Alcohol 101: Belly Fat, Bad Sleep and the Long-Term Cost of Drinking

Alcohol 101: Belly Fat, Bad Sleep and the Long-Term Cost of Drinking

From The Tamsen Show by Tamsen Fadal

June 8, 2026 · 28 min · Episode 87

About this episode

Tamsen Fadal discusses the impact of alcohol on health in midlife, drawing from her personal experiences and insights from leading doctors.

One glass of wine at dinner. That's all it takes now to wreck your sleep, spike your anxiety, and leave you feeling like garbage for two days. It's not in your head, and it's not about willpower. Your body processes alcohol completely differently now, and almost nobody has explained that to you. This episode is part of Tamsen's series breaking down the topics from her New York Times bestselling book How to Menopause, one conversation at a time. This week it's alcohol, and Tamsen gets honest about her own relationship with it. She was never a big drinker, but a habit crept in over the years, and after the pandemic she realized one glass she didn't even really want was quietly costing her sleep, workouts, mood, and how she felt in her own skin. She has not quit drinking, and she's not telling you to. She's breaking down what the leading doctors she's interviewed have taught her about what alcohol actually does to your body in midlife, so you can decide for yourself. Inside the episode: - The real reason one glass at 48 hits like five did at 32, and why you're essentially still drinking it the next morning - What's happening in your body at 3 a.m. when your eyes pop open with your…

People in this episode

Host: Tamsen Fadal

Topics covered

  • alcohol
  • midlife
  • health
  • sleep
  • anxiety
  • menopause

Keywords

  • alcohol
  • belly fat
  • bad sleep
  • anxiety
  • menopause
  • health risks
  • hot flashes

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: New York Times

Books & works: How to Menopause

More episodes of The Tamsen Show

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Tamsen Show podcast page.