Contrary to what we’ve been taught, alcohol doesn’t actually relax your body. It activates a stress response, which drives cortisol up, not down. And for women 40 , that stress response can show up as: • hormone disruption • stubborn weight gain • poor sleep quality • increased bone loss risk • added liver stress • elevated blood pressure • mood and anxiety issues About 3 years ago, I swapped my nightly glass of wine for something that actually supports my nervous system — and it’s now part of m