Alcohol is widely consumed and socially accepted, but its biological effects change significantly as we enter our thirties, forties, and fifties. Many people in this age range begin noticing that even small amounts of alcohol affect their sleep, energy, mood, recovery, and overall wellbeing more than they used to. These changes are not imagined. They reflect predictable shifts in how the nervous system, metabolism, hormones, and cellular repair processes respond to alcohol as we age.