While a couple of glasses of red wine can help clear the mind after a busy day, new research shows that it may actually help clean the mind as well.
Pinot Noirs are packed full of the plant-based compound resveratrol, which not only has recently been found to help with anxiety and depression, but also in reducing stress levels. Resveratrol can be found in the skin of many different kinds of grapes.
Wine depresses the central nervous system which means that your senses slow down, including your thought processes. So, if you're mind has been racing all day thinking about all the things you have to do then a glass of wine can help to alleviate your stress, worry and anxiety by decreasing such feelings.
Drinking beer or wine sometimes seems like a helpful way to ease anxiety. This is because alcohol is both a stimulant and a sedative, meaning it can make you feel more energetic and engaged, as well as calm and relaxed.
Alcohol is a depressant. It slows down processes in your brain and central nervous system, and can initially make you feel less inhibited. In the short-term, you might feel more relaxed - but these effects wear off quickly. In fact, if you're experiencing anxiety, drinking alcohol could be making things worse.
Work on repairing your nervous system naturally by using deep breathing techniques. Box breathing, diaphragmatic breathing, and alternate nostril breathing are all awesome ways to invite calm during a state of panic. You can also try meditation or yoga paired with deep breathing, even if you only have 5 or 10 minutes.
Red wine and beer may make you more relaxed...
Respondents were most likely to report feeling relaxed (52.8%) when drinking red wine; although almost half of respondents also reported feeling relaxed when drinking beer.
Brain benefits of moderate drinking
Other studies have linked the resveratrol found in red wine to heart and brain health benefits, and suggest that regular moderate consumption of red wine may slow aging.
Red wine has a compound in it called resveratrol, which has well-established anti-inflammatory effects. Some studies show wine consumption is associated with a reduced risk of knee OA, and moderate drinking is also associated with a reduced risk of RA.
"I recommend brut Champagne, cava, pinot grigio, and sauvignon blanc. These have lower sugar content, which contributes to their lower calorie count," she says. Wines higher in residual sugar include moscato and port, she adds.
Red wine, in moderation, has long been thought of as heart healthy. The alcohol and certain substances in red wine called antioxidants may help prevent coronary artery disease, the condition that leads to heart attacks.
Pinot Noir is rated as the healthiest wine because of the high levels of resveratrol. It is made of grapes with thin skin, has low sugar, fewer calories, and low alcohol content. Sagrantino made in Italy contains the highest concentration of antioxidants and is packed with tannins.
Wines that are full of energy and vibes: Zinfandel, Valpolicella, Pinot Noir (Vosne Romanee, New Zealand Pinot).
There are no specific studies that suggest that one type of alcohol can affect anxiety levels more than other types of alcohol. While some people may believe that wine and beer may cause less anxiety than hard liquor due to its alcohol content, this is not true.
That aspect seems to stem from the fact that alcohol increases activity in the dopamine neurons in the mesolimbic reward pathway, as well as opioid cells that release endorphins. Both produce feelings of joy, pleasure, euphoria, depending on the type of activation. That's why drinking can be so pleasurable.
Neurotropic B vitamins play crucial roles as coenzymes and beyond in the nervous system. Particularly vitamin B1 (thiamine), B6 (pyridoxine), and B12 (cobalamin) contribute essentially to the maintenance of a healthy nervous system.
Malbec. As an especially thick-skinned variety, Malbec claims higher antioxidant levels than other red wines especially in terms of resveratrol. This variety has two to four times the amount of anti-inflammatory, health boosting antioxidants than other popular red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
In fact, white wine helped to repair endothelial cells lining blood vessels, thus offering cardioprotection. It also decreased the presence of inflammatory cells and pro-inflammatory biomarkers. Lung health. This is one area of health where white wine may have an edge over red.
Which Alcohol Is the Least Inflammatory? If you're generally healthy, a small amount of alcohol every day probably won't lead to inflammation, reassures Jandes. “Dry red wine seems to have the least amount of negative health effects due to its higher polyphenol content and beneficial bacteria,” she says.