How does white wine make you feel? Understanding the effects on mood and body

September 28, 2025 •

5 min read

According to a 2017 study published in the journal BMJ Open, alcohol can trigger different emotional responses depending on the type of beverage consumed. So, how does white wine make you feel, and is it truly different from other drinks? The effects of white wine can range from relaxation and mood enhancement to anxiety and poor sleep, depending on several factors including quantity, sugar, and individual sensitivities.

Quick Summary

The way white wine makes you feel depends on dosage, context, and individual factors, with a moderate amount often leading to relaxation and social ease due to alcohol's depressant effect on the central nervous system. Conversely, excessive consumption can cause anxiety, impaired judgment, and sleep disturbances, while specific sensitivities to sulfites and sugar can contribute to physical discomfort and mood fluctuations.

Key Points

Relaxation and Mood Lift: White wine, in moderation, can induce feelings of relaxation and euphoria by acting as a central nervous system depressant and boosting feel-good neurotransmitters like dopamine.
Potential for Anxiety: Drinking excessive white wine can lead to a rebound effect that increases anxiety and irritability after the initial calming effect wears off.
Disrupted Sleep: While it can cause drowsiness and help you fall asleep faster, white wine significantly disrupts overall sleep quality, especially the REM stage, leading to restless nights.
Impact of Sugar and Sulfites: The higher sugar content in sweeter white wines can cause energy and mood crashes, while sulfites, often added as a preservative, can trigger allergic reactions in sensitive individuals.
Physical Side Effects: Common physical effects include dehydration, impaired coordination, and digestive issues like bloating, especially with excessive consumption.
Differences from Red Wine: Compared to red wine, white wine typically has lower levels of tannins and histamines, which can result in less drowsiness for sensitive drinkers, but potentially more sugar.

The Immediate Impact: Alcohol's Role

At its core, the most significant factor in how white wine makes you feel is the ethanol, or alcohol, it contains. Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant, and its effects begin to manifest within minutes of consumption. As it enters the bloodstream, it interacts with neurotransmitters in the brain, creating a wave of physiological and psychological changes.

Psychological and Mood Effects

Relaxation and Euphoria

One of the most sought-after effects of white wine is the feeling of relaxation and well-being. By increasing the activity of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA and stimulating the release of dopamine, a pleasure-related neurotransmitter, alcohol can help you unwind and feel a sense of reward. This is a key reason why many enjoy a glass of wine to de-stress after a long day. In social settings, this relaxed state can lower inhibitions, making conversations flow more easily and fostering a sense of social bonding.

The Flip Side: Anxiety and Irritability

While a single glass might promote relaxation, over-consumption of white wine can have the opposite effect, leading to heightened anxiety and irritability. The initial calming sensation is often followed by a 'rebound effect' as alcohol wears off, which can cause anxiety levels to spike. Excessive drinking can also disrupt the delicate balance of brain chemicals, leading to mood swings and impaired judgment.

Physical Effects on the Body

The Feeling of Drowsiness

White wine, like other alcohol, can make you feel drowsy, which is why some people use it to help fall asleep. However, this is a short-lived and deceptive effect. While it can help you fall asleep faster, alcohol is known to severely disrupt your sleep quality, especially during the crucial REM stage. This leads to a more restless night and waking up feeling unrefreshed.

Other Bodily Sensations

Beyond the mental effects, white wine also produces several physical sensations:

Dehydration and Thirst: As a diuretic, white wine increases urine production, leading to dehydration. This can leave you feeling thirsty and fatigued the next day.
Impaired Coordination: Drinking too much white wine will result in slowed reflexes, impaired motor control, and slurred speech.
Digestive Issues: Some people experience digestive problems such as bloating or diarrhea after drinking white wine. This can be linked to its acidity or sugar content, which can upset the gut microbiome.

The White Wine vs. Red Wine Debate: Is There a Difference?

While the primary effects of any wine are driven by its alcohol content, there are nuanced differences between how red and white wine are perceived. Anecdotal evidence and some research suggest that these differences may be due to factors beyond just alcohol.

Histamines and Tannins

Red wines contain higher levels of tannins and histamines, which are compounds known to trigger allergic-type reactions in sensitive individuals, including headaches and fatigue. Because white wine has less of these compounds, some people find it doesn't cause the same level of drowsiness or heavy-headed feeling as red wine.

Sugar and Sulfites

White wines, especially sweeter varieties, can contain more residual sugar than red wines. This can lead to a quick spike and subsequent crash in blood sugar, causing feelings of jitteriness or fatigue. Additionally, white wines generally contain more added sulfites to preserve freshness. Some people with asthma or sulfite sensitivity may experience wheezing, chest tightening, or other allergic symptoms when consuming white wine.

White Wine vs. Red Wine: A Comparison Table


Factor	White Wine	Red Wine
Tannins	Generally lower	Higher, contributing to a drying mouthfeel.
Histamines	Typically lower	Higher, may cause headaches or fatigue in sensitive people.
Sugar Content	Often higher, especially in sweeter varieties.	Generally lower, depending on the type.
Sulfites	Usually higher added sulfites for preservation.	Lower added sulfites, though naturally present.
Perceived Effect	Often described as more energetic or social.	Can feel heavier or more relaxing due to tannins and other compounds.

Influences on Your Personal Experience

The feeling you get from drinking white wine is not a one-size-fits-all experience. Several personal factors can significantly influence how it affects you:

Alcohol by Volume (ABV): The ABV can vary between different white wines. A higher ABV will lead to more pronounced effects more quickly.
Drinking Pace: Consuming wine rapidly means your blood alcohol content rises faster, intensifying the effects.
Food Consumption: Drinking on an empty stomach allows alcohol to be absorbed much more quickly, leading to more intense and rapid intoxication.
Body Weight and Composition: A person's size, gender, and metabolism all play a role in how they process alcohol. Larger individuals generally need more alcohol to feel the same effects.
Individual Tolerance: Regular alcohol consumers develop a higher tolerance, meaning they need more wine to feel the same level of effect.
Mental State: Your mood before drinking can influence how the wine affects you. For example, drinking when feeling anxious may amplify anxiety once the initial relaxing effect wears off.
Hydration Levels: Being dehydrated can worsen the side effects of alcohol, such as headaches and fatigue.

The Role of Sugar and Sulfites

Beyond alcohol, other components in white wine can affect your body and mood. The sugar content, particularly in sweet varieties, can lead to fluctuations in energy levels and cause digestive issues. Some individuals are also sensitive to sulfites, which are often added to white wines as a preservative. This sensitivity can cause symptoms like wheezing, headaches, or flushing. Choosing a dry white wine with lower sugar and fewer additives can help mitigate some of these potential side effects.

Conclusion: A Complex Picture

Ultimately, how white wine makes you feel is a combination of its alcohol content, its unique chemical profile, and your individual physiology and circumstances. For most, a glass in moderation offers a pleasant sense of relaxation and mood enhancement. However, it is important to be mindful of the potential for negative effects such as disturbed sleep, increased anxiety, and sensitivity-related symptoms, particularly when consuming larger amounts. Understanding these factors can help you make more informed choices for your health and well-being.

For more detailed information on alcohol's effect on the body, an excellent resource is the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, for some people, white wine can cause headaches. This is often linked to sulfites, preservatives that are present in higher concentrations in many white wines compared to reds. Dehydration from the alcohol can also be a contributing factor.

Moderate consumption of white wine can lower inhibitions and promote a sense of relaxation, which can lead to increased sociability and easier conversation in social settings. This is due to alcohol's effect on neurotransmitters in the brain.

White wine, like other alcohol, can have a rebound effect on anxiety as it wears off. While it initially acts as a depressant, the subsequent disruption of brain chemicals can lead to anxiety, especially when consumed in excess.

Some people report subjective differences, with red wine sometimes feeling heavier or more sedating due to its higher tannin and histamine content. White wine is often perceived as lighter and can feel more energetic, though the primary effect is still determined by the alcohol.

No, while white wine can make you feel drowsy and fall asleep faster, it negatively impacts sleep quality. It disrupts REM sleep, leading to a less restful and more agitated night.

Yes, the sugar content in sweeter white wines can cause blood sugar levels to spike and then crash, which can contribute to mood fluctuations, jitters, and fatigue.

Sulfite sensitivity is an adverse reaction to sulfites, which are added to wine to prevent oxidation. Symptoms can include wheezing, chest tightness, or other allergic-like reactions, particularly in individuals with asthma.