Yes, Alcohol Ages You Faster!
In episode 117 of the To 50 and Beyond podcast - I talk about the physical, psychological, and social effects that stem from a long period of alcohol consumption and answer a question for a listener.
Do you think alcohol makes you age faster? I feel like my face is changing daily - I workout, eat well, take vitamins, and use expensive skincare - is it the alcohol?!
Brace yourself for the answer...
Yes, I do!
In my personal experience, when I was forty-five, I felt and looked older. Not that getting older is a bad thing. I praise women in the middle of life and beyond, and I also know that I how you feel is subjective.
For me, alcohol made my body feel inflamed which made me ignore exercise because I was already sore and stiff. And, the hangover munchies kept me from eating food that helped me look and feel my best.
I feel my best when I'm taking care of myself and when I was drinking, I was the last one on the list.
The apparent reason is because alcohol is a diuretic, and it dehydrates you. It has both stimulating effects and sedating effects, so it disrupts your sleep - two of the biggest factors to look older than you are.
You get up in the morning tired and try vs. rested and moisturized. I don't know about you, but I will take rested and moisturized any day!
When I was in my early forties, I woke up one morning and looked in the mirror and gasped! My jowls were hanging lower than my chin, my eyes were puffy, and my skin looked grey.
I was drinking two bottles of wine in a short period, and the night before was just another day of drinking. I had told myself that everyone drinks this way, so it was normal to feel hungover for at least 24 hours after a night of sitting on the couch chugging chardonnay.
I never realized that my drinking that started at fourteen was making my life at forty-two speed up and slow down at the same time. Every day felt like a battle with myself.
I saw the aging on my face, felt it in my body, and realized that time was going faster than I wanted. In the meantime, I was buying the expensive anti-aging creams and searching for anything that would help me look younger without giving up the drink.
I never found the solution until I stepped away from alcohol. I'm not saying giving up drinking will help you look twenty years younger, but continuing to drink won't either.
The topics discussed during episode 117 are:
Intrinsic aging and extrinsic aging
The effects of alcohol on the outer surface
The effects of alcohol on our physical health
The effects of alcohol on our mental health
How to change your lifestyle and start to ease back on drinking
Slowing down the aging process due to alcohol
Bottom line: my experience with trying to look my best as I age and drinking was counterproductive. I could slather on all of the creams and potions but at the end of the day, if I was drinking, I looked like I was unhappy and unhealthy.
It is my mission in life to be open and honest about my drinking to let women know there are other options.
If you are struggling with feeling like you are aging faster than you think you should and you are consuming too much alcohol, maybe it's time to take a break and reevaluate your relationship with alcohol.
You will not be alone if you choose to go alcohol-free as you age. There are plenty of women, including me on the same path as you.
I welcome you with open arms!
Related posts:
What it Means to Live a Sober Lifestyle