Exactly how alcohol hits you differently in your 20s compared to your 30s.

Ah, alcohol. 

It makes a regular appearance at almost any celebration, and that little-known pandemic which forced us all indoors had us reaching for a cheeky glass of wine more than ever before. 

Sure we feel pretty damn qualified on the instant effects of alcohol: Lower inhibitions, slurring your words and becoming a better dancer than Beyonce on the d-floor.  

Watch what happens to your body one year after quitting drinking. Post continues after video.

But how much do we know about the long-term effects of booze? And more specifically, the difference in damage we’re doing by sipping away in our twenties vs. our thirties?

We run through this all right here, so grab a glass of… water, settle down, and soak up this information. 

How alcohol hits you in your 20s. 

1. You establish your relationship with alcohol in your 20s.

...and your actions determine whether it’s going to be a healthy relationship, or a toxic one. Yep, you get to set the tone for your drinking in your early twenties - and choose carefully because it’s notoriously difficult to shake those habits in your thirties once they’re formed. 

2. You increase your chance of battling with depression and anxiety. 

According to Dr Stephen Massey, while no one is invincible it is usually the indirect health effects of alcohol that has twenty-somethings coming in to see their doctor. 

"We see higher rates of depression and anxiety in people who abuse alcohol however it is also a leading contributor to accidental injury and deaths through car accidents and drownings," says Dr Massey.

3. You can literally stunt your own growth.

Did you know that bucket loads of alcohol consumption can lead to the development of osteoporosis in twenty-somethings? Well, now you do. 

According to Dr Giuseppe Aragona from Prescription Doctor, “the alcohol stops the bones ability to absorb calcium,” therefore cutting off a vital resource for healthy bones.

4. You put yourself in the firing line for blood poisoning. 

If you haven't guessed already, binge drinking is not good for your health. Not even a little bit. But as it’s immensely common for people in their twenties to do, it’s important we flag just how bad it can be for your insides.

That’s why you should listen when Dr Giuseppe Aragona says this:

“Binge drinking is especially common in young adults and puts them at an increased risk of blood poisoning. The symptoms of alcohol poisoning are similar to that of an extreme hangover; nausea, vomiting and loss of consciousness, and so are not recognised as an emergency, and without urgent care alcohol poisoning can lead to seizures and possible death.”

5. You could be compromising your fertility.

While you may be deciding whether or not to have kids in your twenties, the ramifications of drinking during this period may make your decision for you.

Dr Aragona explains that "drinking excessive alcohol in your twenties can also reduce your fertility and cause damage to your reproductive organs,” and that in some rare cases ovulation can stop altogether. Yep. 

6. You’ll speed up the ageing process of your face.

There’s absolutely no denying that alcohol accelerates skin ageing. In fact, Colin Milner (CEO of the International Council on Active Ageing) says that heavy drinking can bring forth wrinkles, puffiness, dryness, red cheeks and purple capillaries at a rapid rate. 

Alcohol dehydrates the entire body, and that includes your skin - so, in short, heavy drinking can add years to your face and compromise all the hard self-care work you’ve put into your skin during lockdown.

Listen to You Beauty, Mamamia's podcast for your face, where Kelly and Leigh discuss what anti-ageing products really mean. Post continues after podcast.

How alcohol hits you in your 30s. 

1. Hangovers are way worse.

Shocking to absolutely no one in their 30s, hangovers sting and linger for significantly longer than they did in their 20s. Why? Well, here’s a fun fact for you: As you get older your ability to metabolise alcohol declines. Rapidly.

So that means your body finds it a chronic struggle to process the booze you're downing. This will obviously have an impact if you’re having a single glass of something, but the problem amplifies when you’ve had your fifth round of shots on a binge-drinking-esque hen’s party. 

It can take days for your body to metabolise the alcohol in your system in your 30s, and that’s why your hangovers appear to last for yonks. 

2. Your sight and hearing gets really bad.

“Physical implications that occur when you drink in your thirties are that your eyesight and hearing could deteriorate and your reflexes could slow down,” Dr Giuseppe Aragona explains. Yikes.

3. Oh, and your skin gets pretty s**t too.

Madeline Calfas (a stellar nutritionist and naturopath) says, "drinking alcohol in your 30s will dehydrate your skin more than when you’re younger, as you are more than likely already dehydrated and inflamed."

So... a night cream won't fix it? 

Do you want the bad news or the... bad news?

According to Calfas, "your recovery is hampered as collagen production has already begun to slow in your thirties, which means the damage is usually greater than if you were to abuse it in your twenties."

4. You are way more likely to injure yourself.

Tied to the above point, when your reflexes have slowed and your senses are down, you are way more likely to have a booze-based injury. That might be stumbling, rolling your ankle or falling flat on your face. 

All of these are way more likely when you’re in your 30s, so if you were a wobbly drunk in your 20s please be extra, extra cautious. 

5. Your concentration post-big night out is completely fried.

Along with an extended hangover, you may find that your concentration flops in the days after drinking. This will come into play even more so on minor tasks, so don’t count on being super productive for a couple of days after.

6. Your insides effectively start to pickle.

Dr Stephen Massey is back, and he has approximately no good news. 

Turns out, "alcohol increases blood pressure, blood fats and affects liver function. The increased calories translate to higher rates of obesity and subsequently heart disease". JOY. 

7. You could be compromising your mental health.

To be honest, excessive drinking or alcohol dependence can impact your mental health at any age, but there’s a real danger zone in your thirties as you’ve probably properly established your relationship with alcohol by this point.

“Alcohol worsens symptoms of mental illness including depression, anxiety and sleep disorders and so those who participate in binge drinking are putting their mental health at risk and increasing their chances of suffering with mental health issues in the future,” says Dr Aragona.

8. You’re more likely to drink at home.

Unlike your twenties, which stereotypically involves more bar-hopping and big nights out, your thirties are more likely to call for dinner parties and cheese and wine nights at a mate's house. 

This switch can sometimes encourage, or at least normalise, drinking at home. Meaning, you’re more likely to reach for a glass of wine to unwind after work on the couch in your thirties.

While the odd glass here and there won’t cause major damage, it’s easy to let an ‘occasional’ wine turn into a regular occurrence - which may in turn form a habit that is hard to shake later on. 

Feature Image: Getty & Mamamia.