Alcohol and Aging

Thirty seconds after the first sip, alcohol is already slowing impulse transmission in the brain.
Alcohol causes a person to fall asleep faster, but when it wears off during the night it causes restlessness and wakefulness.
Alcohol may cause dehydration, the symptoms of which are the classic “hangover” - fatigue, nausea, headache, muscle aches and irritability.
With aging, the body processes alcohol more slowly; therefore, a smaller amount has a greater effect on the brain.
Alcohol increases the risk of falls and accidents.
Alcohol can interact with medication and can change the effectiveness or lead to side effects. For example, taking aspirin and drinking alcohol increases the risk of a stomach bleed.

Difficulty walking
Blurred vision
Slurred speech
Slow reaction times
Poor judgement
Reduced inhibitions
Impaired memory, increasing the risk of drinking more because one forgets how much has already been consumed
Blackouts

These effects are associated with heavy drinking, defined as 15+ drinks per week for a male and 8+ drinks per week for a female:
- Memory decline that can be permanent and debilitating
- Shrinkage of brain tissue may show on a CT of the head or MRI of the brain

If approved by your provider, a male should have no more than TWO drinks per day and a female ONE drink per day. A drink is defined as:
- 12 oz beer
- 5 oz wine
- 1.5oz 80-proof liquor
As a person ages, it is important to include 2-3 days per week in which no alcohol is
consumed.

Remove alcohol from the home.
Eat food when drinking and sip the drink slowly.
Avoid people and places that trigger excess drinking.
Limit alcohol to special occasions.
Water down drinks or replace alcohol with a “mocktail” made with juice and seltzer.
Drink alcohol-free beer or wine, available at the local state store or online.
Plan to arrive for a dinner engagement just in time to avoid pre-meal drinks and leave after dessert before others resume drinking.
Choose alcohol-free activities to do with friends.