Gwyneth Paltrow Says Her Menopause Symptoms Were Out of Control; What Went Wrong?

Hollywood actor Gwyneth Paltrow is also a popular name when it comes to health and wellness. Known to try out various health trends and trying to keep fit, Paltrow recently opened up on her struggles with menopause—something most women would resonate with.

“I’m really in the thick of it right now, so I’m all over the place,” Paltrow, 52, said of her symptoms on a recent episode of Goop’s podcast. “I would just wake up [and] I would get crushed with anxiety, which I’ve never had in my life,” she said. “And I would lie in bed thinking about every mistake I’ve ever made, every person’s feeling I ever hurt, like, every bad, you know. And I would be up, like, for six hours. It was crazy.”

Paltrow said most of her symptoms had been pretty well under control till the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, which happened earlier this year when her anxiety just heightened, and she began to drink alcohol way too much. “I think I drank every night,” she said. “I was meditating. Normally, now at this point, I don’t drink a lot at all. Maybe I’ll have one drink a week.”

Drinking every night, on the other hand, worsened her symptoms in a way that was impossible to ignore. “My symptoms were completely out of control,” Paltrow said. “It was the first time I noticed, like, causation in that way.”

According to experts, the effect of alcohol on menopausal women is varied.

Menopause is a natural phase in a woman’s life that marks the end of her reproductive years, typically occurring between the ages of 45 and 55. This transition means that one has to be careful, as alcohol, even if you have been used to it before, can worsen symptoms like hot flashes, mood swings, and sleep disturbances.

A few ways alcohol can affect you include:

When you suddenly feel heat—accompanied by sweating and flushing—it can be due to excessive drinking of alcohol. Doctors say even though drinking does not directly lead to menopause or initiate its onset, excessive consumption dilates blood vessels, which leads to increased body heat and more frequent hot flashes.

Alcohol is calorie-dense, so weight gain is a major concern, especially during menopause due to hormonal changes.

Even though alcohol has a sedative effect, in the long run, it disrupts the sleep cycle. Doctors say drinking may initially help you fall asleep; it reduces the quality of rest by interfering with rapid eye movement or dream phase sleep – which can cause night-time awakenings and increased daytime fatigue.

Even though alcohol can make you feel better for a short time, it can also lead to even higher anxiety and stress levels a little later. Doctors say many women use alcohol to alleviate stress, and heavy consumption causes increased anxiety and depression, which worsens during menopause.

Additionally, alcohol impairs judgment and decision-making.

Long-term consumption of alcohol also leads to a negative influence on your bone density and makes you frailer— increasing the risks of fractures.

Doctors say women are, as it is, more at risk of osteoporosis during and after menopause—and excessive alcohol intake poses more risk of bone loss.

Experts say that even though getting off alcohol drinking may be your personal choice, moderation is extremely important. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines moderate drinking as up to one drink per day for women. A few practical tips menopausal women can follow include:

If you enjoy alcohol, consider reducing the frequency and quantity for special occasions.

Drinking water can counteract alcohol’s dehydrating effects.

Opt for lighter alcoholic beverages like wine over high-sugar cocktails.

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