So THAT’s Why Drinking Alcohol Makes You More Tired As You Get Older

You’re not imagining things.

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You probably don’t need an expert to tell you that alcohol messes with your body, especially when you’re well past your 20s. Alcohol can make you more anxious as you age, for example (hello, “hangxiety”) and just generally make you feel worse – including more tired.

If a night out is starting to lead to a night in much quicker than usual, or drinking isn’t fun anymore because you feel sleepy instead of silly, you’re not alone – and there’s a scientific reason.

Ahead, addiction experts share why drinking alcohol is more likely to make you feel tired when you’re older, other effects you might notice and when they typically show up.

Why drinking alcohol makes you feel more tired as you age

We’re looking at one main answer here.

“Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant, and the brain becomes more sensitive to its sedating effects with age,” said Dr. Urvi Natha, a licensed clinical psychologist with Oro Recovery and the founder of Shanti Recovery and Wellness.

That’s because of changes in body composition. “As we age, lean body mass and total body water decrease, leaving less volume in which alcohol can distribute,” said Dr. Amy Swift, a psychiatrist and the deputy medical officer at Silver Hill Hospital.

This starts earlier than you might guess, too.

“Starting around age 30, we lose about 3% to 8% of our lean muscle mass each decade,” said Dr. James Sherer, an addiction psychiatrist and network medical director at Hackensack Meridian Health Addiction Service. “Fat tissue then replaces the lost muscle mass.”

If you think the tiredness may make it easier for you to fall asleep, not so fast. To make matters worse, even though you’re sleepy, you probably won’t sleep well. Talk about a double-whammy.

“While alcohol might make you pass out, it destroys sleep quality by blocking REM........

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