PODCAST · health
The Alcohol Reset by Cloud9
by Mike Hardenbrook & Cloud9
The Alcohol Reset is a science-backed podcast designed to help you reset your habits, health, and relationship with alcohol. Hosted by best-selling author Mike Hardenbrook, each bite-sized episode explores neuroscience, nutrition, and habit formation, delivering practical strategies to help you drink less, sleep better, reduce cravings, and optimize your well-being—without judgment or extremes. It’s time for a reset.
Episodes
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Decoding Alcohol Proof
Why does a bottle say 40% alcohol and 80 proof—and why do we need two numbers for the exact same drink? Alcohol proof sounds complicated, but once you understand the surprisingly simple math—and the strange history behind it—it becomes much easier to know how much alcohol is actually in your…
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Can You Train Your Body to Handle Alcohol?
Ever wonder why some people can have several drinks and barely seem affected, while others feel it almost immediately? Alcohol tolerance can increase over time—but that doesn’t necessarily mean your body is getting better at processing alcohol. In many cases, your brain is simply adapting to...
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Does Alcohol Age Everyone the Same?
Ever notice two people can be the exact same age, drink similar amounts, yet seem to be aging completely differently? Alcohol doesn't affect everyone equally. Genetics, sleep, drinking patterns, nutrition, and overall health can all influence how alcohol shows up in your body—from your skin and...
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Alcohol in Your 20s vs 40s
Remember when a few drinks barely slowed you down? Now the same night out can take an entire day to recover from. Alcohol itself hasn't changed, but your body has. Changes in sleep, body composition, hormones, stress, and recovery can all influence why drinking feels so different in your 40s...
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Alcohol and Individual Reactions
Why can some people drink a few beers and feel fine, while others feel awful after just one glass? The answer isn't just tolerance or body size. Your genes, liver, nutrition, and even your gut all influence how your body processes alcohol—and why everyone's experience is so different. In this...
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How Alcohol Changes Your Night Vision
Think your vision is fine after a couple of drinks? Your eyes—and your brain—might disagree. Even before you feel intoxicated, alcohol can make headlights seem brighter, reduce your ability to see contrast, and slow how quickly your eyes adjust to the dark. These subtle changes can make nighttime...
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Why Everything Tastes Better After Drinks
Ever wonder why pizza, fries, and snacks seem impossible to resist after a few drinks? It’s not just a lack of willpower. Alcohol can change how your brain processes taste, smell, hunger, and reward—making food genuinely seem more appealing than it normally would. In this episode, Mike…
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Can Alcohol Slow Down Wound Healing?
Got a cut, bruise, injury, or recovering from surgery? Alcohol may be affecting more than you think. Healing isn't just about what happens at the wound—it's a full-body process involving your immune system, sleep, hydration, and nutrient levels. Research suggests alcohol can interfere with…
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Sick and Drinking? Here's Why
Ever notice your cold feels worse after a few drinks? There’s a reason for that. When you're sick, your body is already working overtime to fight infection. Alcohol can add extra stress by disrupting sleep, increasing dehydration, amplifying inflammation, and draining energy when you need it…
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Alcohol vs Your Sleep Hormone
Alcohol might make you sleepy—but it can quietly disrupt your sleep hormone behind the scenes. Melatonin helps control your sleep cycle, recovery, and overnight repair. Alcohol can interfere with that process, leading to restless sleep, 3AM wake-ups, brain fog, and feeling exhausted the next day....
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When Alcohol Throws Off Your Heartbeat
Ever notice your heart feels “off” after drinking? That racing heartbeat, fluttering chest, or pounding feeling the next morning may be more than anxiety. Alcohol can affect hydration, stress hormones, sleep, and the electrical signals that keep your heart in rhythm. In this episode, Mike...
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Why Drinking Can Make You Cold
Alcohol feels warm—but why do your hands get cold? That flushed, cozy feeling after a drink can be misleading. Alcohol shifts blood flow, lowers core temperature, and can even affect blood sugar and hydration—leaving your hands and feet feeling colder than expected. In this episode, Mike...
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The Organ Alcohol Quietly Hits
Everyone talks about the liver. Almost no one talks about the pancreas. Your pancreas helps control blood sugar, digestion, and energy—and alcohol can quietly disrupt all three. That next-day shakiness, nausea, bloating, or cravings may be more connected to your pancreas than you think. In this...
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Why Drinking Dries Your Eyes
Dry mouth after drinking is obvious—but what about your eyes? That scratchy, tired, slightly blurry feeling after a night out isn’t random. Alcohol dehydrates your system, disrupts your tear film, and even affects how your eyes recover overnight. In this episode, Mike Hardenbrook breaks down…
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The Small Mistakes You Miss
A slightly sharper reply. A missed detail. A reaction you didn’t think twice about. Nothing major. Nothing obvious. But later… you realize something felt off. In this episode, Mike Hardenbrook breaks down how small, unnoticed shifts in your mood, energy, and focus can quietly change your...
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Why Alcohol Makes You Stuffy
Why does alcohol make your nose stuffy? It’s not just in your head. That sudden congestion, facial pressure, or flushed feeling after a drink might actually be your body reacting in real time. Alcohol can trigger histamine release, widen blood vessels in your sinuses, and even increase...
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Your Brain Is Rewriting the Night
Ever wake up after a night out and feel like your memory doesn’t quite match what actually happened? Not gone… just off. Smoothed over. Slightly rewritten. In this episode, Mike Hardenbrook breaks down what really happens to your memory when you drink—and why your brain doesn’t just forget, it...
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The Hidden Cost of “Fine”
A little more tired than usual. A little less focused. Slightly more irritable. Maybe a quiet hum of anxiety in the background. Nothing dramatic. Nothing broken. So you ignore it. In this episode, Mike Hardenbrook breaks down what’s actually happening inside your brain when you tell yourself…
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Why Lights Feel Brighter After Drinks
Why do lights suddenly feel blinding after a few drinks? You step outside, and everything feels too bright, too sharp, too intense. It’s not the streetlights. It’s not your phone. It’s your nervous system. In this episode, Mike Hardenbrook breaks down the real reason the world feels overwhelming...
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Why That Bruise Looks Worse
Why does a tiny bump turn into a massive bruise after drinking? You barely hit the table… but the next day it looks like you took a full fall. It feels worse, lasts longer, and makes you question what actually happened. In this episode, Mike Hardenbrook breaks down the real reason your body…
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Alcohol Doesn’t Kill Pain — It Delays It
Ever noticed how a drink can take the edge off pain… but somehow you feel worse the next day? That’s not relief — that’s a delay. In this episode, Mike Hardenbrook breaks down what alcohol is actually doing to your brain when it seems to “numb” pain — and why that short-term relief often comes…
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Why Music Sounds Better After Drinking
Why does music suddenly feel incredible after a few drinks? You’ve heard the song a hundred times before. Maybe you even skip it on your own playlist. But after a drink or two, that same song suddenly feels like the greatest thing ever written. The bass hits harder, the lyrics feel personal, and...
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How Alcohol Alters Your Sense of Humor
Why does everything seem hilarious after a few drinks — but barely funny the next morning? In this episode, Mike Hardenbrook breaks down the neuroscience behind why alcohol changes the way your brain processes humor. From lowered inhibitions to dopamine surges and social feedback loops, alcohol…
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Alcohol and Eye Contact: What Changes
Does alcohol actually change the way you look at someone — or the way they look at you? That intense eye contact after a drink? The way conversations suddenly feel deeper, bolder, more electric? It’s not just confidence. It’s chemistry. In this episode, Mike Hardenbrook breaks down the…
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Your Gut After One Drink
One night of drinking can shift your gut by morning — and most people have no idea it’s happening. You might think alcohol only affects your brain or your liver. But within hours of drinking, your gut bacteria begin to change. Not weeks. Not years. Hours. That glass of wine or those beers don’t...
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Your Gut After Happy Hour
Ever notice you get bitten more after a drink? It’s not bad luck — it’s biology. In this episode, Mike Hardenbrook unpacks the surprising science behind why alcohol makes you more attractive to mosquitoes, including: • How alcohol increases carbon dioxide output and raises skin temperature • Why...
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Why Alcohol Makes You Mosquito Bait
Ever notice you get bitten more after a drink? It’s not bad luck — it’s biology. In this episode, Mike Hardenbrook unpacks the surprising science behind why alcohol makes you more attractive to mosquitoes, including: • How alcohol increases carbon dioxide output and raises skin temperature • Why...
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Why Booze and Burgers Hit Harder Together
Ever wonder why a night of drinks and heavy food leaves you feeling extra bloated, inflamed, and wiped out the next day? In this episode, Mike Hardenbrook breaks down what actually happens when alcohol and high-fat meals collide — and why your liver can’t process both at the same time. You’ll...
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Winter Drinking and Your Heart
Does alcohol really “warm you up” in the winter — or is it quietly stressing your heart? Cold weather already raises blood pressure by tightening your blood vessels. Add alcohol, and you create a confusing mix of temporary warmth, rebound constriction, disrupted sleep, and extra strain on your...
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Alcohol Does to Medication Metabolism
Ever had a drink while taking a “normal” medication… and felt extra off? Alcohol doesn’t just affect your mood — it changes how your body processes medications. Since your liver has to metabolize both alcohol and drug compounds, even casual drinking can increase side effects, reduce…
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The Histamine Side of Wine Headaches
Ever get a headache from one glass of wine… but other drinks feel fine? That might not be the alcohol — it could be histamine. Wine (especially red) is high in histamines and other fermented compounds that can trigger headaches, flushing, congestion, and even migraine-like reactions in sensitive...
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The Overnight Sugar Crash Effect
Ever wake up at 3 AM after drinking… anxious, hungry, wide awake? That might not be random — alcohol can seriously disrupt your blood sugar overnight, even if you’re not diabetic. Your liver shifts into detox mode, glucose drops, stress hormones spike, and suddenly your sleep turns into a hidden...
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Drinking Makes Everything Louder Inside
Ever drink to quiet your mind… but wake up feeling even louder inside? Alcohol can feel calming in the moment, but afterward, many people experience amplified anxiety, racing thoughts, emotional sensitivity, and that wired-but-tired “hangxiety” feeling. In this episode, Mike Hardenbrook breaks...
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Alcohol Is Ruining Your Vitality
Alcohol doesn’t just steal your night — it steals your energy. Even if you’re not hungover, alcohol can quietly drain your motivation, focus, and stamina the next day. That tired, foggy, low-drive feeling isn’t just “getting older”… it’s biology. In this episode, Mike Hardenbrook breaks down: •…
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Rise and Shine Without the Wine
What if mornings felt easier without alcohol? For a lot of people, the hardest part of drinking isn’t the night, it’s the next morning. The brain fog, low energy, anxious mood, and feeling like your day starts on hard mode. In this episode, Mike Hardenbrook explores: • Why alcohol can disrupt…
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What Confidence Looks Like Without a Drink
What does confidence look like without a drink? For many of us, alcohol has been a shortcut to feeling bold, relaxed, or socially at ease. But what happens when confidence comes from presence instead of a buzz? In this episode, Mike Hardenbrook explores: • Why alcohol often gets mistaken for...
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You Don’t Have to Quit, You Just Have to Notice
You don’t have to quit — you just have to notice. January isn’t about drastic changes or all-or-nothing decisions. It’s about quiet awareness. With the noise of the holidays gone, patterns around sleep, stress, and drinking become easier to see — without judgment. In this episode, Mike…
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Designing A Year Without Alcohol
What if alcohol isn’t the main character this year? For years, alcohol has played a starring role in how we celebrate, unwind, and cope. But as priorities shift, many people are quietly realizing they want more energy, clarity, and presence than another drink can offer. In this episode, Mike...
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The Trade-Off Nobody Talks About
What if feeling better mattered more than drinking? Most people don’t drink because they love alcohol — they drink because they’re chasing a feeling. Calm. Relief. Better sleep. A break from stress. But what happens when alcohol stops delivering those outcomes? In this episode, Mike Hardenbrook...
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Drinking Smarter, Not Smaller
What if this year isn’t about drinking less… but drinking smarter? Most people don’t want to quit drinking — they just want to feel better afterward. Better sleep. Clearer mornings. Fewer regrets. More energy. In this episode, Mike Hardenbrook explores a smarter, more realistic approach to…
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When the Party’s Over — Why Are You Still Pouring?
Is drinking still the same when there’s nothing to celebrate? We tend to think of alcohol as something reserved for parties, milestones, and special occasions. But what happens when the drinks show up on ordinary nights — with no toast, no event, and no real reason? In this episode, Mike...
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The Silence After the Holidays
Now that the holidays are over, what actually changed? In this episode, Mike Hardenbrook explores the quiet shift that happens after the season ends — when routines return, the noise fades, and patterns around stress, sleep, and drinking become easier to see. You’ll learn: • Why the post-holiday...
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January 1 and Your Relationship With Alcohol
Why does January 1 make you question your relationship with alcohol — even if nothing “bad” happened? In this New Year’s Day episode, Mike Hardenbrook explores why the quiet after the holidays brings clarity, reflection, and honesty about drinking habits. January 1 isn’t about resolutions — it’s...
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The Spirit Behind the Spirit
Why do we call it “holiday spirit” — and why is alcohol always part of the picture? In this episode, Mike Hardenbrook explores how alcohol became emotionally linked to celebration, warmth, and connection during the holidays — and how that language quietly shapes the way we drink. You’ll learn: •...
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It’s Christmas! Why Does Today Feel Different?
In this Christmas Day episode, Mike Hardenbrook breaks down the psychology and biology behind why today hits differently — from nostalgia and rituals to stress release, memory wiring, and why drinking patterns shift so easily on December 25th. You’ll learn: • Why Christmas amplifies emotions…
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Does Christmas Nostalgia Make Alcohol Hit Harder?
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...
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What Are You Really Trying to Feel This Holiday?
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…
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When “Festive” Turns Into “Too Much”
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…
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Why Does December Make Every Drink Feel ‘earned’?
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...
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When Celebration Becomes a Coping Mechanism
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...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
The Alcohol Reset is a science-backed podcast designed to help you reset your habits, health, and relationship with alcohol. Hosted by best-selling author Mike Hardenbrook, each bite-sized episode explores neuroscience, nutrition, and habit formation, delivering practical strategies to help you drink less, sleep better, reduce cravings, and optimize your well-being—without judgment or extremes. It’s time for a reset.
HOSTED BY
Mike Hardenbrook & Cloud9
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Alcohol Reset by Cloud9 have?
The Alcohol Reset by Cloud9 currently has 145 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Alcohol Reset by Cloud9 about?
The Alcohol Reset is a science-backed podcast designed to help you reset your habits, health, and relationship with alcohol. Hosted by best-selling author Mike Hardenbrook, each bite-sized episode explores neuroscience, nutrition, and habit formation, delivering practical strategies to help you...
How often does The Alcohol Reset by Cloud9 release new episodes?
The Alcohol Reset by Cloud9 publishes regularly with 145 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to The Alcohol Reset by Cloud9?
You can listen to The Alcohol Reset by Cloud9 on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The Alcohol Reset by Cloud9?
The Alcohol Reset by Cloud9 is created and hosted by Mike Hardenbrook & Cloud9.
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