AIBU to think alcohol is not worth the three-day hangovers?

[SacrutiMonkey]

Does anyone else suffer from these? I read the other day about Steve Bartlett having said that drinking 3 glasses of wine ruined 3 days for him, and being roundly mocked, but that is what I'm like now- DH and I shared most of a bottle of wine on Saturday (think DS also had a glass) and I still feel slightly rotten now.

I used to be able to drink For England. Is this a perimenopause thing? AIBU to think it's not worth it.

Steve Bartlett is a workaholic. Ruined for him might just mean not able to work his normal 15 hour days or something. He seems too young to be really affected like that unless he drinks so irregularly that he has a very low tolerance. Or he has some genetic lack of tolerance.

Bartlett is talking rubbish for views

I would switch to drinking something else if you felt that bad after that much. A bottle is probably 5? Medium glasses. So 2 each for you and DH, it's probably something in the wine that doesn't agree with you- I think it's sulphites, but I'm not sure. I don't drink wine because of the same.

But for me, drinking has to be worth the hangover normally. So I won't just randomly have a glass of something after work, but I'll happily have 3 pints at book club, or go to a bottomless brunch and drink numerous cocktails before going dancing with friends. Pretty much the only time I drink at home is to share a bottle of sparkling wine/ prosecco to make bucks fizz with with DH on a random Saturday afternoon. It takes us most of the day, we're done and back on the tea by dinner, and normally no hangover.

Wine contains a lot of histamine and it really messes me up. I switched to gin! But to answer your general point yes it does get harder in your 40s.

I've always been like this, I'm just very sensitive to alcohol I think. My dad is the same. I had 2 drinks the other night and I was ill for 2 days

I think if you don’t drink much normally your tolerance gets much lower so
your body is a bit like wtf?

I only drink socially now really and not the week as my sleep is so affected. But I do love going out with friends and the social benefits offset some to the damage I feel.

I have to be careful and drink lots of water and stop drinking a good few hours before bedtime.

I stopped drinking over 3 years ago. Honestly, it’s great. I don’t miss it at all. I didn’t realise until I stopped how much of life I was missing out on - either because I planned to be at home and not drive so I could drink or not feeling up to doing much the next day. The difference is amazing. It’s worth having a break for a few months and see how you feel. I can still meet up with friends, still go out for nice dinners, go on holiday (holidays are so much better when you don’t drink, that was the most surprising discovery! You actually come back energised and refreshed), host BBQs, everything.

This!

I’m the same, I don’t drink anymore as it’s just not worth it.

I used to be able to drink wine in my 20’s and early 30’s along with everyone else, but once I hit mid my 30’s, it made me feel unwell followed by horrendous migraines, so I don’t touch the stuff at all now.

I can have the occasional can of Guinness but that’s all and I think the last time I drank actual Guinness was last yr sometime. I tried the alcohol free Guinness and quite liked it but I’m more than happy with soft drinks and fizzy water.

I used to drink loads all the time. Think I was 42 when I found myself with a pounding heart, night sweats and absolutely awful sleep every time I drank more than around 4 units. After a few goes on that, booze soon lost it's appeal.

I'm not exactly teetotal but stopped drinking a while ago. Still breastfeeding TBF but even before then I'd maybe have one drink a year at a wedding or something and even then not necessarily. Felt so much better for it, I have a thyroid problem and anxiety and when I'd drink on a night out I could be up the whole night and affected for at least a couple of days with major anxiety, always got really bad hangovers, got drunk quickly and just generally sensitive to it.

Anyway I'm plenty fun without it and I don't miss it at all. Desserts are a great alternative vice!

I can still drink similar to always although try to be more mindful these days esp during the week. No hangovers. No impact on my life routine. And holidays and much better with bottomless cocktails.

just to put the other side of the discussion!

This. If you listen to everything he said you’d want to tell him to 1) get a fucking grip and toughen up and 2) stop measuring every single aspect of your life to ‘optimise’ everything
3) it’s all about the device he wears - the one that told him he’d fucked his life by having some wine - the one he has heavily INVESTED in and makes money from. The one that keeps him ‘optimal’ the rest of the time

Just another grifter selling stuff to the masses

I wouldn’t drink if it affected one let alone three! As it is I think I’ve been hung over maybe twice in my life, and I drink more than I should!

This is me.

I genuinely get days long hangovers if I drink anything over 3 or 4 drinks.

In bed, vomiting, dizzy, headache, awful....

I've always been this way.

I suspect it is an inability to process alcohol. I have high Bilirubin levels (Gilberts Syndrome) which may be the cause.

I hardly drink now and this is the main reason. Also the cost.

I've switched to lower alcohol beers for social occasions. I'll still get tipsy but it won't ruin me for days. Things like Super Satellite IPA (2.8%) or Brewdog Baby Hazy (3.0%).

I stared reacting to alcohol at perimenopause after a lifetime of very much enjoying a drink. I stopped completely 2 years ago and haven’t looked back.

I now wake up on a weekend and positively enjoy the sensation of not feeling remotely jaded after a night out. I’ve saved a good chunk of money as well. I don’t like soft drinks so I either have sparkling water or kombucha if I want a nice drink. Sometimes I have non alcoholic gin and tonic when out as it can be delicious but it’s very expensive.

I'm 45, stopped drinking 3 years ago. It's just not worth it. The weight gain, feeling sluggish, tired, depressed, even after 2 drinks.

I don't even miss it now there's so many good non alcoholic alternatives.

I find people in their 40s divide into two camps. Either pretty much sober or they really lean into drinking.

What or how much are you drinking that one night ruins you for days.

Bartlett was mocked not for a three day hangover but for his definition of three “ruined” days.

I don’t drink anymore because even a small glass (and I really do mean a small glass) makes me feel like shit, so for me it’s not worth it.

Also the same, I’m 48 and have basically given up drinking now as it’s just not worth it. Gave up wine a couple of years ago and now had to give up gin too. I never drank loads but liked a glass or too socially, but I feel crap for days after even one drink now.

No hangover is worth it though it took me a long time to remember that....! As you get older alcohol affects you more easily but conversely if you drink regularly I find a hangover is less likely. Worst I have these days is an irritating headache for a few hours. But I did have a two day hangover once when I mixed lots of different drinks one night on a holiday - felt totally sick for the first day, then the usual horrible headache and fatigue for the second.

I’m the same op. I’m 48 so definitely peri at least and I just can’t be bothered with it anymore. I’ll drink if I’m out with friends but will always stop at a certain point now. I just feel like it not worth losing a few days for.

All of this, only I quit 2 years ago 😁 there are so many “little” advantages and I don’t miss out on so much, I sleep Better and always have a clear head.

Bartlett is such a wanker but I really do get what he means. When you need to be 100% to keep up with your life, the rails falling off for 3 days can have a real impact.