As women enter perimenopause, they may notice changes in their alcohol tolerance and how it affects their bodies. Hormonal shifts during this stage can cause the liver to become sluggish, leading to difficulties in metabolizing and detoxing alcohol efficiently. This decrease in alcohol tolerance can result in feeling drunk quicker than usual, making it harder to notice perimenopause symptoms.
Sobriety coach Christy Osborne, who has been sober for five years, explains that alcohol consumption can mask perimenopause symptoms. Symptoms such as hot flushes, night sweats, trouble sleeping, mood swings, and irregular periods can be exacerbated by drinking alcohol. Christy highlights how alcohol can trigger or intensify hot flashes and night sweats by affecting the body’s ability to regulate temperature. This can result in increased occurrences of these uncomfortable symptoms, making it challenging to differentiate between alcohol-induced and perimenopause symptoms.
Alcohol’s impact on sleep is another crucial aspect to consider during perimenopause. While a couple of cocktails might initially make you feel sleepy, alcohol can disrupt the sleep cycle, especially REM sleep. This disruption leads to poorer quality sleep, more frequent awakenings throughout the night, and ultimately worsens other perimenopausal symptoms such as mood swings and fatigue due to lack of restful sleep. Furthermore, alcohol can affect neurotransmitters in the brain, making emotional fluctuations more pronounced. These changes in mood can be particularly challenging during perimenopause, with alcohol amplifying the emotional ups and downs.
Alcohol’s impact on hormonal balance can also contribute to the exacerbation of perimenopausal symptoms. By interfering with the liver’s ability to metabolize hormones properly, alcohol can lead to imbalances that exacerbate symptoms like irregular periods and hormonal fluctuations. While irregular periods are a clear sign of perimenopause, alcohol consumption can disrupt the menstrual cycle, making it harder to connect the two.
HELLO!’s Donna Francis, 48, shared her experience of how alcohol affected her perimenopausal symptoms. She found that hangovers lasted longer, anxiety levels were heightened, and brain fog intensified during menopause. However, upon deciding to stop drinking earlier this year, Donna noticed significant improvements in her mood and overall health. Being alcohol-free not only improved her physical well-being but also boosted her mental clarity, energy levels, and overall happiness.
If you’re considering making a change in your relationship with alcohol during perimenopause, certified sobriety coach Christy Osborne offers some practical advice. Conducting experiments to understand how alcohol affects your anxiety levels, mood, and overall well-being can be a useful starting point. Setting temporary challenges to go alcohol-free for a few weeks can provide insights into how life without alcohol feels in comparison. Additionally, finding alternative social activities and reframing thoughts about drinking can help navigate social interactions without alcohol.
It’s important to remember the benefits of not drinking, such as improved sleep, mood stability, and overall well-being. By taking steps to understand the impact of alcohol on perimenopause symptoms and making informed choices, women can empower themselves to lead healthier, happier lives during this transitional stage.Christy Osborne is a certified sobriety coach and founder of Love Life Sober, a platform that empowers women in the UK and US to take control of their relationship with alcohol.