How To Quit Drinking Mid-life
Why is it so hard to quit drinking mid-life? Because the pressures of life can feel overwhelming at this stage, and women’s conditioning around drinking – spanning decades – is stronger than ever. I quit drinking in my early 40s, at a time when it was harder than ever for me to quit.
Many women like me, use wine to self-medicate their overwhelm, anxiety and the symptoms of perimenopause. 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.
Let’s take a closer look…
Why are middle-aged women drinking more?
We are stressed. 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” our stress and anxiety.
We are conditioned to believe a few wines are “good for you”. Relaxing with a few wines has become such a social norm it’s more surprising when a middle-aged woman DOESN’T drink her stress away.
We are battling perimenopause and menopause. Drinking wine feels like a quick and easy source of relief from mood swings, anxiety, and insomnia. Unfortunately, it makes all of these worse.
We are not getting enough support. Often the domestic load is carried by women. We’re also working full-time and parenting. If unsupported, we don’t prioritise our own self-care.
How to quit drinking mid-life
To quit drinking at mid-life, it’s vital to understand our life-stage. From our late 30's women produce less progesterone which is the hormone related to our Gaba neurotransmitters – the ones that make us feel calm and relaxed. That means from late 30's onwards we naturally feel more stressed and anxious. Because alcohol directly links to the GABA receptors, we drink alcohol to produce more GABA. In the short term, it makes us feel less anxious. However, it then leads to the brain releasing more cortisol in response to the GABA so we then feel more stressed. It’s a vicious cycle.
What about 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. In our 40s, our liver shrinks by up to 40% from our 40's onwards which means we can't process alcohol in the same way as we did in our 20's.
There’s never been a better time to quit booze…
5 ways to quit drinking mid-life
1. Learn how to relax
Unfortunately, a few wines after a stressful day makes us feel more stressed, anxious, and exhausted the next day. Instead, find ways to relax that don’t involve drinking like breathwork, exercise, and meditation.
2. Alter your social life
Instead of meeting friends for ‘wine time’ or boozy dinners on the weekend, meet up for breakfast at a café or go for a walk. Yes, you will lose some former “drinking buddies” but you will gain deeper, richer friendships.
3. Get support
Tell your friends and family you are going alcohol-free. Join an online community. You can join mine here on Facebook: The Women’s Wellbeing Collective. Get together with fellow sober friends and support each other, online and off.
4. Educate yourself
Read books and listen to podcasts. Fill up on education and information about sobriety and start applying that learning to your daily life. Get curious about what a sober life looks like for you - and start dreaming big.
5. Put things back IN
When you quit alcohol at mid-life, you need to fill that hole with new interests, hobbies, and passions. This is why so many women at mid-life take on exercise after quitting drinking! Find things you love to do and start leaning into what lights you up.
What to do next…
If you’re feeling stuck in a rut with alcohol at mid-life, don’t beat yourself up. It’s common! Consider taking a break from alcohol and join my April Alcohol-Free 30-Day Challenge. A month of support, education, and community. I’ll be holding your hand every step of the way.