Surprise, surprise. Or maybe not so much. I recently read a study that claimed that we South Dakotan's or at least 10% of us drink more in the winter than other times of the year. That's easy enough to believe. A hot toddy here, a shot of 'this' there, and pretty soon you're noticing longer days and warmer temperatures.

Rehabs.com, a leading provider of addiction treatment resources, surveyed 3,000 adults and found that 1 in 10 (10%) South Dakotans say they drink more when the weather is cold out. A whopping 83% of those polled say they lean on alcohol a little harder during the cold days of winter and fewer hours of daylight seems to be the culprit there. Hey, it's darker earlier so it seems like 5 O Clock somewhere comes a little earlier in the day during the winter.

Beer is still the 'go-to' beverage for South Dakotas, followed by wine, whiskeys, and Irish Creme liquor like Bailey's, or a good old hot toddy close out the list. In this writer's opinion, a finger or two of Irish Whiskey on a cold evening does warm your belly up a bit.

That's the other thing. Of those polled, most replied alcohol makes them feel 'warmer.' Of course 'science' would tell you different!  Rehabs.com said the best thing to do would be to avoid alcohol altogether. Dressing up a little warmer, getting a little exercise helps too to make you feel better during warmer months. Oh, and feel a little better in the morning!

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