How to Sober Up Fast: Science-Backed Methods That Actually Work

That sense of spinning in circles, cloudy ruminations and creeping regret — we’ve all been there. If you’ve had one too many drinks at a work function, or misjudged how much alcohol you could handle during a friend’s party, desperation to sober up fast can be somewhat discomfiting and unsettling.

It may sound brash, but it’s true: There is no such thing as a magical antidote that will instantaneously sober you up from all the alcohol you’ve consumed. Your liver metabolizes alcohol at a fixed rate — one standard drink an hour, however much you want to speed it up or slow it down. The bad news is that not much can be done to shorten its duration, save for the hard work inside your body. But you can feel a little more awake and less horrible — thanks to some simple science-backed tricks.

Being able to distinguish between actually lowering your blood alcohol content (BAC) and simply feeling more sober can mean the difference between a safe choice and a dangerous one. Let’s explore what actually works, what doesn’t and how you can play it safe when alcohol gets the better of you.te what actually works, what doesn’t and how to stay safe when alcohol has the best of you.

Understanding How Your Body Processes Alcohol

Alcohol is also a poison, and your body responds accordingly. When you swallow, around 20% of the alcohol in your stomach is then removed from your stomach lining and taken straight into blood circulation. The remaining 80 percent does move down into your small intestine, but it enters your bloodstream more sluggishly.

The process of your liver breaking down alcohol involves an enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and another enzyme called acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH). This takes place at a fixed-speed and you can not speed it up. Your liver will process roughly 0.015% BAC an hour, give or take, so about one standard drink.

There are a couple of reasons you could feel intoxicated more quickly, and alcohol could stay in your system longer:

• Size: Bigger individuals have a greater volume of blood and body tissue to hold the alcohol.
• Gender: Women Just like we said, women have less water in their bodies, translating to higher blood alcohol level.
• How much you’ve eaten: Eating before or during the time that you drink slows down the speed by which it’s absorbed.
• Medications: Certain drugs can interfere with alcohol metabolism
• Genetics: Some people simply produce more or less of the enzymes that break down alcohol

The key takeaway? There’s still only time as the remedy for getting your BAC back down to a safe level. It’s just managing symptoms and trying not to fall out of the tree while you watch and wait.”

Debunking Common Sobering-Up Myths

But before we even get to the legal ways, let’s choke-hold the myths that have absolutely no scientific basis whatsoever. These are not just myths, they’re potentially dangerous because they can give you a false sense of confidence as to how drunk or high you actually are.

Cold showers don’t work: Sure, it might wake you out of a drunken stupor but shock isn’t an effective BAC buster. At the worst, you’ll be a wet cold drunk rather than a dry one.

Coffee gives you false alertness: Yes, caffeine can help wake you up, but it won’t make your body metabolize alcohol more quickly. The deadly cocktail can make you believe that you’re nowhere near as intoxicated as your body is truly feeling.

Exercise won’t sweat out the alcohol: Physical activity can help you feel more awake due to increased circulation and endorphin production — but it does not expel alcohol from your body. And, let’s not forget coordination problems that can render exercise unsafe.

Vomiting isn’t much help: Once alcohol is in your blood, vomiting won’t eliminate it. Puking only removes alcohol that has already entered your stomach and some may experience a slight reprieve from vomiting after just knocking back a drink.

I don’t care that you’re eating bread or greasy food at this point. Food can be most beneficial when taken in before or during drinking — it slows absorption. You don’t sober up any sooner by eating after there’s already alcohol in your system.

Science-Backed Methods to Feel More Alert

Yes, when it comes to lowering your BAC in a hurry, there is no real sober up fast but there are ways to reduce fatigue time and cope better with the symptoms.

Hydrate Strategically

It’s been said before but alcohol is a diuretic, and ironically it leaves us dehydrated (which adds to the hangover impact and affects our thinking ability). Water won’t decrease your BAC level, but staying well-hydrated can help you think more clearly and feel better.

Attempt to consume one glass of water for every alcoholic drink. If you get dangerously dehydrated, though, give drinks with electrolytes a try (as long as they don’t add alcohol or too much caffeine).

Get Fresh Air and Light Movement

And getting some fresh air, it turns out, can clear your head and provide mild stimulation that wakes you up. Low-impact walking — really low — is useful in getting the blood moving through your body, and can help you assess how well you are using both sides of your body.

Avoid strenuous exercise or any activity that requires you to have good balance and coordination. The idea is to provide a gentle workout, not spring training.

Focus on Blood Sugar

A single glass of alcohol can cause fluctuating blood sugar levels that induce dizziness and confusion. Pairing a complex carbohydrate with protein can help to stabilize blood sugar and provide you with longer lasting energy.

Grown-ups might have whole grain toast with peanut butter, banana and nuts, or cheese and crackers. Pass on those sugary snacks, which can cause spikes (and crashes) in blood sugar.

Practice Deep Breathing

You can also try controlled breathing exercises to lower anxiety and send more oxygen to your brain. Not that this will much affect your BAC, but it might make you feel more in control and able to think things through more carefully.

Try the 4-7-8 method: Inhale for a count of 4, hold for a count of 7 and exhale for a count of 8. Repeat a few times sitting down.

Foods and Drinks That Can Make Things Worse

Certain substances may not blend well with alcohol, and they might even exacerbate your symptoms. Steering clear of them may save you a headache once you’re sober.

Lethal Cocktail These killer beverages are laced with over-the-top doses of caffeine. Stimulant effects masking alcohol’s impairments can lead to poor judgments even when the drinker is still legally drunk.

For others, sugar from drinks or food can cause spikes in blood sugar followed by crashes that may make you feel worse. Just make the switch to complex carbs and protein.

Additional alcohol might feel like a more of a gasp for air at the time, but it will only raise your BAC and prolong your sobriety. Using the hair of the dog method is simplifying delaying having to deal with alcohol that’s already inside your system.

Over-the-counter pain relievers, sleep aids and prescription medications such as antidepressants and opiates are just some of the medicines that should not be mixed with alcohol. If you’re not sure whether you can mix your medication with alcohol, ask a pharmacist or doctor.

Staying Safe While Sobering Up

The most consequential part of being unimpaired is not feeling better — it’s making responsible decisions when impaired. Here are essential safety guidelines:

Do not drive or use machines: Although you may be less drowsy, you are still affected in terms of reaction time, judgment and coordination. Hail a ride share, call an Uber home or just wait until you’re truly sober to leave.

Don’t do anything with the paperwork that requires important decisions: It makes you stupid for about 4 hours after you stop drinking. That is not a day to sign contracts, send a crucial message or end an affair.

Stick with good friends: If you have sober friends present, there’s someone to make sure you’re not doing anything totally boneheaded. They’re also able to keep an eye on you for alcohol poisoning.

Recognize the symptoms of alcohol poisoning: confusion, vomiting, seizures, slow or irregular breathing, blue-tinged skin or hypothermia. If you notice any of these symptoms, call 911 immediately.

Plan ahead for next time: Establish drink limits in advance, plan a safe way home and eat a meal before drinking. Prevention beats cure every time.

The Bottom Line: Time and Safety First

There’s no real way to sober up fast. Your liver processes it at its own rate, no matter how much faith you might have in folk remedies or quick fixes. The strategies I describe can make you feel more alert and help you deal with symptoms, but they do not take away the impairment.

There are a number of things you can and should do, but the most important is to be safe first. Don’t drive, don’t make serious decisions and don’t participate in activities that require full coordination and judgment. Drink fluids, eat healthy food, go outside and most of all — let your body heal on its own time.

“If you’re finding that you often need to sober up as quickly as possible, it could be time to have a look at your relationship with alcohol. Think about boundaries you want to put in place before drinking, eat a big meal beforehand and never be without a safe way home.

Keep in mind: Once you feel better doesn’t mean you are legally sober. When in doubt, wait it out. The choices you make, and the decisions other people make about and around you, will impact whether or not you are safe.