One drink a night. A few more on the weekend. Even that light drinking pattern changes your stress system.
The HPA axis starts releasing more cortisol when youre not drinking. So you feel more stressed, more anxious, more on edge.
It’s not just about hangovers. It’s about your baseline.
For people dealing with depression or chronic conditions like MS – where stress and inflammation already play a role – this matters. A lot.
The drink helps you relax in the moment.
But it quietly turns up the volume on your stress when you’re sober.