Kicking back with an IPA during the game. Enjoying a glass of cabernet after putting the kids to bed. Celebrating a friend’s promotion over cocktails. Occasions for drinks seem endless, but knowing when your consumption goes from benign to dangerous can be less obvious.
Middle-aged Americans are drinking more—and having more drinking-related health problems
People between 35 and 50 reported record-high levels of binge drinking in 2022, and one study found people in their 40s accounted for the biggest increase in alcohol use between 2018 and 2022. Doctors are especially concerned about rising alcohol consumption among middle-aged women, as more are developing alcohol-related liver and heart disease. In a recent survey, 28% of women in their forties who drink said they consume alcohol more now than they did in their 20s.
How much is too much?
Many of us drink to relax, or to cope with the stress of work, parenting or loneliness. But how much is too much? Longtime alcohol consumption guidelines have recently been called into question:
- While federal guidelines recommend limits of one alcoholic drink per day for women and two per day for men, the U.S. Surgeon General made headlines in January by highlighting studies showing that even one or two drinks per day can increase risk for breast, mouth and throat cancer.
- New studies have also cast doubt on the notion that small amounts of alcohol can protect heart health.
- What constitutes a “healthy” amount changes over time, too: in middle-age, the body becomes less able to process alcohol.
Notice how alcohol makes you feel
To explore how alcohol is impacting your health, track how you feel the day/s after you drink. Do you notice any negative effects, such as the following issues reported recently by women in their 40s?
- Digestive discomfort after drinking alcohol, reported by 32% of 40-something respondents.
- Disrupted sleep due to drinking, reported by 27%.
- Worsening anxiety and depression from drinking, reported by nearly 1 in 4.
- Memory issues tied to alcohol use, reported by 23%.