Now that I’m in my 40s, why does ONE glass of wine make me feel shit?!

[Windowseat77]

I was never one of those people who didn’t get hangovers. But I used to be able to have a few glasses of wine and feel completely fine the next day (more than 2 and hello hangover though!).

Now I can’t even have ONE with food without feeling shit! Headache the next day, feeling slightly sad, puffy, etc.

Why?! Is it that I’m out of practice? Is it my metabolism? Is it the universe telling me to quit?!

I hear you OP. Me too. I still have the odd glass as I do love a glass of red wine but even with plenty of water, I will feel some after effects.

It's a 40s thing. 😐

Peri menopause likely. Sorry. I’m post meno and if I drink anything instantly feel dreadful even with just one glass. Two glasses and I get all the classic menopause symptoms (and none without): night sweats, hot flushes, insomnia, anxiety. My mum had a terrible menopause and sometimes I wonder how much easier it would have been for her if she hadn’t carried on drinking.

Agree, your body is telling you not to bother. One of the main reasons why I stopped having alcohol when I was peri menopausal, about 14 years ago, as it kept me awake and made me feel like shit. Prior to this, I could have a glass or two and feel relaxed and lovely. Not any more!

I’m not (far off) 40 and have noticed this over the last few months, it’s really put me off alcohol I cannot drink more than one glass without really feeling it the next day.

i am listening to my body and have really cut back but I’m missing the social aspect of a glass of wine when out. I only drink water, teas and wine so losing wine only really gives me water now when I’m out which feels ridiculous.

It's terrible! Try other drinks - I find gin on and wine ok at lunchtime but no later.

But basically welcome to the two (sometimes three) day hangover if you dare to drink more than two glasses of booze in a night.

I find drinking earlier a bit better for this.

I love wine but it defo doesn’t like me. Weirdly Prosecco or vodka is fine. Not that I have loads and I now have a soft drink too when I’m drinking alcohol which helps. But no can’t drink much now.

Agree with PPs, I can drink a glass of wine at lunchtime but no later!

You are approaching the menopause and it's common to feel a need to stop drinking alcohol or caffeinated drinks as these things stop agreeing with you. Luckily I'm happy to report that I'm in my sixties and once again happily enjoying my morning coffee again and a drop of wine now and then.

Yep, peri menopause.
You’ll save money and health if you’re not drinking though !

Me too! I’m 44 and now the enjoyment of a drink is totally outweighed by how much it ruins the following day when I feel just awful. Then it becomes a cycle as I drink less, so my body then gets even less tolerant to alcohol, and the hangovers get worse. I used to regularly have a couple of glasses of wine in the evening and then the next day not even to be able to tell that I’d had a drink the night before.

Same. I literally had two small glasses of Prosecco on Sat night (know this as they were mega expensive and I didn’t drink at home at all). Massive hangover! What the hell! Used to quaff loads of wine on a sat night. 47…

Not caffeine?! I'm fine with not drinking alcohol, but I can't cope without coffee 😭

Anyway. I'm 40 and have had this for a few years OP, used to love a few glasses of wine but I think that would kill me now. I can have one with a meal, that's it.

No idea I'm 45 and one of those wassocks that doesn't get hangovers. Much to my dh s woe as he gets no bloody sympathy 😂

As you age, your body finds it harder to metabolise alcohol. Peri menopause adds an extra factor for women, but it is scientific fact that hangovers as worse as you age, due to the body being slower to deal with the alcohol

I find switching to gin or rum better. Not that I drink much alcohol. Wine definitely upsets my system and my sleep pattern. No such problem with the occasional spirits.

Same here op. I had to give up the demon drink when I started have very bad reactions to small.amounts. Actually started post menopause but around late 40s.
I was a huge social drinker back in the day now totally tee total. It was quit or feel like death, easy choice in the end!
I have heard of women who can re start after a few years, to be honest now I am a non drinker I wouldn't restart even if I could. Turns out alcohol is bad for me.

I started to get lots of food allergies at your age. My allergy specialist told me the dreadful reaction I was having to wine was due to chemical sensitivity. I also react to cleaning products and perfume. I am now tee total, sadly! ( you get used to it)

I've been finding similar. Not the hangover, but almost like a serious depression and anxiety for two days after just one glass of wine! I've been enjoying the cheap cocktail cans instead more recently. (Not a big drinker, one on a Friday night or a sunny afternoon.)

Not as bad as one glass of wine for me, but yes, I only started getting hangovers on my 40s. Not every time but I do have to be really careful not to mix too many types of drinks now or I get hungover.

You need to find the drink that doesn't affect you like this. I'm 41 and red wine does the same for me. Beer/lager also. Brandy absolutely fine not even a hangover! White wine isn't so bad but red wine, yeah, its the devil.

I don't know what it is op. I could always drink like a sailor, no hangover whatsoever. My drink of juice back in the day was Jack Daniels and I could put away a far amount. Now I can't even have one glass of prosecco without feeling completely pissed.

Drink of choice *

Same here - started in perimenopause. It had such a bad effect on me that it was no hardship to stop drinking alcohol altogether and I’ve not felt any inclination to start again now I’m post-menopause. Life is just better without it.

Same. Fortunately never been a massive drinker so can take it or leave it most of the time. But occasionally it’s nice - but ends up not being worth it. Beer seems to be ok. But only have 1-2 small ones at most. Gin/ Wine can’t do at all.