HealthHealth Conditions

The Surprising Way High Blood Pressure Can Affect Your Hearing

Understand the link between ringing in ears and blood pressure. Discover how hypertension can affect hearing and ways to manage it.

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Photo: Getty Images/Prostock-Studio
Published Mar 15, 2024

Written by 

Ciara Lucas

Picture this: Your favorite song comes on and you turn the volume all the way up on your AirPods. When the song is over, you hear ringing in your ears. This is actually a pretty common experience called tinnitus, which goes away quickly and on its own. But tinnitus that’s consistent can be from an underlying health condition—including high blood pressure.

Experts in This Article

Jesus Lizarzaburu

board-certified family medicine doctor with TPMG in Yorktown, Virginia

Tricia Scaglione

clinical audiologist and tinnitus expert with the American Tinnitus Association

High blood pressure (aka, hypertension) is a chronic condition where the force of blood pushing against the walls of your arteries is too high. This makes your heart work harder to pump blood, per the Mayo Clinic.

Nearly half of Americans have high blood pressure, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but it’s often referred to as the “silent killer” because it can go undetected, due to symptoms that seem mild or unrelated.

Here, a family medicine doctor and audiologist explain why exactly high blood pressure causes ringing in ears, other tinnitus causes, and how to help quiet that internal high-pitched noise.

Can high blood pressure cause ringing in your ears?

In short, yes. High blood pressure can cause sounds in one or both ears that can’t be heard externally, also known as tinnitus, says Jesus Lizarzaburu, MD, a board-certified family medicine doctor at TPMG in Yorktown, Virginia. “It sounds like a very high-pitched sound. Some describe it like sitting right next to an old tube TV or monitor,” he adds.

High blood pressure can cause a specific type of tinnitus called pulsatile tinnitus, adds Dr. Lizarzaburu. “It’s a type where you hear a rhythmical noise, often in time with your heartbeat, and it can be caused by blood vessel problems like high blood pressure.”

Why does this happen? Well, when your blood pressure gets high, the blood flow through your arteries becomes more forceful. This increased pressure can cause a variety of noises in the blood vessels close to your ear, leading to the ringing or buzzing sounds associated with tinnitus, he explains.

Hypertension can also lead to hearing issues if it affects the blood supply to your auditory system, says Dr. Lizarzaburu. “The cochlea, which is the hearing organ in the inner ear, requires a rich blood supply to function properly.” This can cause irritating sounds, too.

While tinnitus is common, not everyone with the condition has hypertension. And vice versa: Not everyone with hypertension will develop tinnitus.

If you have tinnitus along with any of the following symptoms of very high blood pressure, you should seek medical care immediately (in other words, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room), according to the World Health Organization:

  • Chest pain
  • Severe headaches
  • Dizziness
  • Nausea
  • Vision changes
  • Anxiety
  • Disorientation
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“Tinnitus sounds like a very high-pitched sound. Some describe it like sitting right next to an old tube TV or monitor.”—Jesus Lizarzaburu, MD, family medicine doctor

Other causes of ringing in the ears

Ringing in the ears isn’t exclusively due to high blood pressure. In fact, “high blood pressure is a rarer cause for tinnitus,” says Tricia Scaglione, AuD, a clinical audiologist and tinnitus expert. The most common cause for tinnitus is exposure to loud noise, like when you have your headphones too loud or you’re listening to loud music.

“If you’ve ever been to a loud concert or sporting event, and then left with a buzzing or ringing noise in your ear (that wasn’t present before), it’s a form of tinnitus. But this kind is temporary and usually goes away within 72 hours,” she says.

Other causes of tinnitus include the following, per Scaglione:

  • Age-related hearing loss
  • Earwax buildup
  • Ear infection
  • Allergies
  • TMJ disorders
  • Head and neck injuries
  • Certain medications, including antibiotics, NSAIDs, and antidepressants
  • Stress
  • Migraines
  • Heart disease
  • Diabetes
  • Anemia
  • Hypothyroidism

How to treat blood pressure-related ringing in the ears

Currently there is no cure for tinnitus, but there are ways to at least manage ringing in your ears from high blood pressure, says Dr. Lizarzaburu. He recommends regular monitoring of your symptoms (including what triggers or worsens them) and certain lifestyle changes to keep your blood pressure in check. This may include:

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If lifestyle changes aren’t enough, your doctor may prescribe medication to help lower your blood pressure.“There are many different types of blood pressure medications, and the right one will depend on the individual’s specific circumstances,” he adds.

Checking your blood pressure at home regularly is another great way to manage high blood pressure, along with keeping routine checkups with your doctor.

“It’s also worth noting that while treating the underlying high blood pressure can help, it may not eliminate the tinnitus altogether,” says Dr. Lizarzaburu. In that case, he recommends other treatments for tinnitus, including:

  • Sound therapy: This involves listening to neutral sounds to distract from the sound of tinnitus
  • Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): A type of therapy that helps people learn to cope with tinnitus by changing the way they think about it
  • Tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT): This involves retraining the brain to reduce the perception of the ringing or buzzing sound
  • Hearing aids: A great management option for people who have hearing loss and tinnitus

Preventing ringing in the ears from high blood pressure

Prevention and treatment for blood pressure-related tinnitus are very similar. A lot of the strategies come down to controlling the “controllables”—like what we eat, drink, and the healthy habits we have. Dr. Lizarzaburu and Scaglione suggest these preventive measures for managing tinnitus with high blood pressure:

Maintain a healthy diet and weight

“A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and low-fat dairy can help manage blood pressure,” says Dr. Lizarzaburu. “Avoiding foods high in sodium and saturated fats is also important.”

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Apart from a balanced diet, maintaining a healthy weight for your body is also important for reducing high blood pressure risk. In fact, having overweight accounts for 65 to 78 percent of hypertension cases, according to a February 2020 review in Gland Surgery. Talk to your doctor about whether you’re in a healthy weight range.

Get regular exercise

Incorporating physical activity into your daily routine can help improve your heart health, your mood, and your muscle mass. But it may also prevent high blood pressure, too.

“About 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week can lower your blood pressure and improve your overall cardiovascular health,” says Dr. Lizarzaburu.

In general, adults should aim to get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week, according to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. This could include aerobic activities like walking, biking, or swimming. The guidelines also suggest doing strengthening exercises at least two days a week, like lifting weights or Pilates. It’s best to find an exercise you enjoy and stick with it.

Limit alcohol and caffeine

Drinking too much alcohol can raise your blood pressure and negatively interact with blood pressure medications, per Johns Hopkins Medicine. Similarly, drinking coffee, tea, energy drinks, or soda can increase blood pressure, too, if you’re sensitive to caffeine.

“Both alcohol and caffeine can raise your blood pressure and potentially worsen tinnitus,” says Dr. Lizarzaburu. This means, reducing the amount you drink per day or week can help you maintain a healthy blood pressure and may ease the ringing in your ears.

Quit smoking

Smoking can raise your blood pressure and damage your blood vessels, therefore increasing your risk of tinnitus, says Scaglione. In fact, the nicotine in tobacco products can increase your blood pressure by as much as 10 points for up to an hour after you smoke, per Johns Hopkins Medicine. Even inhaling secondhand smoke on a regular basis can contribute to high blood pressure, per the Cleveland Clinic.

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For this reason (and many more), it’s best to quit smoking. If you’re having a hard time quitting, reach out to your doctor, who can suggest online or in-person smoking cessation programs and resources.

Limit salt in your diet

A low-sodium diet helps lower blood pressure, which in turn, could help prevent tinnitus. Dr. Lizarzaburu suggests trying to limit your sodium intake to less than 2,300 milligrams a day. Swapping out ultra-processed and packaged foods for more whole, fresh foods can help decrease overall sodium intake, too. When you purchase packaged foods in the store, compare nutrition labels and opt for the choice with lower sodium.

And if you’re going out to eat, look for any meals marked as “heart-healthy” or “low salt” on the menu, or ask if food can come with less salt.

Manage stress

“Stress is definitely a common trigger for tinnitus,” says Scaglione. Chronic stress can especially contribute to high blood pressure, leading to longer-term tinnitus. This is why stress-management strategies are important.

“Things like mindfulness, working out, yoga, and guided breathing or meditation are all great practices for an individual if they’re under stress and/or are dealing with tinnitus,” adds Scaglione.

Avoid loud noises

Because the most common cause for tinnitus is loud noises, limiting your exposure to them can prevent that high-pitched ringing in your ears from happening. “Exposure to loud noises can cause temporary or permanent tinnitus,” says Scaglione. And if you can’t avoid them altogether? “Using ear protection in noisy environments, like earplugs, can help prevent this.”

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When to see a doctor

Tinnitus can be a symptom of many underlying conditions, so it’s best to talk to your doctor if the ringing in your ears is continuous and persists for more than a week, says Dr. Lizarzaburu. You should also see a doctor if the sound disrupts your quality of life or causes sleep disturbances, difficulty concentrating, or emotional distress.

Other signs it’s time to seek help include the following, per Dr. Lizarzaburu:

  • You have ringing in one ear only with no other unusual symptoms like dizziness or balance problems
  • The ringing starts suddenly without any apparent cause
  • The tinnitus is accompanied by other symptoms like hearing loss, dizziness, balance problems, or unexplained ear pain
  • The tinnitus occurs with sudden hearing loss, particularly if it’s only affecting one ear

Before any emergency situations arise, Scaglione suggests seeing an audiologist as part of your annual health-care routine. “Having a healthy hearing checkup, or at least a baseline of hearing, is really important,” she says. “If somebody hears any kind of sound in their ears that’s lasting longer than five minutes, regardless if it’s bothersome or not, they should have it checked out.”

And if you have any symptoms of high blood pressure, let your doctor know. They can take a blood pressure reading and discuss treatment options if needed.

FAQ

What does tinnitus from high blood pressure sound like?

Not all cases of tinnitus sound the same; they can range in sound and pitch. “It’s commonly reported as a ringing, buzzing, or humming,” says Scaglione. “But it can be chirping, or even musical, believe it or not.” When there’s an underlying vascular issue, tinnitus might sound like a pulse or a beat that’s more consistent with your heart rate.

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Does ringing in the ears ever mean low blood pressure?

It’s possible that any change in blood pressure could have an effect on hearing, says Scaglione. But in most cases, tinnitus is a symptom of high blood pressure.

Why is my ear ringing all of a sudden?

Sudden ringing in your ears could be situational. If you’ve just left a loud environment, like a sporting event or concert, the ringing in your ears is temporary and should go away within 72 hours, says Scaglione. If it doesn’t go away, it’s likely a form of tinnitus that’s caused by an underlying condition and you should see a doctor.

—reviewed by Jennifer Logan, MD, MPH

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‘It’s Amazing How It’s All Connected.’ Here’s How Trauma Can Affect Your Pelvic Floor

Trauma and your pelvic floor are connected. Here's how trauma affects your pelvic floor, according to health experts.

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Photo: Stocksy/Marija Savic
Published Feb 2, 2025

Written by 

Heather Mayer Irvine

Content warning: This story contains references to suicide and physical and emotional trauma, which may be upsetting or triggering for some readers.

Experts in This Article

Alexandra T. Milspaw

an international consultant and educator for chronic pelvic and sexual pain

Lauren Garges

a women’s clinical specialist and the director of the pelvic health rehab program at St. Lukes University Health Network

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The only thing that stopped Zoe* from taking her own life was the love she had for her two children. But the indescribable chronic pain she was experiencing was all-encompassing. And none of her doctors—nearly a dozen—knew what was wrong. Worse, perhaps, they wrote her off, condescended her, passed her around from physician to physician. “They washed their hands of me,” Zoe, now 48, tells Well+Good.

After a year of medication and doctor visits and dismissed cries for help, for what was first suspected (never confirmed) to be a urinary tract infection that morphed into excruciating pelvic pain, Zoe found herself speaking with a pelvic floor physical therapist. She was diagnosed with a hypertonic—tight, overactive—pelvic floor. Now, the healing and treatment could begin.

What is the pelvic floor?

The pelvic floor is made of important muscles and tissues that hold pelvic organs, including the bladder, bowel, and uterus. Lauren Garges, PT, DPT, a women’s clinical specialist and the director of the pelvic health rehab program at St. Lukes University Health Network, likens the pelvic floor to a hammock of muscles. And, like the muscles in your neck, legs, or back, they can be too weak or too tight. But when a person experiences trauma, acute or over an extended period of time, it can lead to pelvic floor dysfunction, explains Garges.

Pelvic floor dysfunction is an umbrella term that refers to a host of issues, including urinary incontinence, pain during intercourse, constipation, and urinary frequency and urgency, Garges says. If left untreated, pelvic floor dysfunction can lead to chronic conditions, including back and hip pain. It can be hard to diagnose at this point because the root of the problem, in the pelvic floor, presents itself in the hip and back.

How trauma can affect the pelvic floor

Not only does the pelvic floor hold numerous organs, but it’s also where the vagal nerves are rooted. These nerves are part of the autonomic nervous system, which controls digestion, heart rate, and immune system, explains Alexandra T. Milspaw, PhD, an international consultant and educator for chronic pelvic and sexual pain.

The human fight-or-flight response to stress is linked to the autonomic nervous system, which means it’s impossible for a person to experience fight-or-flight without the pelvic floor tightening, Milspaw says.

Garges, who frequently refers her physical therapy clients to mental health professionals, says that trauma is incredibly individualized and subjective. Giving birth, for example, falls into the realm of trauma.

“Birth trauma would be the physical things that need to heal—torn muscles, stitches, nerve damage,” Garges says. “Some people recover quickly, in three to six months, but for others, it can persist for much longer, and that’s when you should see someone who can treat it.” Birth trauma can also be emotional, if, say, a woman’s healthcare team didn’t listen to her wishes, or the labor and delivery were traumatic.

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Garges also treats patients who have suffered from sexual assault or abuse, and she describes vaginismus, a type of dysfunction, as a protective mechanism—the body is literally closing itself off. (This can happen after other forms of trauma, too.)

But not all trauma, Garges explains, has to be physical for the pelvic floor to experience distress. “Emotional trauma presents physically in the body, tightness in the muscles,” she says, reiterating that the pelvic floor is made up of muscles. Someone who’s stressed or anxious might have tension in their shoulders and neck, others in their pelvic floor muscles.

Physical tension and stress create a cycle of inflammation that isn’t typically visible on imaging or through bloodwork, Milspaw says, which can make diagnosing these complaints and concerns incredibly challenging. “Anxiety or stress or a head injury can lead to a tight pelvic floor, which can cause [gastrointestinal] upset, which creates inflammation, which can be felt in the brain, and then we’re trapped in this cycle until we can turn off the switch at both ends at the same time,” Milspaw explains.

Eventually, Zoe started working with a pelvic floor physical therapist, who told her, “Your brain has learned this pattern [of pain],” Zoe recalls. “It goes far beyond the acute symptoms, which have resolved. Now your neurons are remembering this pain pattern.”

So in addition to pelvic floor physical therapy, which includes manual therapy, exercises, and breathing techniques, Zoe started seeing Milspaw for counseling. She says although she was surprised at the connection between mental health and pelvic floor dysfunction, “ultimately it made sense. If your nervous system is in constant fight-or-flight mode, it’s bound to have physical effects.”

What happens if trauma goes unchecked

The body is designed to protect itself, sometimes at all costs. This became apparent to Dianna B., 55, when she found herself begrudgingly speaking to a therapist at the request of her husband who was seeing a sex therapist. The couple, who had four children, had stopped having sex when Dianna was 43 and her sister was diagnosed with breast cancer.

On top of that, Dianna had a traumatic second birth, one that required 75 internal stitches. For years, she experienced unidentified pain near her where her stitches had been and bathroom accidents—bowel movement and incontinence. She was sure she had an anal fissure (tests showed she didn’t). “I sat there crossing my arms, saying, ‘I don’t have a mental health issue. I have a physical issue,” Dianna recalls.

Eventually, Dianna started to open up. She recalled being held down by her legs when she was 10 years old while doctors took bone marrow from her hips to give to her older sister who had leukemia. “She was going to die unless she got a bone marrow transplant,” Dianna tells Well+Good. “I was her donor.”

These repressed memories, Dianna says, came flooding back during therapy, and she started to see the correlation: She held trauma in her legs from her childhood and was retraumatized during her second delivery as an adult. “It’s amazing how it’s all connected.”

Milspaw, who has been working with Dianna for years, explains that if a person experiences intense stress, anxiety, or depression for a period of just 10 days, the hardware of the brain starts to change. For example, a 2021 study1 published in Translational Psychiatry, found that trauma exposure during childhood could contribute to structural changes in the developing brain. “It can shrink and deteriorate,” Milspaw says. “This hardware is specifically related to emotional regulation, memory, executive function, and communication.”

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Milspaw says this trauma is cumulative, that “the body keeps score.” She explains that people assume if there is pelvic or sexual pain, it has to be related to sex-related trauma, but that’s just not true. “People forget the nervous system is one whole system,” she says. “The pelvis is the center of the wheel.”

“People forget the nervous system is one whole system. The pelvis is the center of the wheel.” —Alexandra T. Milspaw, PhD

What to do if you have trauma that’s affected your pelvic floor

Once people know where to turn, trauma to your pelvic floor is treatable. But there are more than a few barriers to treatment, Milspaw says. “People don’t want to touch pelvic pain with a 10-foot pole,” she says. “There is a lot going on in the pelvis, and no one wants to be responsible for it.” The example she gives is the reality Zoe faced: See a gynecologist who sends you to a urologist, who passes you to a gastroenterologist, who kicks you back to a urologist.

Part of this problem, Milspaw says, is that most healthcare professionals are not trained in pelvic health. Another part of the problem is the taboo around sexual health and pelvic pain. People, especially women, do not want to discuss their concerns—Zoe and Dianna are examples of how even when they did try to seek help, they were treated like petulant children with no obvious illness or problem. “The shame piece is huge,” Milspaw says. “You can’t talk about how your vagina hurts as easily as you can talk about how your head hurts.”

Some women think what they’re experiencing is normal because they don’t know anything else. Milspaw gives an example of a high school girl who had incredibly heavy periods—soaking through five pads an hour. She was told, “It’s your period. Get over it.”

Savannah T., 25, suspected what she was experiencing was not normal. She was diagnosed with endometriosis in her late teens and has been through a pharmacy full of medications to manage her symptoms, including debilitating pain. Savannah, a nurse, slipped into a deep depression in 2021 because of her worsening health and working in the COVID-19 intensive care unit. She had to take a leave of absence.

She searched for a pelvic floor physical therapist—something not many people know to do. “My pelvic floor physical therapist educated me on what the floor is and what it does. She validated all of the symptoms I was having,” Savannah tells Well+Good.

Pelvic floor physical therapists provide treatment that can be a mix of exercises, stretches, breathing techniques, and manual tissue release. “When it comes to manual therapy, we have to be mindful of that trauma and maintain an alliance with the patient,” Garges says, noting that a physical therapist will follow a patient’s lead, and hands-on work might not happen for weeks or months.

Garges will prescribe yoga stretches that focus on the lower back to relieve tension, and pelvic exercises like lunges, squats, and hip work. Garges and Milspaw guide their patients through breathing techniques as well.

Milspaw teaches her clients a variety of tools, including emotional freedom techniques—a type of tapping that can assist with anxiety relief—bilateral stimulation music2 to help balance brain activity between the two hemispheres, and pendulation, which can help regulate the nervous system by alternating, or pendulating, between feelings of safety and discomfort.

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Once Milspaw establishes balance and a feeling of safety in her clients, then more traditional forms of therapy, including talk therapy, she says, are more effective.

Savannah didn’t realize how much her depression, stress, and anxiety connected straight to her pelvic floor. Whenever she had feelings of distress, they could be directly correlated to an increase in her pelvic symptoms. “With the combination of pelvic floor physical therapy and working with Dr. Milspaw, I’ve seen a huge difference,” Savannah says. She still takes medications for her endometriosis, but she knows what her life looks like without her physical and mental therapies. It’s dark.

There are brighter days ahead for Savannah, Zoe, and Dianna. They encourage others to advocate for themselves, even if a doctor—or doctors—is dismissive. They knew something wasn’t right and wouldn’t quit until someone took them seriously. “It’s been a journey,” Zoe says. “I’ve learned a lot about myself. I’ve rebuilt myself from the ground up, from the floor up.”

Dianna, who resented her husband for insisting she see a therapist because they weren’t having sex, now says it was the best gift he could have given her. They’re not quite on the same page yet, but Dianna says there’s hope. “That’s what I’m striving for.”

*Names have been changed, where indicated, to protect privacy.

  1. Jeong, H.J., Durham, E.L., Moore, T.M. et al. The association between latent trauma and brain structure in children. Transl Psychiatry 11, 240 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-021-01357-z

    ↩︎

  2. Amano T, Toichi M. The Role of Alternating Bilateral Stimulation in Establishing Positive Cognition in EMDR Therapy: A Multi-Channel Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Study. PLoS One. 2016 Oct 12;11(10):e0162735. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0162735. PMID: 27732592; PMCID: PMC5061320.

    ↩︎

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How a Yoga Practice Helped Me Navigate My Relationship With Alcohol During Dry January

Read one writer's experience with how yoga helped them navigate their relationship with alcohol during Dry January.

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Photo: Stocksy/Jayme Burrows
Published Jan 31, 2025

Written by 

Colleen McNally Arnett

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Whether unwinding after a long day with a cocktail, toasting a celebratory moment with bubbly, or sharing a bottle with friends over dinner, alcoholic beverages—when enjoyed responsibly in moderation—have long been a one of my favorite rituals for bringing people together and feeling present in the moment.

Experts in This Article

Courtney Scott

medical director of Momentous Recovery Group

Rosalie Kennedy

a yoga instructor and director of marketing at Athletic Brewing Company

Rostislav Ignatov

chief medical officer at The Haven Detox and a board-certified expert in general psychiatry and addiction medicine

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But the soaring popularity of the sober-curious movement in the past decade, however, has led more people—myself included—to reevaluate the role alcohol plays in our lives and our health.

Trends like Dry January encourage people to reimagine how they drink and navigate their social lives. And with new health guidelines in the U.S. warning that even moderate alcohol consumption is linked to an increased risk of cancer, staying dry—or at least damp—beyond January is becoming increasingly common.

Still, like breaking any habit, going dry can be challenging at first. Even with the rise of delicious, zero-proof beverages becoming more easily available, cutting back on up booze requires strong mental stamina, clear intention setting, and a community support system.

Enter: yoga. While the Western world most commonly associates yoga with exercise, the ancient practice is so much more than physical postures. As the Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health teaches, in accordance with the Bhagavad Gita, “yoga is skillfulness in action—a reference to a yogi’s capacity to act dynamically in ways that reliably produce positive life results.” Another definition drawn from the Yoga Sutra teaches that “yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind, a reference to a yogi’s capacity to see life and reality as it is, without the filters of fears, fantasies or other distortions.”

Considering alcohol can color our reality, a yoga practice can be a helpful tool for those learning to navigate a sober-curious life.

The benefits of taking a break from alcohol (during any time of the year)

“Alcohol is a depressant, and even moderate drinking can contribute to anxiety, low mood, or mental fog,” says Rostislav Ignatov, MD, chief medical officer at The Haven Detox and a board-certified expert in general psychiatry and addiction medicine. “When you stop drinking, your brain starts to balance itself, and many people feel more focused, emotionally stable, and even happier. It’s like lifting a weight off your shoulders.”

According to Dr. Ignatov, one of the first things many people notice when taking a break from alcohol is better sleep. “Alcohol might help you fall asleep, but it actually disrupts deep, restful sleep, leaving you tired the next day,” he explains. “Without it, your sleep cycles improve, and you wake up feeling more refreshed and energized.”

Physically, you’ll likely see changes over time, too. “Your liver gets a much-needed break, which can lower inflammation and help your body work more efficiently,” Dr. Ignatov adds. “People often notice reduced bloating, better digestion, and even healthier skin. If you’ve been dealing with high blood pressure or sluggish energy levels, you might see improvements there as well.”

How a yoga practice can help you navigate your relationship with alcohol

For Rosalie Kennedy, a yoga instructor and director of marketing at Athletic Brewing Company, a non-alcoholic beer company, opting for a non-alcoholic beer instead of booze allows her to be social and enjoy whatever the occasion might be without the typical next-day pitfalls of alcohol consumption. “I can give 100 percent to the next activity whether that’s yoga, work, or taking care of my family,” says Kennedy.

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After casually practicing yoga for 15 years, Kennedy opted to pursue her 200-RYT certification in 2023. As a result, she says she has not only elevated her understanding of her body and mental health, but has improved her overall quality of life. “Now, I can bring that mindfulness into other facets of my life, like alcohol consumption,” Kennedy says. “I’ve noticed that I’m more aware of how my body reacts to alcohol, how I’m enjoying the taste, or whether I even want to consume alcohol at a given moment.”

On a biological level, one of the best things yoga does is reduce stress, which in turn, can reduce the likelihood of wanting to drink alcohol. “Yoga relaxes the nervous system and lowers cortisol—the stress hormone,” says Courtney Scott, MD, medical director of Momentous Recovery Group.

Dr. Scott points out that when we’re less stressed, we’re less likely to rely on alcoholic substances as coping mechanisms for life challenges. “Cravings often come when you’re feeling overwhelmed or anxious, and yoga helps calm your mind and body,” Dr. Ignatov adds. By focusing on your breath and movement, you can activate your body’s parasympathetic nervous system (PNS)— also known as the body’s relaxation response—a network of nerves that helps the body relax and digest food. Simply put, this state makes it easier to handle stress without reaching for a drink.

“Yoga also teaches mindfulness, which is all about staying present in the moment,” says Dr. Ignatov “When a craving shows up, yoga helps you pause and acknowledge it without reacting right away. That moment of pause can be all you need to choose a healthier way to cope, like taking a walk or calling a friend.”

A yoga practice helps individuals to understand themselves better physically and emotionally, explains Dr. Scott. “This enables them to be mindful about what triggers their emotions hence evading an urge for alcohol.” From my own personal experience, I know that if I have more than a couple of drinks in the evening, I will feel the effects when I show up on my yoga mat the next day.

The bottom line

For those who are re-evaluating their relationship with alcohol and are interested in deepening their yoga practice, Kennedy advises to focus on what makes you feel good.

“Yoga is for you, not anyone else,” Kennedy says. “You’re always allowed to modify a posture to suit your preferences, and alcohol consumption should be no different. I recommend checking in with yourself during a night out or a social occasion where alcohol might be involved. Ask yourself, ‘Does this feel good?’ If not, what adjustments do you want to make in the moment?”

Reaping the benefits of yoga, however, will require a consistent practice. “Whatever chemicals make you feel good, such as endorphins, will naturally rise when you become used to practicing yoga every day, which provides a safe, alternative mood-booster compared to a temporary alcohol high,” says Dr. Scott. “Consistent training brings about an enduring feeling of joy and stability in one’s life.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or go to FindTreatment.gov for resources and treatment options.

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