The signs you have a secret alcohol problem - even if you're drinking a 'safe' amount a week: DR MAX PEMBERTON
How much do you drink? And I don’t mean what you might tell your GP during a check-up, but the actual, honest amount you consume each week. For many people, these are two very different figures.
Last week, a major survey revealed something that might surprise you: women aged 55 to 64 are Britain’s biggest boozers. The Health Survey for England found that this age group had the lowest proportion of non-drinkers of any female demographic.
Young women aged 16 to 24 are actually more likely to be teetotal than their mothers and aunts.
But the figure that really caught my eye is that 3 per cent of women are drinking more than 35 units a week, which is classified as ‘higher risk’ drinking.
That might not sound like much, but let me put it in terms that are easier to visualise. Thirty-five units is roughly three-and-a-half bottles of wine. Per week.
Now, I suspect some readers might be doing some mental arithmetic right now. A large glass with dinner most nights, maybe an extra bottle at the weekend, a few drinks when you see friends... it adds up faster than you’d think.
The truth is that many women in this age bracket are drinking at levels that put their health at serious risk without ever really realising it.
I see this regularly in my work. Women who would never consider themselves to have a drinking problem, who hold down jobs and run households and appear entirely respectable. They’re not falling over drunk or causing scenes.
Last week, a major survey revealed something that might surprise you: women aged 55 to 64 are Britain’s biggest boozers
They’re just quietly getting through a bottle of wine most evenings, perhaps a bit more at weekends. It has become so routine that they barely register it as drinking at all. So why is it this group in particular? I think several factors collide at this stage of life.
The children have usually left home or at least become more independent. Work pressures may have eased, or conversely, women might be at the peak of demanding careers.
Retirement beckons for some, bringing more leisure time. And crucially, this generation grew up in an era when wine became normalised as an everyday drink rather than something reserved for special occasions.
There’s also the menopause factor, which I don’t think gets discussed enough in this context. Many women in their 50s and early 60s are navigating hormonal changes that can bring anxiety, low mood and disrupted sleep.
Alcohol might seem like a way to take the edge off, a reward at the end of a difficult day, a way to wind down when your mind is racing at night.
Except that it actually makes all these symptoms worse. It disrupts sleep architecture, increases anxiety the following day, and can intensify hot flushes. It’s a vicious cycle: you drink to cope with symptoms that the drinking itself is exacerbating. The culture around female drinking has shifted dramatically over the past few decades, too.
‘Wine o’clock’ and ‘mummy juice’ have become acceptable shorthand for what is, in reality, regular alcohol consumption.
Prosecco is practically a personality trait in some social circles. We’ve created a world where women drinking is not just tolerated but actively encouraged and celebrated.
Regular heavy drinking in women is linked to increased risk of breast cancer, heart disease, liver problems and cognitive decline, writes Dr Max Pemberton
Try being the one who orders a sparkling water at dinner and see how long it takes for someone to comment.
But alcohol doesn’t discriminate based on how socially acceptable your drinking is. The health risks are the same whether you’re drinking premium Chablis from a crystal glass or cheap lager from a can.
Women are more vulnerable to alcohol’s effects than men: they have less body water to dilute it, and their livers metabolise it differently.
Regular heavy drinking in women is linked to increased risk of breast cancer, heart disease, liver problems and cognitive decline.
The more you drink, the higher those risks climb. I’m not suggesting everyone needs to become teetotal. Moderate drinking, if you enjoy it, is one of life’s pleasures.
But if you’re a woman in this age group, it might be worth honestly tallying up your weekly intake. Keep a note for a week or two. You might be surprised. If it’s creeping towards that 35 unit threshold, or already past it, it’s time to think about cutting back.
Start with a few alcohol-free days each week. Find other ways to mark the end of the working day or manage stress.
Talk to your GP if you’re finding it harder than expected. There’s no shame in asking for help, only in pretending there isn’t a problem. Your future self will thank you.
Why Kate’s a force of nature
The Princess of Wales spoke about her ‘innate desire’ to be in nature and the perspective it gives her. There’s solid evidence that being in green spaces improves mental wellbeing
The Princess of Wales was photographed last week on a mindfulness walk in the Peak District with the charity Mind Over Mountains, which combines hiking with mental health support.
Kate spoke about her ‘innate desire’ to be in nature and the perspective it gives her. There’s solid evidence that being in green spaces improves mental wellbeing.
It reduces cortisol levels, lowers blood pressure and helps with symptoms of anxiety and depression.
You don’t need a counsellor or a mindfulness coach, though the charity offers both. Simply getting outside has genuine therapeutic value.
Kate’s openness about using nature to help with her own recovery following cancer treatment is a powerful reminder that the simplest interventions are often the most effective.
A damning report ranks the UK near the bottom of a global patient safety league, trailing Spain, Italy and Estonia.
I work in the NHS: We can keep pretending everything is fine, or we can face the truth and demand change.
DR MAX PRESCRIBES... HAPPY MIND, HAPPY LIFE BOOK
I’m a big fan of Dr Rangan Chatterjee. He’s a GP who takes a holistic, common sense approach to health and wellbeing, and his book Happy Mind, Happy Life is full of practical wisdom.
Rather than offering quick fixes, he explores how small changes can transform mental health. It’s evidence-based but never preachy, and written with real warmth and compassion.
If you’re looking for a gentle guide to feeling better without being lectured at, this is it.
