A lack of boundaries and grey area drinking go hand in hand. Without boundaries we often feel overwhelmed, exhausted, resentful, angry, tense, and frustrated. These feelings are signs that our boundaries are weak or non-existent. We might be taking on too much at home or at work. We are giving more of our time and energy to everyone else, and our own needs are coming last. At the end of the day, when we are exhausted, wine takes the edge off these feelings (temporarily). Grey area drinking works in a cycle of hard, exhausting days, followed by drinking to unwind.

We’ve all been there - feeling the aftereffects of a night of drinking. Hangovers bring headaches, fatigue, poor concentration, and overall sluggishness, making it almost impossible to do our best work. When employees come to work with a hangover, productivity drops, deadlines can be missed, and the quality of work suffers.

A study by the British Medical Journal found that hangovers can reduce productivity by as much as 12% the day after drinking. In the US, hangover-related productivity losses cost employers an estimated $77 billion annually.

You may have asked yourself: Why am I constantly tired? Why does midlife feel like a fog of fatigue? And is alcohol making it worse? The answer is: Yes, alcohol makes midlife fatigue worse by impacting our sleep, hormones and overall wellbeing and vitality. In a nasty cycle, when fatigue becomes overwhelming, many of us turn to alcohol to cope and ‘lift’ our energy and mood.

Alcohol then worsens the fatigue and creates a cycle of dependence. Understanding the connection between midlife fatigue and alcohol is crucial for managing both effectively.

Mother's Day is here again and with it a bold display of Big Alcohol targeting women. Mummy Wine Culture is normalised, justified, and celebrated with special Mother’s Day offers that all seem to come with a glass of bubbles. The message to everyone (and alarmingly little girls) is this: Mum needs wine.

I’ve been 5 years alcohol free. Wow. That's half a decade of living life without alcohol. For the champagne-loving, cigarette-smoking version of me from the past, this is so hard to believe. And not just that, I don’t miss it one bit!

Perimenopause and strong cravings for alcohol – yes, it’s a Thing. Alongside all the well-known symptoms like hot flashes and mood swings, cravings for alcohol are more prominent in so many of us at this time. If you've found yourself craving alcohol more during perimenopause, you're not alone. Here’s what’s going on, and how you can navigate increased alcohol cravings during perimenopause.

I used to think alcohol-free holidays would be BORING. In fact, I rarely even imagined a holiday without late afternoon boozing in the sun, and nights drinking copious amounts of wine. Did I want to go on alcohol-free holidays? No. Did I end up LOVING alcohol-free holidays when I finally quit drinking for good? Yes.

When we take alcohol out of our lives, we need to add more fun in. If alcohol has been our main source of fun for years, then we need to replace it with activities, events, and people that light us up and make life more enjoyable. Otherwise, we start thinking an alcohol-free life is boring, flat, and uninspiring – and that’s just not the case.

From hot flashes and mood swings to interrupted sleep, menopause symptoms are exacerbated by drinking alcohol. In perimenopause, menopause and post-menopause, hormone levels change dramatically and so do the enzymes that process everything we eat and drink. As we age, 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. Even bone density.

When you quit drinking, it feels like people will go out of their way to question you. But why? For how long? Why would you? Some will even try to derail your efforts. They’re used to you showing up for them in a certain way (often as a drinking buddy) and it doesn’t suit them when you change. It can be confronting to them that you are changing your relationship with alcohol - when they can’t.

So, why do partners, loved ones, friends, colleagues or even neighbours try to derail your sobriety?

If you’re going alcohol-free in January, there’s a lot you can do to set yourself up for success. You can write down your Why, tell your friends and family, and stock the fridge full of delicious AF drinks. You can clear your calendar of boozy events and start thinking of ways to treat yourself – without alcohol. Then there are the things I would encourage you NOT to do…

Are you wondering how the hell you’re going to manage your first Christmas without booze? And with that comes all the questioning from friends and family. ‘Why aren’t you drinking?’ or ‘Just have one’ or ‘Don’t be so boring – it’s Christmas’. Well - read on for all my top tips around socialising without booze this Christmas and still having a GREAT time!

It’s my fifth sober Christmas and the way I feel surprises me. I feel overwhelmingly grateful for the decision I made in April 2019, to remove alcohol from my life altogether.

My last boozy Christmas was in 2018 when my drinking was at its highest. I was looking for giddy oblivion, but it didn't come. I was drinking more and more to get the high I craved but I just didn't get there. In hindsight my body was tired and tolerant after an alcohol-fueled lead-up to Christmas Day.

When it comes to parenting and drinking: The kids are watching. We may think a glass of wine in the afternoon or a rush to get them to bed so we can ‘relax’ is going unnoticed by the kids - but it isn’t. So, how does our drinking impact our kids? And why is it helpful to change how we role model alcohol to young teens?

Christmas often arrives with a whirlwind of festivities, expectations, and an overwhelming To Do list. The pressure to create the ‘perfect’ celebration can leave us feeling stressed and drained. Let's embrace a different approach — one that prioritises sobriety, and self-care. It's time to take a few things off our plates, forget about unrealistic expectations, and make space for a Christmas that nourishes our wellbeing.

Connection is a fundamental human need, and women have a unique relationship with it. The hormone oxytocin, often referred to as the "love hormone" or "bonding hormone," is profoundly boosted when women connect with each other. Understanding the link between emotional and physical connection, women, and oxytocin, is incredibly important for our wellbeing.

In a recent poll of my online community, I asked what the obstacles were to them living their best lives. Three things became clear: they lack self-belief, and they are drained of energy and motivation. They are feeling fed up and exhausted. Being a modern working woman puts a slow and steady drip on our energy and confidence. We sometimes don't even realise we've become a shell of ourselves until it becomes our new 'normal'. So, how can women fight this fed up feeling and reinvigorate our confidence and our lives?

Sugar cravings and sobriety- what’s going on? You may have given up drinking successfully but now your sugar cravings feel intense and overwhelming. Don’t panic. This is common. Alcohol and sugar light up the same reward centre in the brain. Sugar can also be an emotional crutch through stress and let’s face it – early sobriety can be stressful So, here’s what’s going on with those sugar cravings in sobriety and what to do about them.

As a Grey Area Drinking Coach, I find myself in an uncomfortable position when it comes to talking about alcohol with my soon-to-be 14-year-old son. I started drinking alcohol at the very same age. I want to protect him from the pitfalls and risks I experienced while also giving him self-agency and trust he will make responsible choices. This is not an easy balance, but here's how I talk to my son about alcohol…

Sobriety often comes with an unexpected challenge – sugar cravings. These cravings, fueled by the body's physiological and psychological response to alcohol withdrawal, can feel overwhelming, and out of control. While it’s okay to give in to sugar cravings in the very early days of sobriety, if you’re ready to take on your sugar addiction and manage cravings, it can be done.