Following the advice in this post you’ll know what steps to take to successfully quit alcohol and improve your perimenopause journey.
The Pitch: Cut Alcohol, Amplify Life
Consider this: You’re navigating perimenopause right now. Your hormones are doing their roller coaster thing. The list of symptoms you’re juggling makes the periodic table look like child’s play. And now, I’m suggesting you throw away alcohol into the mix. Sounds like an impossible cocktail, right?
Well, let’s untangle the narrative. Unveil the sobriety secret. Here’s the hard-hitting truth: Cutting out alcohol can massively improve your perimenopause experience. Akin to shedding a heavyweight cloak, it’s liberating, empowering and – dare I say – life-enhancing. Stick with me. I’m diving in.
The Science: Booze And Hormone Havoc in Perimenopause
Just like salt and pepper, alcohol and hormones are an age-old duo. But, this pair doesn’t always make the perfect combo. With every drop of alcohol, your estrogen levels shoot up, driving your hormones further out of sync. Imagine a DJ messing up the beat at a silent disco – disorienting, right?
Enter the dreaded hot flashes. The night sweats. The mood swings. The menobelly. While alcohol might feel like your temporary savior from perimenopause, it’s a silent instigator, fueling the very symptoms you’re aiming to silence.
Make The Call During Perimenopause: Quitting Alcohol
Now, for the elephant in the room – quitting alcohol. It’s not about denying yourself a glass of your favorite Pinot after a long day, it’s about rebalancing your life. It’s about freeing yourself from a dependency, no matter how subtle it may seem. Like trading in your trusty, albeit clunky, old car for a high-tech electric model – it’s an upgrade.
It might sound like a Herculean task, but hear me out.
The Steps: Mastering Sobriety In Perimenopause
Quitting alcohol isn’t about flipping a switch, but more like turning a dial. It’s a process, a journey, not a single event. So, how do you navigate this one?
Step 1: Awareness is Everything
Unmask the illusion. The glamor of alcohol is a master of disguise, painting a rosy picture while chaos ensues backstage. Look beyond the glitz. Understand its effects on your body, your brain, your hormones, your perimenopause. Knowledge is power.
Step 2: Plot Your Course
Quitting alcohol doesn’t mean quitting fun. Develop new, healthier habits that bring joy. Yoga? Check. Meditation? Check. A book club, a dance class, painting, jogging, spending more time with friends and loved ones, more time with your kids, more present? Check, check, check.
Step 3: Cultivate Your Support System
On this journey, isolation is not your friend. Rally your troops. Friends, family, support groups – these are your lifelines. Like a human chain saving you from a swift current, they’ll be there to pull you through.
Here at Voyage & Soap we’re building a community of women in their prime whom we want to celebrate and support, empowering you to become the architects of your health and to guide you towards achieving greater success, as you navigate those BIG life-decisions and transitions. Join us at our monthly mindset sessions as a starter for ten link here: insert.
Step 4: Celebrate Each Milestone
Quit for a day? That’s a victory. A week? A triumph. A Year. Now we’re talking. Each day without alcohol is a step towards a healthier, happier perimenopause. Celebrate it. You’re not losing a crutch; you’re gaining strength, not to mention unexpected cash to spend on …fill in the blank. And a slimmer waistline in case you hadn’t noticed.
The Promise: A Transformational Perimenopause
Quitting alcohol during perimenopause can seem daunting, but the rewards are immense. They totally are. Imagine going through your days, less foggy and more present. Imagine your body at peace, your symptoms quelled. Sobriety isn’t about sacrifice; it’s about swapping your old troubles for a new, elevated narrative.
Brace yourself. It’s time for a transformation. Start today. Make the commitment. Take the plunge. Let’s change the face of perimenopause together. One day, one choice, one woman at a time. Let’s break the booze habit and embrace the liberating experience of perimenopause.
The Brain And Booze: A Deep Dive
In her compelling book, “The Naked Mind,” which I totally recommend, Annie Grace uncovers the science behind alcohol and its effects on your brain in some detail. Let’s walk through this neuroscience corridor and unravel the truth.
Alcohol, at its core, is ethanol, a potent neurotoxin. In simpler terms, it’s a substance that harms the brain and its nerve cells. However, the reality is far from simple.
Disrupting The Brain Balance: Neurotransmitters At Play
First off, alcohol tinkers with your brain’s neurotransmitters, the chemical messengers that send signals within the brain. The two major players in this story are Glutamate and Gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA). Glutamate acts as an accelerator, firing up brain activity, while GABA serves as the brakes, slowing things down.
When you consume alcohol, it suppresses Glutamate’s function, slowing brain activity, and enhances GABA’s effect, causing a sedative, depressant action. This leads to slowed reflexes, slurred speech, and impaired judgment, the classical signs of inebriation.
Dopamine Deception: The Illusion Of Pleasure
Another critical aspect of alcohol’s impact lies in its interaction with dopamine, the neurotransmitter associated with the brain’s reward system. When you consume alcohol, it triggers a flood of dopamine, creating a sensation of pleasure and reward. This is where things get tricky.
Over time, as your alcohol consumption becomes a routine, your brain adapts. It dulls your own dopamine response, needing more alcohol to feel the same level of pleasure. This begins a vicious cycle, an escalating chase for the dopamine high, leading to increased alcohol consumption, tolerance, and ultimately, dependency.
Alcohol And Memory: A Troublesome Affair
Perhaps the most insidious effect of alcohol is on memory formation. Alcohol interferes with the hippocampus, a brain region responsible for creating new memories. As a result, heavy drinking often results in blackouts, periods of amnesia where you can’t recall events that occurred while you were intoxicated.
In the long term, persistent alcohol use can cause enduring changes in your brain function, leading to cognitive deficits, emotional instability, and increased risk for various mental health disorders.
The Naked Truth: Alcohol And Perimenopause
Annie Grace’s insights paint a sobering picture, especially for perimenopausal women. During perimenopause, your body is already on a hormonal rollercoaster. Add alcohol to the equation, and it’s like adding fuel to the fire.
The brain-altering effects of alcohol can intensify your perimenopausal symptoms such as mood swings, rage, anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances. Moreover, as perimenopause is a period of significant neurobiological changes, the harmful effects of alcohol on the brain could be amplified. This is covered in some detail in Dr. Lisa Mosconi’s book, ‘The XX Brain: The Groundbreaking Science Empowering Women to Prevent Dementia’ This book is most definitely worth a read.
In essence, the science underscores the wisdom in quitting alcohol during perimenopause. It’s a potent step towards not just easing your perimenopause symptoms but also preserving your cognitive health, your sanity and overall well-being.
Knowing what I know now, I’ve closed the chapter on alcohol and perimenopause. There’s no turning back. Beyond perimenopause, who knows? As for my own transformation, since quitting I am a way more present parent. I’m more forgiving, more patient, more me. The critic within me has taken a back seat thank goodness because she was loud and she never shut up! In my work, my goals and my vision are crystal clear and my energy levels are through the roof, so I feel like time is on my side to getting things done and making progress. And last but not least, there is solid contentment – that elusive creature has finally found a home within me.
My experience? A testimony to the truth that life isn’t just bearable without alcohol during perimenopause, it’s profoundly better. Who knew!?
“I’M SOBER, BUT MY SENSE OF HUMOUR IS STILL A LITTLE INTOXICATED”
My Nugget Of Wisdom
Alright, let’s hit this head-on, pulling wisdom from Rachel Hollis, who firmly declares, “Someone else’s opinion of you is none of your business.” Let that sink in. Now, that’s a real game-changer. Quitting alcohol during perimenopause? It’s daunting, I know because I’ve walked that path.
Society’s pressures make us believe we need that glass of cabernet to blend in. But here’s the kicker, your well-being isn’t up for debate. Your choices, your journey. Hollis nudged me to boldly pick sparkling water, AF-gin, zero beer or kombucha over a martini, to defy norms for my health. And quite frankly not give a f*ck about what anyone else thought.
“Someone Else’s Opinion Of You Is None Of Your Business.“
Rachel Hollis
What’s more, today’s world offers a plethora of non-alcoholic options, from Kombucha to alcohol-free spirits and beers. Believe me, with your drink in a fancy glass, most won’t even notice, or care. And as your ‘AF’ confidence grows, navigating naysayers becomes a cakewalk. Your perimenopause journey is about to hit a transformative stride, and it’s time to own it.
Inspired By The Steps In This Post To Quit Alcohol And Turn Your Perimenopause Journey Around?
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