By my 40s things started to feel different. My sleep was more disrupted and energy inconsistent and had more of that tired but wired feeling I couldn't shake. Part of that was perimenopause, but what I didn't realise was how much alcohol was quietly adding to it.

The turning point came at 45, a night out in London with school friends. Cocktails, dinner, bubbles, more drinks. Followed by one of the worst hangovers I can ever remember.

It took another 18 months until, on a whim on my 47th birthday, I decided to try a few months without alcohol, just to see. It felt more like an experiment than a life changing decision, yet that turned out to be the best decision I have ever made.

Now I sleep deeply. I feel clearer. My skin glows. My face is less puffy. My energy is consistent, so much so that I exercise almost every day and have managed to run 3 marathons, something I never thought I'd be able to do, let alone in my late 40s.

I make better food choices and enjoy cooking real food. My body shape has changed, and for the first time since I can remember, I can say that I love my body. I feel calmer, more settled and more at home in my own skin than ever.