Anyone else finding alcohol affects sleep badly in their fifties?

[ElleJayC]

I’m early 50’s but since I’ve hit late 40’s, alcohol massively affects my sleep. I don’t drink much at all but I’d love to be able to have a night out occasionally without the horrendous sleep that follows. Rubbish sleep, heart palpitations and then wide awake at about 4am, hot sweats - even after 2 glasses of wine.

I don’t drink enough to have a hang over but the feelings of lack of sleep, ridiculous hunger and just general yuck the next day are stopping me from drinking anything. Yes it’s probably better for my health but I’d love to be able to have a few drinks occasionally!

Red wine and prosecco seem to be the absolute worst. Anyone have any tips on drinks that aren’t as bad for it? Should I eat something before bed to sort my blood sugar out? Any advice or tips please!! I’ve got a few 50th birthday weekend celebrations coming up this year for friends and at the moment I don’t think I’ll manage full weekends without sleep.

I'm in my early 40s but this is happening to me too - I'm experiencing early menopause though. I don't drink any more, it's just not worth wasting a whole day feeling like shit.

A couple of friends are in the same boat, we've decided to become lushes in our 70s to make up for it

Yes. It’s strongly (anecdotally at least) associated with menopause. For me it’s just alcohol. It could be gin, or wine, or any, really. I’ve made my peace with it. I’ll enjoy a drink occasionally, but there is a price to pay.

It’s always negatively affected my sleep. It knocks me out very quickly but I don’t have good quality sleep at all- pretty much zero REM, will usually wake up thirsty as hell at 3 am and I do have a faster heart rate than usual, much lower HRV as well.

I’m only 33 so not menopausal, alcohol does this to most people surely?! It’s just a normal side effect.

I just turned 50 and I cannot drink any kind of alcohol any more for this reason. People will tell you to buy organic wines, low sulphite wine, drink water in between blah blah but I tried all of this and my sleep was still shit.

It's the alcohol thats doing it. Your body turns it into acetaldehyde which is quite toxic and as you get older your body becomes less effective at breaking it down.

I've given it up completely now and even at celebrations I drink soft drinks, I still manage to have a great time and I wake up the next day feeling amazing and energetic. Its honestly no loss to me.

This stared happening to me in my early 40s.
I have a max of 2 drinks - and rarely drink wine when out. I can drink a few glasses of good quality fizz (good champagne, good English sparkling) but find I can’t tolerate pub and restaurant wines. I can also drink spirits- so a couple of G&Ts are nice - but again I’m picky about having a decent quality gin.

the good news is I haven’t had a hangover in over a decade!

Early 50s and feel your pain: even when I don’t get night sweats or The 4am Fear, I generally feel pretty rough the next day, even if I just have one glass. Magnesium, hydration salts and lots of water all seem to help a bit, but not enough.

So I’m way watching with interest (and also, to see how long it takes before someone either a) suggests 2 glasses of wine means you have a drink problem or b) smugly tells you that they stopped drinking years ago daaaarling, and they look 20 years younger, and don’t miss it at all, dontcha know?)

Edited: already hit bingo on one of those!

Yes! There is a biological reason linked to menopause… wine is the worst apparently.

Yep, it’s a great big fat pain in the arse…I’ve cut down because of it.

I am in my early 50s, and I have stopped drinking entirely. I am tired enough already, and it was really affecting my sleep. I don't miss it in the slightest.

Well alcohol is really really bad for you and causes cancer so it’s hardly surprising it impacts your sleep.

When are people going to start treating it the same way they treat smoking? Because it is just as bad as smoking.

I pretty much don’t drink at all due to this and I’m 10 years post menopause. What helps is when you are out, between drinks have a rehydration sachet. Then when home have another before bed. It helps loads, though I still only do that for special events and generally just don’t drink.

Day drinking is the answer. A couple of drinks in the afternoon, early evening so you’ve processed it before going to bed.
And yes, eating helps. Plenty of water has a downside of needing to pee in the night.
Sometimes I’m fine, not affected after, others I have a headache for 2-3 days. Never have more than two or three drinks, prob in average once a week - so not a lush. Find that vodka and beer are least risky. Hormone cycles play a part. Rehydration salts help too, took some before a couple of wines yesterday and that seemed to help too.

Definitely get alcohol anxiety as I get older! I used to love a drink when I was younger, but combined with trying to shift some weight and Im not drinking much at all these days.

Where? I cant see anyone here saying two glasses of wine= alcoholic and that they gave up years ago and look two decades younger

Yep - I have an oura ring and even if I feel like I have actually slept quite well (unlikely), my stats are awful after more than a couple of glasses of wine. Waking up really hot is the primary symptom, presumably as my body processes the alcohol. And when I don’t drink (most nights) even if I wake up feeling like I haven’t slept that well, the ring stats are not that bad.

I don't drink after 7pm any more.

At the weekend I treat myself to a G&t at 4/5pm.

Drinking after 7pm steals my sleep. Not worth it.

Yes, started in my fifties. Terrible sleep after drinking so I rarely bother.

Funnily enough I'm mid-50s and I've spent this morning thinking that it's time to stop drinking entirely. I don't drink much these days but it's come to the point that even having just a couple of pints is leaving me feeling dreadful.

Alcohol affects your sleep terribly at any age. You just can compensate a bit better when you’re in your 20s.

I stopped drinking when I was 42 and I’ve never slept better even through perimenopause.

I thought that was pretty universal, certainly amongst my friends we've discussed this and we're all the same

I'm now a bit annoyed to find out we are the outliers, I'd accepted it as a fact of getting older

Spooky. Was only saying this to my husband on Friday.

I’m touching 40 and in the last two years or so I’ve had this. My heart rate goes sky high most of the night and my brain is still awake so sleep is terrible and I clench my jaw in response so that gets really sore. I’ve also started vomiting the next day despite not being too bad the night before. We went to a wedding last night and I’m dying today despite eating well and not drinking too much. Or I suppose you’d have to say not drinking too many drinks because it clearly was too much.

Alcohol affects sleep no matter your age. The wines hit harder because they make you drunk faster and are full of sugar - fast sedative effect followed by REM rebound combined with fucked blood sugar.

Clear spirits without carbonation or sugar are your best bet - vodka and still lemon water. Drink alongside food. Stop drinking several hours before bed.

Personally I cba and just don’t drink.

Yep. It’s shit.

Ugh I hate this. I started getting like this and so had to give up. I don’t miss the heart palpitations. One time it was so bad it nearly sent me into a panic attack. Nothing is worth that.