Alcohol in Midlife: Is That Glass Worth It?

Lots of women notice that drinks they used to enjoy without a second thought now seem to come with a price: a hot flush, a broken night or a flatter mood the next day. Alcohol is one of the common triggers for hot flushes, and the NHS suggests keeping within the recommended limits because drinking may affect menopause symptoms.

The guideline

• No more than 14 units a week, for women and men
• If you do drink that much, spread it over three or more days
• Have several drink-free days each week

Fourteen units is roughly 6 pints of average-strength beer or 10 small glasses of lower-strength wine across a whole week.

Run your own experiment

Try two weeks with less or no alcohol and log your sleep and hot flushes in Mina. Then compare. Your own pattern is more useful than any general rule.

Easy swaps

• An alcohol-free version of your usual drink
• Sparkling water with lime or bitters, in a nice glass
• Making the first drink of the evening a soft one

Worth knowing

Alcohol can make low mood and anxiety harder too. If you're drinking to cope, or finding it hard to cut back, talk to your GP. Drinkline is free and confidential on 0300 123 1110.