Women better at knowing their limits

Middle-aged women are better at “staying in the zone” and less likely to go “past the point of no return” than men when drinking, according to a new study.

Research carried out by the Glasgow Caledonian University found that women were more likely to stop drinking when they reached a certain level of intoxication and therefore remain “in the zone” than men, according to a report in The Scotsman.

The study, entitled “Staying in the Zone but Not Passing the Point of No Return: Drinking in Mid-life”, explored how middle-aged men and women experienced alcohol based on group discussions with men and women aged 30 to 50.

Dr Carol Emslie, who co-authored the paper, said: “The men in the study just said they knew when to stop but were not able or willing to discuss it. For the women, it could be the 
recognition that they have responsibilities and are juggling roles such as work and children. There could also be the awareness of the double standards of how women who are drunk are seen.”

She added: “This research was an attempt to learn more about the sensations, feelings and emotions people experience when they consume alcohol in mid-life.

“When we asked participants about how they controlled the amount they drank, they described monitoring changes in their bodies, rather than counting units of alcohol.

“Health promotion could build on our findings by focusing on ‘sobering moments’ – key points in the evening when people reassess how they feel and decide to slow down or stop drinking – helping people to avoid the ‘point of no return’ with the accompanying short- term damage, such as vomiting, blackouts, hangovers, and possible long-term damage to health.”

The findings were published in the journal, Sociology of Health and Illness.