Why does alcohol feel stronger during the holidays — even when you drink the same amount?
In this episode, Mike Hardenbrook uncovers how nostalgia, stress, cold weather, disrupted routines, and old emotional memories all combine to make December drinking hit way harder than your usual sip.

You’ll learn:

• Why holiday nostalgia supercharges your emotional response to alcohol
• How stress, sleep changes, and winter dehydration increase alcohol’s impact
• Why one festive drink can feel stronger — and why the next-day crash hits harder
• The hidden psychological cues that make holiday drinking feel “different”
• How ingredients like Vitamin B1 and NAC (found in Daily Restore) support energy, clarity, and healthy recovery during heavy holiday seasons

🎧 Tap play to understand why your holiday buzz feels intense — and how to stay grounded while still enjoying the season.

The holidays come with lights, music, traditions — and for a lot of people, an automatic reach for a drink. But what if that festive pour isn’t about celebration at all… but about feeling something you’re missing?

In this episode, Mike Hardenbrook breaks down the emotional psychology behind holiday drinking, including:

• Why stress, nostalgia, loneliness, and pressure make December a peak drinking month
• How alcohol becomes a shortcut to relief — even when it creates more chaos later
• The hidden needs you’re trying to meet with every “holiday sip”
• What happens in your brain during seasonal stress, and why the urge feels stronger
• Healthier ways to get the calm or connection you’re actually craving

You’ll also hear how supportive ingredients like Vitamin B1 and NAC (found in Daily Restore) can help your body stay balanced during a season when alcohol is everywhere — without judgment or extremes.

🎧 Tap play to explore the real feelings behind your holiday drinking habits — and how to support yourself in ways that actually make you feel good.

Why do holiday parties always push you past the limits you swear you set for yourself?
You show up thinking you’ll have one drink… and suddenly you’re three deep, holding a cookie, accepting champagne you don’t remember agreeing to, and wondering how you got here.

In this episode, Mike Hardenbrook breaks down the real reasons holiday gatherings lead to over-indulging — from social pressure and end-of-year burnout to nostalgia, stress chemistry, and the “free drinks” effect that shuts off your self-control.

You’ll learn:

• The psychology behind why holiday environments make us drink more
• The biological reasons your limits feel weaker in December
• How sugar, stress, and sleep deprivation amplify your cravings
• Why hangovers hit harder during the holiday season
• Simple, science-backed strategies to enjoy the party without paying for it the next day
• How nutrients like Vitamin B12 and NAC (found in Cloud9’s Daily Restore) can support mood, energy, and recovery during peak drinking season

🎧 Hit play to finally understand why holiday parties push you past your limits — and how to stay in control without missing the fun.

Why does December make every drink feel “earned”?

In this episode, Mike Hardenbrook breaks down the psychology behind holiday drinking — why stress, nostalgia, expectations, and end-of-year pressure make alcohol feel like a reward, even when your body’s already running on fumes. You’ll learn:

How December stress tricks your brain into craving “reward” drinks

Why holiday culture normalizes daily or heavier drinking

How exhaustion, cortisol, and emotional overload amplify cravings

What’s really going on when you feel like you “deserve” a drink

How ingredients like Ashwagandha and L-Theanine (found in Daily Restore) can support stress and help your brain unwind — without leaning on alcohol

🎧 Tap play to understand why December drinking feels so justified — and how to break the cycle while still enjoying the season.

Is your holiday toast actually… stress in disguise?

In this episode, Mike Hardenbrook unpacks why so many people reach for “just one drink” during the holidays — not to celebrate, but to cope. We dive into the hidden stressors behind festive drinking, including:

• Why holiday pressure makes alcohol feel like instant relief
• How cortisol, exhaustion, and social expectations push you toward a glass
• The emotional and biological reasons your first sip feels so calming
• Signs your drinking is actually stress-driven — not joy-driven
• Healthier ways to unwind that don’t leave you anxious the next day
• How ingredients like Ashwagandha and L-Theanine (found in Daily Restore) support stress, mood, and nervous system balance during high-pressure seasons

🎧 Tap play to explore why your holiday toast might be covering stress — and how to support yourself with healthier, more intentional rituals.

Ever notice how one drink suddenly feels like three? You’re not imagining it, your body’s just changed the rules.

In this episode, Mike Hardenbrook breaks down why your casual drink hits harder than it used to, and what that says about your health, metabolism, and recovery. You’ll learn:

• How aging, stress, hormones, and hydration affect alcohol tolerance
• Why your liver’s “processing speed” naturally slows over time
• How lifestyle changes — even healthy ones — can make you more sensitive to alcohol
• What nutrients like Vitamin B1 (Benfotiamine) and N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine (NAC) (found in Cloud9’s Daily Restore) can do to support liver health, energy, and recovery

🎧 Tap play to learn why your favorite drink suddenly feels stronger — and how to help your body keep up without giving up what you enjoy.

Ever pour yourself a “relaxing” drink at night — only to wake up groggy, anxious, or staring at the ceiling at 3 AM? You’re not alone.

In this episode, Mike Hardenbrook unpacks why your brain mistakes alcohol for rest, and what’s really happening when you pour that nightcap instead of actually sleeping. You’ll learn:

• How alcohol mimics calm but sabotages real rest
• Why your brain craves a drink after stress (and how to break that loop)
• The difference between passing out and true recovery sleep
• Science-backed ways to unwind — no buzz required
• How ingredients like L-Theanine and Ashwagandha (found in Cloud9’s Daily Restore) help your body relax naturally, reduce cortisol, and support quality sleep

🎧 Tap play to learn why your late-night pour isn’t helping you rest — and how to finally get the calm your body’s been asking for.

Why does turkey dinner almost always come with wine — and why do we never question it?

In this episode, Mike Hardenbrook breaks down the psychology, tradition, and subtle conditioning behind one of the most automatic holiday rituals we all participate in without thinking. You’ll learn:

• How family tradition and social norms hardwire alcohol into holiday meals
• Why your brain expects wine with turkey (hint: nostalgia + dopamine)
• The real science behind why holiday drinks hit harder than usual
• How stress, blood sugar, and heavy meals make “just one” feel like three
• Practical ways to enjoy the season without the next-day fog
• How ingredients like Vitamin B1 + NAC (found in Cloud9’s Daily Restore) help support energy, clarity, and recovery during heavy holiday routinesThe Thanksgiving Pairing We Never Questioned

🎧 Tap play to uncover why wine shows up at every holiday dinner — and how to enjoy the season with more intention, energy, and control.