Alcohol and perimenopause. More of a hinderance than a help?

Long, hard day?

Bad night’s sleep last night?

Feeling crap about your body?

Many women find that their natural reaction is to reach for a glass of wine- so you are not alone. But in Perimenopause, you may start to find that this actually causes more problems than it solves, and there could be better ways to deal with the curve balls that life, and your body, appears to be throwing at you.

The body processes alcohol differently as we age, which could point to a connection between hormonal changes and alcohol intolerance. Drinking alcohol impacts your hormone levels in different ways throughout your adult life, including during menopause. These effects can be positive or negative, depending on your age and how much you drink. Because menopause and drinking alcohol can interfere with the body’s hormone system, it also has the potential to negatively impact other areas of the body, such as blood sugar levels, calcium metabolism and bone structure. When it comes to the impact of drinking alcohol specifically in perimenopausal women, there are direct correlations.

Alcohol is a trigger for hot flushes for some and is well know n to disrupt sleep. Cognition and memory might be affected with use as well. Alcohol is also calorie-dense, adding to the struggle that many women have with weight control in perimenopause. And if it feels like you can’t drink as much as you used to be able to, you may be experiencing the reduction in alcohol tolerance that occurs as we get older.

Hot flushes and night sweats

Studies have shown that alcohol increases the intensity and occurrences of hot flushes and night sweats. This is maybe because alcohol raises your internal temperature. If this is something you notice, you might want to start thinking about your relationship with alcohol.

Your mood

Perimenopausal hormones can play havoc with your mood, and alcohol may make your mood worse. Women often experience new or more severe symptoms of anxiety and depression starting in perimenopause, and drinking alcohol can intensify these symptoms. Alcohol is a depressant, so the lift you get from a glass of wine can ultimately cause you to feel even lower in the long run.

Brain fog

Many perimenopausal and menopausal women  may experience brain fog, a feeling that makes it hard to focus. Alcohol could make things feel even foggier. Even moderate drinking is linked to pathological changes in the brain, including impaired memory and decision-making.

It might feel like reducing/ removing alcohol would be sensible for you in order to support a better menopause transition. If this is the case here are a few things you could focus on instead…

Nourishment

Concentrating on what your eating will likely help with your perimenopause symptoms. Nutritent dense foods, lots of colour, good fats will boost your energy, improve symptoms and help you sleep. Learn to be more intentional about what you eat.

Movement

30 minutes of movement has been shown to improve mood and cognition. So, now is the time to get curious about the kind of movement you enjoy and learn to how to become consistent with it.

Rest

Learning how to improve your sleep through your evening behavaiours that don’t include wine will be priceless. A good starting point is reducing screen time, don’t eat late and make sure your room is dark and cool.

If you’d like support and accountability in building new lifestyle habits, please get in touch. I’m an expert in helping women go from surviving to thriving in their mid-life and menopause. You can email me -Beth@movemehappy.me or send me a direct message on Instagram. I’ll have 2 Coaches spaces available to start in June.