If you’ve recently retired and find yourself battling depression with a modest drink, don’t be too hard on yourself, say researchers from the U.S. and Chile.
They believe that moderate alcohol consumption during this transitional period can help shield against depression. However, the scientists advise against daily drinking for new retirees.
How Was the Study Conducted?
The research team involved over 27,500 participants. For 14 years, they monitored the health of these individuals while tracking their alcohol consumption habits.
Notably, the researchers observed that retirees exhibited more signs of depression compared to those who were still working. However, the analysis revealed that retirees who consumed alcohol in moderation showed fewer depressive symptoms than those who either abused alcohol or abstained completely.
Moderate alcohol consumption was defined by the researchers as one to three servings of wine per day for women and one to four servings for men.
On the other hand, alcohol abuse was characterized as consuming four or more servings per day for women and five or more for men.
One serving of alcohol is considered to be a standard unit, equivalent to 10 grams of pure alcohol, or 25 grams of vodka, 100 grams of dry wine, or 200 grams of beer.
The authors assert that moderate alcohol consumption is linked to fewer depressive symptoms. This could be attributed to alcohol’s ability to enhance mood and promote socialization, as reported by the Daily Mail.
Daily Drinking Is Too Much
However, the researchers cautioned against drinking even moderate amounts daily as a way to adjust to retirement.
Dr. Antonia Díaz-Valdés from Universidad Mayor (Chile) warned, “Alcohol consumption increases the risk of falls and other injuries and can lead to dependency and deteriorating health.”
Overall, the authors emphasized the importance of providing psychological support to individuals transitioning into retirement to protect them from excessive alcohol use and help them adapt to changes.
The study’s findings were published in the journal Aging and Mental Health.
Interestingly, experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) assert that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption for health.