Alcohol Awareness Week: Rethinking Your Relationship With Drink in Later Life

As we get older, many of us start paying closer attention to our health. We think about eating well, staying active, getting enough sleep and keeping connected with the people around us. But there's one area that often slips under the radar: our relationship with alcohol.

For a lot of people, a glass of wine with dinner or a drink with friends is simply part of everyday life, and there's nothing wrong with that. But as we age, our bodies process alcohol differently, and the same amount that once felt perfectly manageable can have a much bigger effect than it used to.

This Alcohol Awareness Week, we want to open up an honest, supportive conversation about alcohol: one without judgement or stigma.

Why does alcohol affect us differently after 55?

Several things change in our bodies as we get older, and together they mean alcohol has more of an impact, more quickly:

• We have less body water. Alcohol is diluted in the water in our bodies, and as this proportion drops with age, the same drink produces a higher blood alcohol concentration.
• The liver processes alcohol more slowly, so it stays in our system for longer.
• Tolerance often decreases, even in people who have been drinking similar amounts for years without issue.
• Many of us take more medications, and alcohol can interact with them in ways that are easy to overlook.

The result is a higher risk of:

• Falls and accidents
• Poor sleep
• Memory problems and confusion
• High blood pressure
• Liver disease
• Certain cancers
• Interactions with prescription medications
• Anxiety and depression

Many people don't realise that what once felt like a moderate amount of alcohol can have a much greater impact later in life, and that this can creep up gradually rather than all at once.

Alcohol in Wigan Borough

Alcohol-related harm affects communities right across the country, but the challenge is particularly significant in Wigan.

Recent figures estimate that alcohol harm costs Wigan around £186.4 million every year, placing pressure on health services, emergency care, policing, workplaces and families. In 2022, there were 171 alcohol-related deaths among Wigan residents, a reminder of just how real this issue is in our community.

We're not sharing these figures to alarm anyone. We're sharing them because early conversations, good information and small changes really can make a difference, both for individuals and for the wider community.

Knowing your weekly limit

The UK Chief Medical Officers recommend that both men and women drink no more than 14 units of alcohol per week, spread across three or more days rather than saved up for one or two heavy sessions.

If you do want to cut down, it's worth having a few alcohol-free days in a row each week, rather than spreading a full week's drinking thinly across seven days.

Units add up faster than most people expect:

• A large glass of wine (250ml, 13% ABV) is around 3 units.
• A pint of average-strength lager is around 2 to 3 units.
• A double measure of spirits (50ml) is around 2 units.
• A small glass of wine (125ml) is around 1.5 units.
• A pint of higher-strength craft beer can be 3 units or more.

A simple way to check: multiply the volume in millilitres by the ABV percentage, then divide by 1,000. So a 750ml bottle of 13% wine works out at roughly 10 units, more than two-thirds of the weekly recommended limit in one bottle.

Try it yourself: think about a typical week for you. How many units would you estimate you drink? Many people are surprised once they actually add it up.

Common myths worth clearing up

• "I've always drunk this much, so it must still be fine." Tolerance and body chemistry change with age, even if habits haven't.

• "It's just wine, not spirits, so it's healthier." A large glass of wine can contain as much alcohol as a double spirit measure; the drink type matters less than the amount.

• "A nightcap helps me sleep." Alcohol can help you fall asleep faster, but it disrupts deeper sleep later in the night, which is why sleep often feels less restful the next day.

• "I'd know if it were a problem." Because habits build up gradually, many people don't notice the shift until a health check, a fall, or a conversation with a loved one brings it into focus.

Small changes can make a big difference

Improving your relationship with alcohol doesn't have to mean stopping altogether. Small, sustainable adjustments often work better than an all-or-nothing approach. You could try:

• Having several alcohol-free days each week.
• Alternating alcoholic drinks with water or soft drinks.
• Choosing smaller measures or lower-strength options.
• Eating before or while drinking, rather than on an empty stomach.
• Finding new ways to socialise that don't centre around drinking: a coffee morning, a walking group, or a hobby club.
• Talking openly with friends or family if you're concerned about your own drinking or theirs.
• Keeping a simple drinks diary for a couple of weeks, just to see the pattern clearly.

Even small reductions in alcohol consumption can improve sleep, increase energy levels, help lower blood pressure, and benefit both physical and mental wellbeing, often within just a few weeks.

When is it time to ask for help?

Sometimes alcohol gradually becomes part of our daily routine without us really noticing how much it's grown. It's worth seeking advice if you:

• Find it difficult to stop once you've started drinking.
• Drink to cope with stress, loneliness, grief or anxiety.
• Notice alcohol affecting your health, relationships, sleep or finances.
• Feel you need a drink every day, or feel anxious at the thought of not having one.
• Have been told by a doctor to cut down for a health reason and are finding it hard to do so.

There is absolutely no shame in asking for support. Many people find that speaking to someone early helps prevent more serious health problems later on, and that support services are far more understanding and practical than they expected.

A note for family members and friends

If you're worried about someone else's drinking (a parent, a partner, a friend), it can be hard to know how to raise it. A gentle, non-judgemental conversation, chosen at a calm moment rather than after a difficult episode, tends to land best. Leading with care and concern, rather than criticism, makes it far more likely the other person will feel able to talk openly rather than become defensive.

We're here to support you

At Age UK Wigan Borough, we understand that staying well is about much more than physical health. Loneliness, bereavement, retirement, caring responsibilities and other changes in later life can all affect our wellbeing, and sometimes alcohol becomes a way of coping with these changes without us fully realising it.

Whether you're looking for advice, social activities, wellbeing support, or simply someone to talk to, we're here to help you stay healthy, connected and independent.

If you're worried about your own drinking, or that of someone you care about, speak to your GP or contact local alcohol support services. Taking that first step could make all the difference.

Looking after your health isn't about being perfect. It's about making informed choices, taking small positive steps, and knowing that support is there whenever you need it.

This is a sensitive topic for some readers. If you're finding it hard to manage your drinking or you're worried about someone close to you, please do reach out to your GP, Age UK Wigan Borough, or a local alcohol support service. You don't have to work through it alone.