Sunsets Are The New Happy Hour

Kristin Horstman
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Mental Health
  • Updated Weekly

What if you could elevate your life instead of escaping it? Sunsets Are the New Happy Hour is hosted by Kristin Horstman, a Gray Area Drinking and Health Coach who uses neuroscience to help men and women understand what alcohol is really doing to their health, their mood, and their light. Judgment-free tools, real answers, and a whole lot of hope. Your brightest life is waiting.

  1. 5d ago

    #20: Neuroscientists Say You Have a 6th Sense, Alcohol Quietly Destroys It

    Interoception is your ability to sense what is happening inside your own body, and for many gray area drinkers, it is the skill that went quiet without them ever realizing it was gone. If you have spent years reaching for a drink, a scroll, or anything outside yourself to manage that end of day tension, you were not failing. You were outsourcing a job your nervous system was designed to do, and the part of you that could have done it started to fade. Kristin Horstman, certified Gray Area Drinking Coach and host of Sunsets Are the New Happy Hour, walks through the neuroscience of interoception, how alcohol dulls this inner sense, and what it looks like to rebuild it. She covers Stephen Porges' nervous system states, Bessel van der Kolk's work on body awareness and agency, and the concept of "shifting the burden to the intervener" from neuroscientist Stephanie Fay. She closes with a guided noticing practice you can start today. This episode is for anyone who is ready to feel like their true self again Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (01:53) What Noticing Actually Means (03:11) Interoception: Your Inner Sense (04:19) Shifting the Burden to the Intervener (05:43) Nervous System States: Porges' Map (07:05) The Insula and Body Awareness (08:07) Notice, Read, Choose in Action (09:49) Guided Noticing Practice (10:34) Recap: Rebuilding What Went Quiet Kristin asks what your body is doing right now. Comment below: what did you notice when you actually checked in? If you're ready to feel better, think clearer, and brighten your life, you're in the right place. SUBSCRIBE for new episodes every week. As always, I'm rooting for you. 🌅 WORK WITH KRISTIN HORSTMAN 1:1 Gray Area Drinking Coaching: https://www.kristinhorstman.com/gray-area-drinking-coaching Private Health Coaching: https://www.kristinhorstman.com/health-coaching FREE RESOURCES Substack: https://substack.com/@kristinhorstman Brighten Your Life Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/865785648653696 6 Tips To Brighten Your Life: https://www.kristinhorstman.com/6-tips-to-brighten-your-life Resources for Loved Ones of Those Struggling with Substance Use Disorder: https://www.kristinhorstman.com/resources CONNECT WITH KRISTIN HORSTMAN Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sunsetsarethenewhappyhour Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachkristinhorstman Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoachKristinHorstman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristin-horstman-43001280 Website: https://www.kristinhorstman.com AFFILIATES & DISCOUNT CODES Zero Proof Experiences: https://zeroproofexperiences.com/?aff=4 Bookshop.org storefront: https://bookshop.org/shop/kristinhorstman ARMRA: https://tryarmra.novel.com/login?referralCode=de9ddb1e-9f9d-4c8a-ba43-21a30abb552e Jolene Park NOURISH Coaching Program: https://healthydiscoveries.mykajabi.com/a/35865/ihLPoJPC Jolene Park Ultimate Sober Bundle: https://checkout.grayareadrinkers.com/ultimate-sober-af-bundle/?affiliate=kristinhorstman Cured Nutrition: https://curednutrition.com/collections/all?referral_code=KRI2L0STF Loose Leaf Tea Market: https://looseleafteamarket.com?bg_ref=nwruvHn7oD Use code TEAKRISTIN10 for 10% off (no minimum, enter at checkout) Some links above are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend things I genuinely love.

  2. Sep 24

    #19: The Neuroscience of Shame And Why It Loosens Its Grip Once You See It Clearly

    Your brain treats shame like real pain in the body. That sinking feeling, the urge to hide, the belief that you are broken: these are not character flaws. They are a coordinated nervous system event involving four distinct brain systems firing at once. If you have been stuck in a cycle where shame about your drinking drives you to drink more in silence, this episode explains exactly what is happening inside you and why it is biology, not weakness. Kristin Horstman, certified Gray Area Drinking Coach and host of Sunsets Are the New Happy Hour, walks through the neuroscience of shame using a 2023 Study and the information threat theory from a 2016 PNAS study. She separates shame from guilt, explains chronic internalized shame as a nervous system baseline, and teaches four somatic practices including extended exhale breathwork and naming the emotion and observing it. This episode is for anyone navigating gray area drinking, anxiety, burnout, or any habit quietly dimming their light, and who is ready to stop relying on willpower and start healing through nervous system regulation. Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (01:13) Shame vs Guilt: The Real Difference (03:04) Four Brain Systems Behind Shame (06:00) The Information Threat Theory (08:03) The Smoke Detector Problem (09:13) Chronic Shame as a Baseline (10:37) Four Somatic Practices to Try Kristin says shame loses power the moment you say it out loud. What do you need to say to yourself now? Comment below. If you're ready to feel better, think clearer, and brighten your life, you're in the right place. SUBSCRIBE for new episodes every week. As always, I'm rooting for you. 🌅 WORK WITH KRISTIN HORSTMAN 1:1 Gray Area Drinking Coaching: https://www.kristinhorstman.com/gray-area-drinking-coaching Private Health Coaching: https://www.kristinhorstman.com/health-coaching FREE RESOURCES Substack: https://substack.com/@kristinhorstman Brighten Your Life Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/865785648653696 6 Tips To Brighten Your Life: https://www.kristinhorstman.com/6-tips-to-brighten-your-life Resources for Loved Ones of Those Struggling with Substance Use Disorder: https://www.kristinhorstman.com/resources CONNECT WITH KRISTIN HORSTMAN Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sunsetsarethenewhappyhour Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachkristinhorstman Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoachKristinHorstman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristin-horstman-43001280 Website: https://www.kristinhorstman.com AFFILIATES & DISCOUNT CODES Zero Proof Experiences: https://zeroproofexperiences.com/?aff=4 Bookshop.org storefront: https://bookshop.org/shop/kristinhorstman ARMRA: https://tryarmra.novel.com/login?referralCode=de9ddb1e-9f9d-4c8a-ba43-21a30abb552e Jolene Park NOURISH Coaching Program: https://healthydiscoveries.mykajabi.com/a/35865/ihLPoJPC Jolene Park Ultimate Sober Bundle: https://checkout.grayareadrinkers.com/ultimate-sober-af-bundle/?affiliate=kristinhorstman Cured Nutrition: https://curednutrition.com/collections/all?referral_code=KRI2L0STF Loose Leaf Tea Market: https://looseleafteamarket.com?bg_ref=nwruvHn7oD Use code TEAKRISTIN10 for 10% off (no minimum, enter at checkout) Some links above are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend things I genuinely love.

  3. Sep 17

    #18: Lessons From Almost a Decade Sober: What Fun Looks Like Without Alcohol

    What if you could see a craving coming before it hits? Most tools for gray area drinking focus on the aftermath, the shame, the apology tour, the promise to do better. But what if you could interrupt the pattern by tracking simple daily signals like sleep, stress, and energy that predict when you are most vulnerable to reaching for a drink? Jessica Jeboult is the founder of A Sober Girl's Guide, a nine-year veteran of the sober curious space, and creator of the Best Day app. In this episode, she and Kristen talk about why cravings are trackable, not random, how daily check-ins regulate your nervous system, and why building a fun sober life matters as much as the inner work. Jessica also shares how she navigated devastating grief at eight and a half years sober without picking up a drink. This episode is for anyone navigating gray area drinking, anxiety, burnout, or any habit quietly dimming their light, and who is ready to stop relying on willpower and start healing through nervous system regulation. Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (01:19) The New Year's Eve Turning Point (05:34) Protecting Your Nervous System Through Grief (11:51) The 1978 Vintage Mocktail Trailer (16:46) How the Best Day App Interrupts Cravings (21:16) Why Cravings Are Predictable (27:32) Why She Says Sip Up Instead of Relapse (38:06) Chasing Sunsets and Finding Your Thing (42:09) What a Best Day Actually Looks Like Jess tracks sleep, stress, and mood to predict cravings before they hit. What is your biggest craving trigger? Drop a comment below. If you're ready to feel better, think clearer, and brighten your life, you're in the right place. SUBSCRIBE for new episodes every week. As always, I'm rooting for you. 🌅 WORK WITH KRISTIN HORSTMAN 1:1 Gray Area Drinking Coaching: https://www.kristinhorstman.com/gray-area-drinking-coaching Private Health Coaching: https://www.kristinhorstman.com/health-coaching FREE RESOURCES Substack: https://substack.com/@kristinhorstman Brighten Your Life Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/865785648653696 6 Tips To Brighten Your Life: https://www.kristinhorstman.com/6-tips-to-brighten-your-life Resources for Loved Ones of Those Struggling with Substance Use Disorder: https://www.kristinhorstman.com/resources CONNECT WITH KRISTIN HORSTMAN Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sunsetsarethenewhappyhour Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachkristinhorstman Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoachKristinHorstman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristin-horstman-43001280 Website: https://www.kristinhorstman.com LISTEN TO SUNSETS ARE THE NEW HAPPY HOUR Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7HL6A1o2USWQuJ2lRPoplk Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sunsets-are-the-new-happy-hour/id1896762635 AFFILIATES & DISCOUNT CODES Zero Proof Experiences: https://zeroproofexperiences.com/?aff=4 Bookshop.org storefront: https://bookshop.org/shop/kristinhorstman ARMRA: https://tryarmra.novel.com/login?referralCode=de9ddb1e-9f9d-4c8a-ba43-21a30abb552e Jolene Park NOURISH Coaching Program: https://healthydiscoveries.mykajabi.com/a/35865/ihLPoJPC Jolene Park Ultimate Sober Bundle: https://checkout.grayareadrinkers.com/ultimate-sober-af-bundle/?affiliate=kristinhorstman Cured Nutrition: https://curednutrition.com/collections/all?referral_code=KRI2L0STF Loose Leaf Tea Market: https://looseleafteamarket.com?bg_ref=nwruvHn7oD Use code TEAKRISTIN10 for 10% off (no minimum, enter at checkout) Some links above are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend things I genuinely love.

  4. Sep 12

    #17: Why Your Brain Is Wired for Negativity (And How to Override It)

    Your brain is wired to scan for threats, not to notice what went right. That negativity bias kept your ancestors alive, but now it keeps you lying awake ruminating, reaching for something to take the edge off, and wondering why you can never feel satisfied. When the wanting system in your brain grows louder while the liking system goes quiet, no amount of willpower closes that gap. Kristin Horstman, gray area drinking coach and host of Sunsets Are the New Happy Hour, breaks down the neuroscience of why gratitude is a nervous system regulation tool, not a platitude. She covers negativity bias, the wanting vs. liking dopamine split from Berridge and Robinson's research, brain imaging studies on gratitude, and heart rate variability. Then she guides you through The One Good Thing, a somatic practice you can do in 10 seconds anywhere. Built for sober curious women who are done white-knuckling it and ready for something that actually works. Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (00:50) Why Your Brain Skips the Good (01:55) Gratitude in Brain Imaging Studies (03:14) Heart Rate Variability and Safety (04:02) The Wanting vs. Liking Split (05:41) Why One Try Never Works (06:48) The One Good Thing Practice (08:22) Kristin's Story: Gratitude Under Pressure (10:26) Your Challenge: Pick a Cue The One Good Thing practice takes 10 seconds. leave a comment if you tried it while you were watching the video. If you're ready to feel better, think clearer, and brighten your life, you're in the right place. SUBSCRIBE for new episodes every week. As always, I'm rooting for you. 🌅 WORK WITH KRISTIN HORSTMAN 1:1 Gray Area Drinking Coaching: https://www.kristinhorstman.com/gray-area-drinking-coaching Private Health Coaching: https://www.kristinhorstman.com/health-coaching FREE RESOURCES Substack: https://substack.com/@kristinhorstman Brighten Your Life Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/865785648653696 6 Tips To Brighten Your Life: https://www.kristinhorstman.com/6-tips-to-brighten-your-life Resources for Loved Ones of Those Struggling with Substance Use Disorder: https://www.kristinhorstman.com/resources CONNECT WITH KRISTIN HORSTMAN Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sunsetsarethenewhappyhour Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachkristinhorstman Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoachKristinHorstman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristin-horstman-43001280 Website: https://www.kristinhorstman.com LISTEN TO SUNSETS ARE THE NEW HAPPY HOUR Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7HL6A1o2USWQuJ2lRPoplk Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sunsets-are-the-new-happy-hour/id1896762635 AFFILIATES & DISCOUNT CODES Zero Proof Experiences: https://zeroproofexperiences.com/?aff=4 Bookshop.org storefront: https://bookshop.org/shop/kristinhorstman ARMRA: https://tryarmra.novel.com/login?referralCode=de9ddb1e-9f9d-4c8a-ba43-21a30abb552e Jolene Park NOURISH Coaching Program: https://healthydiscoveries.mykajabi.com/a/35865/ihLPoJPC Jolene Park Ultimate Sober Bundle: https://checkout.grayareadrinkers.com/ultimate-sober-af-bundle/?affiliate=kristinhorstman Cured Nutrition: https://curednutrition.com/collections/all?referral_code=KRI2L0STF Loose Leaf Tea Market: https://looseleafteamarket.com?bg_ref=nwruvHn7oD Use code TEAKRISTIN10 for 10% off (no minimum, enter at checkout) Some links above are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend things I genuinely love.

  5. Sep 3

    #16: Is Red Wine Good for You? The Industry Paid $67 Million to Make Sure You Say Yes

    The idea that red wine protects your heart was built on a research flaw called abstainer bias, where former heavy drinkers in poor health were grouped with lifelong non-drinkers, making moderate drinkers look healthier by comparison. If you have ever poured a glass feeling like you were doing something good for yourself, you were following a story that was designed to feel true long after the science stopped supporting it. Kristin Horstman, certified Gray Area Drinking Coach and host of Sunsets Are the New Happy Hour, traces the full timeline from the 1988 research warning through the 1991 French Paradox segment to the 2018 NIH funding scandal that exposed alcohol industry influence on supposedly independent studies. She names the abstainer bias, the tobacco playbook the industry borrowed, and closes with the physiological sigh, a somatic breathing tool that gives your nervous system what wine only promised. This episode is for any sober curious woman who was told by a doctor, a parent, or a culture that wine was practically a health food. Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (00:49) The 1991 French Paradox Segment (02:51) Abstainer Bias: The Hidden Flaw (05:20) The Alcohol Industry Gets Caught (07:22) The Tobacco Playbook for Wine (08:50) What the Real Evidence Says (09:47) Kristin's Personal Reckoning (11:02) The Physiological Sigh Has a doctor ever mentioned wine could be good for your heart? Drop a comment below. If you're ready to feel better, think clearer, and brighten your life, you're in the right place. SUBSCRIBE for new episodes every week. As always, I'm rooting for you. 🌅 WORK WITH KRISTIN HORSTMAN 1:1 Gray Area Drinking Coaching: https://www.kristinhorstman.com/gray-area-drinking-coaching Private Health Coaching: https://www.kristinhorstman.com/health-coaching FREE RESOURCES Substack: https://substack.com/@kristinhorstman Brighten Your Life Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/865785648653696 6 Tips To Brighten Your Life: https://www.kristinhorstman.com/6-tips-to-brighten-your-life Resources for Loved Ones of Those Struggling with Substance Use Disorder: https://www.kristinhorstman.com/resources CONNECT WITH KRISTIN HORSTMAN Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sunsetsarethenewhappyhour Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachkristinhorstman Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoachKristinHorstman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristin-horstman-43001280 Website: https://www.kristinhorstman.com AFFILIATES & DISCOUNT CODES Zero Proof Experiences: https://zeroproofexperiences.com/?aff=4 Bookshop.org storefront: https://bookshop.org/shop/kristinhorstman ARMRA: https://tryarmra.novel.com/login?referralCode=de9ddb1e-9f9d-4c8a-ba43-21a30abb552e Jolene Park NOURISH Coaching Program: https://healthydiscoveries.mykajabi.com/a/35865/ihLPoJPC Jolene Park Ultimate Sober Bundle: https://checkout.grayareadrinkers.com/ultimate-sober-af-bundle/?affiliate=kristinhorstman Cured Nutrition: https://curednutrition.com/collections/all?referral_code=KRI2L0STF Loose Leaf Tea Market: https://looseleafteamarket.com?bg_ref=nwruvHn7oD Use code TEAKRISTIN10 for 10% off (no minimum, enter at checkout) Some links above are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend things I genuinely love.

  6. Aug 27

    #15: Why You Keep Choosing The Wrong Person (And How To Change That)

    If you keep choosing the wrong partner, staying too long, or feeling bored the moment someone healthy shows up, the problem is not your judgment. It is your nervous system running childhood survival patterns beneath your awareness. That pull toward intensity, the fantasy, the people-pleasing, the walls: these are wired responses, not character flaws. Angela Smigiel is a licensed clinical social worker and founder of Spiral Up Counseling in Scottsdale. In this episode she walks through the five core issues of codependency, explains how childhood roles like the hero and the lost child create adult relationship loops, introduces the talking boundary tool, and connects relational trauma directly to nervous system dysregulation. If you are sober curious or alcohol free and still feel stuck in the same painful patterns with people, this episode is for you. Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (03:35) The Five Core Issues of Codependency (09:16) Codependency on the Yoga Mat (17:37) Survival Strategies, Not Diagnoses (23:08) AI Companions and the Dopamine Trap (26:26) Recovering From What You Cannot Quit (33:57) Limerence vs Love: Fantasy and Denial (46:41) The Talking Boundary Tool (52:25) Kristen's Story: Letting Love In (01:01:13) The Workbook and Where to Find Angela Which of Angela's five core issues currently runs your life? Drop a comment below. If you're ready to feel better, think clearer, and brighten your life, you're in the right place. SUBSCRIBE for new episodes every week. As always, I'm rooting for you. 🌅 WORK WITH KRISTIN HORSTMAN 1:1 Gray Area Drinking Coaching: https://www.kristinhorstman.com/gray-area-drinking-coaching Private Health Coaching: https://www.kristinhorstman.com/health-coaching FREE RESOURCES Substack: https://substack.com/@kristinhorstman Brighten Your Life Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/865785648653696 6 Tips To Brighten Your Life: https://www.kristinhorstman.com/6-tips-to-brighten-your-life Resources for Loved Ones of Those Struggling with Substance Use Disorder: https://www.kristinhorstman.com/resources CONNECT WITH KRISTIN HORSTMAN Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sunsetsarethenewhappyhour Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachkristinhorstman Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoachKristinHorstman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristin-horstman-43001280 Website: https://www.kristinhorstman.com AFFILIATES & DISCOUNT CODES Zero Proof Experiences: https://zeroproofexperiences.com/?aff=4 Bookshop.org storefront: https://bookshop.org/shop/kristinhorstman ARMRA: https://tryarmra.novel.com/login?referralCode=de9ddb1e-9f9d-4c8a-ba43-21a30abb552e Jolene Park NOURISH Coaching Program: https://healthydiscoveries.mykajabi.com/a/35865/ihLPoJPC Jolene Park Ultimate Sober Bundle: https://checkout.grayareadrinkers.com/ultimate-sober-af-bundle/?affiliate=kristinhorstman Cured Nutrition: https://curednutrition.com/collections/all?referral_code=KRI2L0STF Loose Leaf Tea Market: https://looseleafteamarket.com?bg_ref=nwruvHn7oD Use code TEAKRISTIN10 for 10% off (no minimum, enter at checkout) Some links above are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend things I genuinely love.

  7. Aug 20

    #14: It's Not Your Fault: The Neuroscience of Why You Reach for Wine First

    Your nervous system regulation shapes your relationship with alcohol long before childhood wiring ever shows up as a 5pm craving. If you grew up with a caregiver who was anxious, checked out, or unpredictable, your brain may have written a blueprint that says stay alert, don't relax, and gray area drinking becomes the first thing that turns that alarm system off. Kristin Horstman, certified Gray Area Drinking Coach and host of Sunsets Are the New Happy Hour, walks through neuroception and polyvagal theory, why alcohol free living starts with understanding your own nervous system, and how neuroplasticity means that wiring can change. She teaches Martha Beck's KIST, kind internal self-talk, framework and a specific vagal brake breathing practice you can use immediately to build new pathways. This episode is for the sober curious woman who keeps saying my childhood was fine while wondering why she can't stop reaching for the glass. Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (02:53) How Babies Borrow Their Caregiver's Habits (05:28) Neuroception: Your Hidden Danger Scanner (07:07) Why "Fine" Childhoods Still Wire You for Anxiety (09:25) KIST: Becoming Your Own Caregiver (14:38) The Vagal Brake Breath Practice (15:52) Closing: The Healing Is Yours Kristin teaches the 2-in 4-out vagal brake breath in this episode. Drop a comment when you try it for yourself, Did you feel something shift. If you're ready to feel better, think clearer, and brighten your life, you're in the right place. SUBSCRIBE for new episodes every week. As always, I'm rooting for you. 🌅 WORK WITH KRISTIN HORSTMAN 1:1 Gray Area Drinking Coaching: https://www.kristinhorstman.com/gray-area-drinking-coaching Private Health Coaching: https://www.kristinhorstman.com/health-coaching FREE RESOURCES Substack: https://substack.com/@kristinhorstman Brighten Your Life Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/865785648653696 6 Tips To Brighten Your Life: https://www.kristinhorstman.com/6-tips-to-brighten-your-life Resources for Loved Ones of Those Struggling with Substance Use Disorder: https://www.kristinhorstman.com/resources CONNECT WITH KRISTIN HORSTMAN Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sunsetsarethenewhappyhour Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachkristinhorstman Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoachKristinHorstman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristin-horstman-43001280 Website: https://www.kristinhorstman.com AFFILIATES & DISCOUNT CODES Zero Proof Experiences: https://zeroproofexperiences.com/?aff=4 Bookshop.org storefront: https://bookshop.org/shop/kristinhorstman ARMRA: https://tryarmra.novel.com/login?referralCode=de9ddb1e-9f9d-4c8a-ba43-21a30abb552e Jolene Park NOURISH Coaching Program: https://healthydiscoveries.mykajabi.com/a/35865/ihLPoJPC Jolene Park Ultimate Sober Bundle: https://checkout.grayareadrinkers.com/ultimate-sober-af-bundle/?affiliate=kristinhorstman Cured Nutrition: https://curednutrition.com/collections/all?referral_code=KRI2L0STF Loose Leaf Tea Market: https://looseleafteamarket.com?bg_ref=nwruvHn7oD Use code TEAKRISTIN10 for 10% off (no minimum, enter at checkout) Some links above are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend things I genuinely love.

  8. Aug 13

    #13: The Science-Backed Habit That Helps With Stress, Mood, and Cravings

    When your body is dysregulated and reaching for something to take the edge off, it is asking for movement, sensation, and rhythm. Walking speaks that language directly, producing BDNF (the protein that supports neuron growth and mood regulation) while the bilateral left-right rhythm calms your nervous system from the bottom up. Kristin Horstman, certified Gray Area Drinking coach and IIN Health Coach, breaks down what actually happens in your brain when you walk, from BDNF production to hippocampal protection to the somatic power of bilateral movement. She shares peer reviewed research from The Lancet showing 7000 daily steps lower mortality risk by 47%, explains why the 5 to 7pm window is the perfect time for a pattern interrupt walk, and guides you through her "noticing walk" practice. This episode is for anyone exploring an alcohol free life who wants nervous system regulation tools that actually work. Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (01:45) The Lancet Study: 7000 Steps (04:29) BDNF: Miracle-Gro for Your Brain (06:13) Bilateral Movement and Your Nervous System (08:15) Walking Off a Bad Mood in 10 Minutes (10:48) What Happens in Your Brain Minute by Minute (12:55) Four Walking Entry Points (14:44) The Noticing Walk Practice BDNF is basically Miracle-Gro for your brain and walking produces it. Drop a comment: have you noticed an instant mood shift on walks? If you're ready to feel better, think clearer, and brighten your life, you're in the right place. SUBSCRIBE for new episodes every week. As always, I'm rooting for you. 🌅 WORK WITH KRISTIN HORSTMAN 1:1 Gray Area Drinking Coaching: https://www.kristinhorstman.com/gray-area-drinking-coaching Private Health Coaching: https://www.kristinhorstman.com/health-coaching FREE RESOURCES Substack: https://substack.com/@kristinhorstman Brighten Your Life Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/865785648653696 6 Tips To Brighten Your Life: https://www.kristinhorstman.com/6-tips-to-brighten-your-life Resources for Loved Ones of Those Struggling with Substance Use Disorder: https://www.kristinhorstman.com/resources CONNECT WITH KRISTIN HORSTMAN Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sunsetsarethenewhappyhour Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachkristinhorstman Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoachKristinHorstman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristin-horstman-43001280 Website: https://www.kristinhorstman.com LISTEN TO SUNSETS ARE THE NEW HAPPY HOUR Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7HL6A1o2USWQuJ2lRPoplk Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sunsets-are-the-new-happy-hour/id1896762635 AFFILIATES & DISCOUNT CODES Zero Proof Experiences: https://zeroproofexperiences.com/?aff=4 Bookshop.org storefront: https://bookshop.org/shop/kristinhorstman ARMRA: https://tryarmra.novel.com/login?referralCode=de9ddb1e-9f9d-4c8a-ba43-21a30abb552e Jolene Park NOURISH Coaching Program: https://healthydiscoveries.mykajabi.com/a/35865/ihLPoJPC Jolene Park Ultimate Sober Bundle: https://checkout.grayareadrinkers.com/ultimate-sober-af-bundle/?affiliate=kristinhorstman Cured Nutrition: https://curednutrition.com/collections/all?referral_code=KRI2L0STF Loose Leaf Tea Market: https://looseleafteamarket.com?bg_ref=nwruvHn7oD Use code TEAKRISTIN10 for 10% off (no minimum, enter at checkout) Some links above are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend things I genuinely love.

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What if you could elevate your life instead of escaping it? Sunsets Are the New Happy Hour is hosted by Kristin Horstman, a Gray Area Drinking and Health Coach who uses neuroscience to help men and women understand what alcohol is really doing to their health, their mood, and their light. Judgment-free tools, real answers, and a whole lot of hope. Your brightest life is waiting.

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