In attempts to justify the presence of alcohol in people’s lives, they have come up with ideas of some mystic positive influence of alcohol on their health. Is it really so?

1. The first thing to know here is that women are more susceptible to the effects of alcohol and its toxins on their bodies. Women get drunk faster and sober up longer. Besides, plunging estrogen in the premenstrual week makes women more sensitive to aches and pains, thus there is even more suffering from a hangover during this period.  
2. Second, consumption of alcohol can have a negative effect on your menstrual cycle. What is more, women who are planning a pregnancy decrease their chances of getting fertilized by drinking alcohol.
3. Third, alcohol consumption increases the time necessary for conception, although the exact volume of alcohol that influences ovulation is not yet known.
4. It’s clear from a number of large-scale studies that there is a link between alcohol consumption and cancer. A 2014 report by the World Health Organization concludes that around one in five (21.6%) of all alcohol-related deaths are due to cancer. Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among women, so it’s important to be aware of how drinking alcohol can increase the risk of developing the disease.
5. Drinking any amount of alcohol at any stage during pregnancy can harm the fetus. This is why the UK Chief Medical Officers recommend that the safest approach is to not drink alcohol at all during pregnancy. If you are now pregnant and drank only small amounts of alcohol before realizing you were pregnant, and stopped when you found out, the risk is low. Talk to your ob-gyn if you are worried.
6. Alcohol can trigger some symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes and night sweats. Menopause can also disrupt your sleep because of night sweats and cause you to gain weight. Alcohol often makes both of these issues worse.

Some terrifying statistics

National data show that the cirrhosis death rate shot up by 57% among women aged 45-64 from 2000-2015 in the US, compared to 21% among men. And it rose 18% in women aged 25-44, despite decreasing by 10% among their male peers.

Drinking alcohol to relax is not the right way to do it. Eventually you will end up with disrupted sleep at the least. Find some other methods to relax. Consider some alternative stress-busters, like hitting the gym, meditating or having a hot bath.