Your Body Almanac

Drinking alcohol

Social, relaxing, and harder on your body than it feels at the time.

Alcohol makes you lose water, fragments your sleep, and makes it harder to absorb thiamin, a B vitamin your nerves and brain rely on. The rough morning after comes from dehydration, poor sleep, low blood sugar and irritation of your stomach. Eating, pacing and water slow how fast alcohol hits your blood, but only drinking less prevents the morning after. Alcohol-free days help too. Nothing undoes a heavy night quickly; time is the only real fix.

01

Dehydration

Alcohol blocks a hormone that helps your kidneys hold on to water, so you urinate more than you drink. Thirst, headache, dizziness and fatigue the next day are partly this. Drinking on an empty stomach makes things worse, because alcohol reaches your blood faster.

SourcesHangovers (NIH National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)Hangovers — symptoms and causes (Mayo Clinic)Myths about drinking alcohol (MedlinePlus)
Eat before and while you drinkAs neededHave a real meal before your first drink and keep eating, because alcohol is absorbed faster on an empty stomach. Alternate alcohol with waterAs neededFollow each alcoholic drink with a glass of water or another non-alcoholic drink to slow your pace. Rehydrate after drinkingAs neededDrink water before bed and the next morning, and eat a proper meal. Time is the only real fix. Drink water through the dayDailyKeep a water bottle within reach and sip through the day instead of waiting until you are thirsty.
02

Broken, shallow sleep

A drink or two can make you drowsy, but as your body clears the alcohol, sleep turns light and restless in the second half of the night. You wake earlier and feel less rested, even after a full night in bed. Short sleep on top of dehydration is a big part of why you feel foggy the next day.

SourcesHangovers (NIH National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)About Sleep (CDC)
Have alcohol-free daysWeeklyPick several days each week when you don't drink at all, and plan what you'll do instead. Keep a consistent sleep scheduleDailyGo to bed and get up at the same times every day, weekends included, and aim for at least 7 hours. Drink water through the dayDailyKeep a water bottle within reach and sip through the day instead of waiting until you are thirsty.
03

Thiamine, other B vitamins and magnesium run low

Regular drinking makes it harder for your gut to absorb thiamine (vitamin B1), and long-term heavy drinking is linked to low magnesium. Heavy drinkers often eat less, too. Over time, low thiamine can affect nerves and memory. Eating whole grains, beans, pork, nuts, seeds and leafy greens helps restock both. If you are thinking about a B-complex or magnesium supplement, check with a doctor or pharmacist first, especially if you have kidney disease or take other medicines.

SourcesThiamin — Consumer Fact Sheet (NIH Office of Dietary Supplements)Magnesium — Consumer Fact Sheet (NIH Office of Dietary Supplements)Beriberi (MedlinePlus)
Get enough thiamin (vitamin B1)DailyIf you drink regularly, make sure your diet includes enough thiamin, which alcohol makes harder to absorb. Eat magnesium-rich foodsDailyWork a magnesium source into each meal. Many Americans fall short of the recommended amount. Eat before and while you drinkAs neededHave a real meal before your first drink and keep eating, because alcohol is absorbed faster on an empty stomach.
04

Losing track of how much you have had

A "drink" at a bar or poured at home is often two or more standard drinks. Binge drinking (about four drinks for women or five for men in about two hours) raises the risk of injuries, alcohol poisoning and regretted decisions. Counting standard drinks, pacing to about one an hour, and eating along the way keep your blood alcohol from spiking. Call 911 if someone can't be woken, is breathing slowly or is vomiting while passed out.

SourcesWhat Is a Standard Drink? (NIH National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)Understanding Alcohol Drinking Patterns (NIH National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)Rethinking Drinking (NIH National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
Count your standard drinksAs neededLearn what one standard drink looks like and keep a running count, because many pours hold more than one. Alternate alcohol with waterAs neededFollow each alcoholic drink with a glass of water or another non-alcoholic drink to slow your pace. Eat before and while you drinkAs neededHave a real meal before your first drink and keep eating, because alcohol is absorbed faster on an empty stomach.
05

Long-term load on the liver, heart and cancer risk

Over years, regular drinking is linked to liver disease, high blood pressure, heart problems and several cancers, including breast, mouth, throat, esophagus, liver and colon. Risk rises with the amount, and drinking less is better for health than drinking more. Several alcohol-free days each week, and regular checkups, help you and your doctor keep an eye on things.

SourcesAlcohol Use and Your Health (CDC)About Moderate Alcohol Use (CDC)Alcohol and Cancer Risk (National Cancer Institute)Alcohol's Effects on the Body (NIH National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
Have alcohol-free daysWeeklyPick several days each week when you don't drink at all, and plan what you'll do instead. Count your standard drinksAs neededLearn what one standard drink looks like and keep a running count, because many pours hold more than one. Get a yearly checkupYearlySee your primary care provider for preventive care, the screenings and vaccines you are due for, and questions about your health. Check your blood pressureYearlyGet your blood pressure checked at least yearly from age 40, or sooner if you are at higher risk.

When to see a professional

Call 911 if someone who has been drinking is confused, vomiting while drowsy, having a seizure, breathing slowly or irregularly, has blue or pale skin, or cannot be woken up. Do not let them "sleep it off" alone. Talk to a doctor if you have shaking, sweating or anxiety when you cut back, if you take medicines that interact with alcohol, or if you notice yellowing skin or eyes. If drinking itself feels hard to control, SAMHSA's free, confidential National Helpline is open 24/7 at 1-800-662-4357.