The shorter telomeres were equivalent to 3-6 years of biological ageing. “We have some people who are 65 taking care of their parents and their grandchildren. A lot of times these social caretaking stressors can also advance the biological aging process to some degree,” Buford said. Even if you’re not a heavy drinker, the toll that alcohol can take ages you. One night of heavy drinking can make your wrinkles more evident. While that consequence is temporary, if it continues, it could have lasting effects.

Welcome to your journey for creating a healthier you

It’s true that I sleep better and feel better on mornings after abstaining. My drinking — mostly beer in the summer and wine in cooler months — tends to be mindless and habitual. Which is why the “mindful drinking” movement appeals https://ecosoberhouse.com/ to me. Ideally when I drink, I’ll pause and ponder the intriguing viognier in my glass before raising it to my lips. If you already drink on occasion, it’s okay – some research suggests it may be good for your health.

Scientists prove alcohol increases the body’s speed of ageing

• Take the assessment and get matched with a therapist in as little as 48 hours.
• Symptoms of that include lack of judgment, organization, or emotional control, trouble staying focused, and anger issues.
• Regular exercise is important to physical and mental health as you age.
• Watching an aging parent or other loved one struggle with a drinking habit can be a painful experience.
• The total amount of water in one’s body also decreases with age.

If you or a loved one struggles to regulate or limit alcohol consumption, you don’t have to do it alone. Give your body the best chance at health and reclaim your youthful energy. One study demonstrated that people who were sedentary for more than 10 hours per day and exercised for less than 40 minutes had cells that were biologically eight years older than people who moved around more.

What your biological age can reveal about your health

At age 61, body water decreases in both sexes—to 57 percent in men and 50 percent in women. This allows a toxic chemical into which alcohol is processed, called acetate, to build up in your liver. Over time, acetate damages your liver tissues, causing cirrhosis. If you were thinking it’s enough to swap out dessert for a cocktail to account for the added calories, think again. There’s evidence that alcohol affects your stress-response pathways, activating your fight-or-flight response and increasing your cortisol (your primary stress hormone) levels.

• One of the best things you can do for your all-around health and appearance is to drink less alcohol.
• But at 38 years old, I couldn’t escape the consequences of drinking.
• My drinking — mostly beer in the summer and wine in cooler months — tends to be mindless and habitual.
• Learn how drinking can harm your skin and encourage premature aging.
• Beyond causing hangovers more easily, drinking alcohol has a laundry list of other downsides for women in perimenopause or transitioning to menopause.

Loneliness and social isolation can raise the risk of dementia, heart disease, stroke, and depression. Older people often have concerns about falling, which is a common cause of injury in seniors. But younger people who drink alcohol are at a higher risk of injury from falls due does alcohol make you look older to dizziness and confusion. Chronic alcohol use weakens bones and makes them more likely to break in a fall. It also increases your likelihood of developing osteoporosis. Dehydration can sap your skin of moisture and elasticity, leading to sagginess, dryness, and wrinkles.

Treatment options such as residential facilities, individual or group therapy, and peer support groups can be helpful in dealing with an addiction. Learn more in our guide to Overcoming Alcohol Addiction. You might plan to have a single drink with dinner, but you keep telling yourself, “One more won’t hurt.” Later, you find yourself looking at a collection of empty bottles on the table. Get in contact with us today, or learn more about how our program works. Soon, you can be on the road to a more youthful self—inside and out.

Final Thoughts About Alcohol and Aging Effects

Alcohol Impairs Healthy Habits

• We provide some reasons here why regular alcohol consumption can make you look older.
• Similarly, drinking alcohol with medicine for mental health—antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications—can also leave you feeling more drunk than usual and unsteady on your feet.
• For many adult Americans, a nightcap is a welcome ritual at the end of the workday.
• The damaging effects of alcohol on skin and aging wreak havoc on your health and could make you look and feel older than you are.
• People spent a lot of money these days – more than ever – to look good and young.
• (However, 27 percent drank less, possibly because work-related and social drinking became less frequent.) Of those ages 50 to 80 who do drink, 23 percent downed three or more drinks in a typical session.