Although people cannot sober up more quickly, the following approaches may help them feel more alert and appear more sober.
Hangovers usually pass with time, but these tips may help to ease symptoms:
Key Takeaways. It is impossible to speed up the body's rate of alcohol metabolism. The rate of alcohol metabolism naturally varies based on genetics, gender, age, and other factors. However, drinking water can encourage the body to flush out broken-down alcohol faster.
There are many myths about how to sober up fast from alcohol, but here's the hard truth: You can't. The only true remedy is time. And the more servings you've had, the more time you'll need to sober up or get “undrunk.”
618/536-4441 Our bodies can only metabolize, or get rid of, approximately 1 standard drink of alcohol per hour. Contrary to popular belief, caffeine, exercise, taking a shower or drinking water won't help you sober up. There is no way of speeding up this process.
The 1-2-3 drinking rule is a guideline for moderation: 1 drink per hour, no more than 2 drinks per occasion, and at least 3 alcohol-free days each week, helping to pace consumption and stay within safer limits. It emphasizes pacing alcohol intake with water and food, knowing standard drink sizes (12oz beer, 5oz wine, 1.5oz spirits), and avoiding daily drinking to reduce health risks, though some health guidance suggests even lower limits.
What is the best way to sober up? After consuming excess alcohol, the most reliable way to sober up is to sleep while the body processes it. However, other tips, such as drinking coffee and exercising, may help people appear sober for a while.
The "20-minute rule for alcohol" is a simple strategy to moderate drinking: wait 20 minutes after finishing one alcoholic drink before starting the next, giving you time to rehydrate with water and reassess if you truly want another, often reducing cravings and overall intake. It helps slow consumption, break the chain of continuous drinking, and allows the body a natural break, making it easier to decide if you've had enough or switch to a non-alcoholic option.
The body metabolizes alcohol at its own pace, which is roughly one standard drink per hour. Drinking water can combat dehydration, but it doesn't speed up this process nor reduce your BAC or blood alcohol levels.
Determining The Time You Need To Sober Up
The body metabolizes between half and one standard drink per hour, depending on the many variables outlined above. If you consume one bottle of beer, alcohol will leave your body in one to two hours.
In order to be legally and functionally sober, your body needs to break down the amount of alcohol circulating in your bloodstream. Alcohol metabolism happens at a fixed rate that can't be altered in the short term. What does this mean? The only thing that actually sobers you up is time.
When you're asleep, your body continues to metabolize alcohol, but at the same steady rate it does while you're awake. Sleep doesn't magically lower your alcohol levels. However, sleeping has its benefits. Rest can make you feel better and reduce some symptoms of drunkenness, like fatigue or dizziness.
You've probably heard a list of things that can help someone sober up—water, coffee, a shower, greasy food. The reality is that nothing will speed up the sobering up process. The only thing that works is time.
To sober up more comfortably, stay hydrated, eat light snacks to stabilize blood sugar, and get fresh air. Rest in a calm space and use deep breathing to ease anxiety. These simple steps support your body and mind as THC naturally wears off.
How to Get Sober From Alcohol
How Long Does it Take to Sober Up? The average person metabolizes alcohol at a rate of about 0.015% BAC per hour. This means that if your BAC reachiens 0.08% (the legal driving limit in most states), it will take about 5-6 hours to completely rid your body of the alcohol.
Two fingers means a single pour. Three fingers means a double pour. Served neat in a rocks glass. It's old school.
According to the US Coast Guard, the 1-2-3 rule is: No more than one standard drink per hour. No more than two standard drinks per occasion. No more than three drinks a day (more than three constitutes binge drinking, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
How to Sober Up Quickly: Tips and Myths
The 1-2-3 drinking rule is a guideline for moderation: 1 drink per hour, no more than 2 drinks per occasion, and at least 3 alcohol-free days each week, helping to pace consumption and stay within safer limits. It emphasizes pacing alcohol intake with water and food, knowing standard drink sizes (12oz beer, 5oz wine, 1.5oz spirits), and avoiding daily drinking to reduce health risks, though some health guidance suggests even lower limits.
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, drinking is considered to be in the moderate or low-risk range for women at no more than three drinks in any one day and no more than seven drinks per week. For men, it is no more than four drinks a day and no more than 14 drinks per week.
Four beers can show up on a breathalyzer for several hours, often 6 to 12 hours or longer, depending heavily on individual factors like weight, sex, food intake, metabolism, and the beers' strength; while it might drop below the legal limit in 6-7 hours for some, alcohol can linger for 12+ hours, even into the next day, making it detectable long after you feel sober.
NIAAA defines heavy drinking as follows: For men, consuming five or more drinks on any day or 15 or more per week. For women, consuming four or more on any day or eight or more drinks per week.