you’ve already started to abstain from alcohol that’s causing cravings and withdrawal symptoms have kicked in (as your body craves toxins), focus on healthy eating to give your body the nutrients it needs to fight your drinking habits.

Discover new healthy drink options and substitutes as natural remedies will help you sleep soundly and feel refreshed the next day!


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