5 Alarming Ways Drinking Impacts Menopause
If you’ve suspected drinking alcohol has an impact on menopause you’d be right. The hangovers are worse, mood swings more severe and sleep is more compromised than ever before.
Why?
Why does drinking alcohol have such an impact on menopause?
In perimenopause, menopause and post-menopause, hormone levels change dramatically and so do the enzymes that process everything we eat and drink. As we get older, women have smaller amounts of alcohol dehydrogenase, an enzyme that metabolises alcohol in the stomach.
That means women absorb more alcohol (than men) into their bloodstream. Symptoms of menopause are then exacerbated like hot flashes, mood swings and insomnia.
Let’s take a closer look…
5 alarming ways drinking impacts menopause
1. Dehydration. As women age, their bodies naturally start to lose water volume. That’s why hangovers feel worse during this time. Morning-after headaches, nausea and exhaustion are all caused by extra dehydration from drinking.
Simply put: Women are less able to dilute alcohol in our systems. That makes them more vulnerable to its negative effects.
2. Anxiety and mood. Changing hormone levels during menopause can wreak havoc on your mood. Drinking alcohol at this time to “take the edge off” stress or anxiety can make anxiety worse. As alcohol is a depressant, menopausal women may also find it harder and harder to emotionally ‘bounce back’ after drinking.
While we could shake off a hangover in our 20s, in our 50s it’s an entirely different story. We feel hungover for longer and emotionally ‘flat’. A glass of wine may give women a quick hit of dopamine but then ultimately makes them feel lower in the long run.
3. Brain fog. That fuzzy-headed feeling that comes with perimenopause and lasts through menopause is exacerbated by drinking alcohol. Even moderate drinking is linked to pathological changes in the brain including decision-making and impaired memory. Adding alcohol to already-present brain fog will make it harder and harder to feel clear and sharp.
4. Hot flashes. Alcohol is a toxin which can exacerbate hot flashes in menopausal women. Alcohol causes dilation of blood vessels which can even trigger hot flashes. Many menopausal women will complain of a hot, red ‘flush’ across their chest and neck when drinking alcohol, especially red wine. Drinking alcohol also increases the likelihood of night sweats.
5. Insomnia. As the liver breaks down alcohol through the night, many women will wake up at 3am feeling dehydrated. They may have gotten to sleep easily - or passed out – after drinking but then struggle to stay asleep through the night. Because of night sweats and hot flashes experienced through menopause, sleep is even more disrupted.
If middle-aged women have a sense alcohol might be making the symptoms of menopause worse, why are women of this age reportedly drinking more and more? According to newshub.co, Australian research tells us 1 in 5 women aged 45 to 60 is a binge drinker. That’s double what it was 20 years ago.
Why middle-aged women are drinking more…
They are stressed and overwhelmed. Many middle-aged women are juggling careers, parenting (often teenagers), caring for elderly parents and running households. Many turn to alcohol to “take the edge off” a busy day.
They are conditioned to believe a few wines is “good for you”. Relaxing with a few wines has become such a social norm it’s more surprising when a woman DOESN’T drink her stress away.
They are battling perimenopause and menopause. It’s a time of hot flashes, anxiety and insomnia. Drinking wine feels like a quick and easy source of relief.
They are not getting enough support at home. Often the domestic load is carried by women. These women are also working full-time and parenting. If unsupported, women don’t prioritise their own self-care. They simply try to “get through” by self-medicating with alcohol.
Sound familiar?
What to do next…
If you’re feeling the negative impact of alcohol on the symptoms of menopause, don’t beat yourself up. It’s common! Consider taking a break from alcohol and focusing on nutrition, exercise and quality sleep. All three will help balance hormones and improve mood.
If you need help giving up alcohol, I’m always here to provide support. Book a FREE Discovery Call with me and let’s see if I can help.
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Xx Sarah
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