More than just a hangover

When I was in my 20s and 30s, I had a superpower.

I could drink an unfathomable amount of alcohol, with little effect. No nausea, no headache, no hangxiety—no hangover. It was something that helped me deal with being an introvert in social situations, and beyond the impact to my wallet, there didn’t seem to be a downside.

Mind you, a decade or two ago the information we have now on the negative impacts of alcohol on our physical and mental health didn’t exist—if it had, maybe I wouldn’t have leaned into my superpower the way I did back then.

Regardless, after I hit 40, it all changed. Or maybe I just became more acutely aware of how important it was to feel good because I could not afford to feel like garbage. That’s because it was also the year I had my sweet son, Broxton, and I was sleep deprived and running on empty. Suddenly, I started to notice that when I drank even a single glass of wine, my irritability, anxiety, and heart rate ramped up, and it also resulted in mega sleep disruptions.

Maybe it was motherhood and maybe it was just age that led to those occasional drinks to feel different for me. It’s hard to say. Despite not being able to pinpoint the exact cause, I know I’m not alone. Many of the women I work with have also experienced similar disruptions to their alcohol tolerance as they’ve hit their 40s. And science agrees with our observations. Your body’s age is a factor in how well you metabolize alcohol and as your body changes, it’s normal to experience more adverse effects of alcohol, such as feeling tipsier at the time and feeling worse later.

One of the reasons for declining alcohol tolerance has to do with age-related changes to body composition. As you age, you tend to lose muscle and gain bodyfat. This can impact how alcohol is absorbed, while also impacting your hydration, since muscle tends to hold more water than bodyfat. As a result, the concentration of alcohol in your bloodstream can rise more quickly than it once did, meaning you may feel the effects of alcohol more suddenly and for a longer duration.

Along with age also comes changes in how efficiently your liver works. Declining levels of enzymes slow your body’s ability to metabolize alcohol, meaning it lingers in your system longer, extending the negative impacts. And your brain also becomes more sensitive to neurotoxins like alcohol, while hormonal shifts may also prime your brain to be more sensitive to alcohol’s depressant effects.

But just because your alcohol tolerance may change as you hit your 40s, it doesn’t mean you have to be 40+ to be impacted negatively. Regardless of your age, science has made it clear that alcohol has adverse effects that extend far beyond just a hangover. And none of these effects move us towards the happier, healthier, more fulfilling lives that we’re striving for.

Not quite sure what I’m talking about? Well, here are six sneaky reasons that alcohol will quietly sabotage your health and wellness goals:

1.  Oh the calories!

If weight loss is your goal, alcohol is not your friend. You might’ve heard that alcohol is just “empty calories” but there is nothing empty about them. For example, every gram of alcohol clocks in at seven calories, which makes it almost as calorie dense as fat and nearly twice as calorie dense as both protein and carbohydrates. To put it in perspective, a 5oz glass of wine, a 12oz glass of beer, and 1.5oz shot of liquor all have about 14g of alcohol in them or the equivalent of roughly 100 calories—about the same as ¾ cup of plain non-fat Greek yogurt, 1 banana, or 1 tablespoon of peanut butter. Click here for a calculator you can play around with.

2.  Makes it harder to lose bodyfat

In addition to the extra calories consumed through alcohol-based beverages, how your body metabolizes alcohol will make it more difficult to lose the weight you want if you’re a regular drinker. When your body processes alcohol, it prioritizes burning those calories first. That means any food you eat is more likely to get stored as bodyfat.

3.  Impacts impulse control

And that can be a problem, especially when alcohol intake lowers your impulses, making you say yes! to that all-dressed plate of nachos with an extra-large side of fries. It’s no secret that alcohol tends to increase the amount we eat, while also making it more likely that we’ll turn to highly palatable, calorie dense food. When’s the last time you had a cocktail, or glass of beer or wine and then ordered a plate of fresh veggies, hold the dip?

4.  Disrupts Sleep

After a few drinks and some delicious snacks, sleep probably feels like just what you need. And while you might zonk out quickly, it won’t be long before you wake-up restless and uncomfortable. Part of the reason for this is due to the thermic effect of alcohol, or the energy created by your metabolism as it processes alcohol. The thermic effect is more significant than what’s created from other foods containing fat and carbs. Only protein heats your body up more. And since your body will metabolize calories from alcohol before those from carbs, fat, and protein, your internal temperature will be on the rise.

Alcohol also disrupts the REM, or rapid eye movement, stage of sleep which is restorative and where memory consolidation occurs. This can leave you feeling groggy, foggy, and less emotionally resilient.

5.  Hangxiety

Sleep disruptions can also exacerbate hangxiety—that dreaded combo of a hangover + anxiety. Hangxiety can also be the result of neurotransmitter imbalances, dehydration, and feelings of regret that may spiral into something that seems catastrophic and can linger for days.

6.  Promotes inflammation

Your morning-after regret may be ramped up further should you hop on the scale. It’s likely to be higher than you expect because drinking promotes inflammation as your body responds to alcohol like it’s a toxin. The inflammatory response is your immune system’s defence against harmful substances, and it pulls in fluid and holds onto it as inflammatory processes seek to repair damage. Inflammation is why you feel a bit dumber the day after drinking, your joints ache, you’re puffy and bloated, and you’re just plain tired—and why the scale isn’t saying what you think it should.

While a few drinks here and there may seem like a great way to relax and deal with stress, even infrequent alcohol intake can leave you feeling miles away from your goals to look and feel better. Those few drinks might do exactly the opposite, promoting more stress and fueling a negative spiral.

On top of it, in the long-term, even moderate alcohol intake can ramp up the risk of disease. This can include several types of cancer, as well as heart disease and stroke.

But why is alcohol consumption now deemed to be so problematic? The key is in the toxic byproduct, acetaldehyde, that’s created as our bodies process and metabolize alcohol. According to this article, acetaldehyde can “damage body parts that are directly involved in alcohol metabolism, such as the liver, pancreas, and brain, as well as DNA itself. Exposure to acetaldehyde can result in DNA damage and mutations that lead to cancer”.

Ugh.

Whether you’re thinking about the consequences in a few hours from now or those later in life, maybe you’re ready to be a bit more critical about when and how much you want to drink. You don’t have to quit drinking altogether. But taking a pause to ask yourself how you want to feel—tonight, tomorrow, or ten years from now—can help you make choices that align with the version of you you’re working toward becoming. You deserve to feel your best, and sometimes that means saying no to the drink and yes to yourself.

It has for me! And here are a few things I’ve been doing to help me stay more aligned with my vision of my best self:

⭐So there’s no pressure to drink a whole bottle of wine or prosecco at a time, opt for small-format packaging. Small bottles or cans present an excellent way to shrink the obligation to “finish” the bottle.

⭐ Find an alcohol-free recipe or pre-made one that you enjoy. I’m a fan of the Ole mocktails that you can buy at Costco or from the manufacturer. ChatGPT is also an excellent way to come up with non-alcoholic, low cal stand-ins for fancy drinks. Type in the ingredients you have on hand and ask for a recipe or give it the vibe you’re looking for and you’ll get some great recipe suggestions back.

⭐Dig deep to understand the “experience” you want from having a drink. If it’s relaxation, to let loose, to connect—is there something else that you can do to stimulate those same feelings that is in better alignment with your health and wellness goals?