If the body doesn’t get the sleep it needs, toxins start to build up, which slows the process of flushing alcohol out of your system. It’s your liver’s job to metabolize and filter alcohol, but your kidneys need water to actually flush it out. During the process of metabolizing alcohol, a highly toxic byproduct called acetaldehyde is created. In large amounts, this byproduct causes extensive damage to the liver, which can slow down the detox process. On the other hand, binge drinking is generally defined as four drinks for women and five drinks for men within a two-hour period.

What is the best way to sober up?

At Healthfully, we strive to deliver objective content that is accurate and up-to-date. Our team periodically reviews articles in order to ensure content quality. The sources cited below consist of evidence from peer-reviewed journals, prominent medical organizations, academic associations, and government data. When you swallow alcohol, it takes several steps before reaching your bloodstream. By Buddy TBuddy T is a writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism.

• Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional.
• Phosphatidylethanol (PEth), a biomarker that reflects alcohol intake, can be detected up to 14 days in urine.
• Knowing what to expect during the alcohol detox process can help you feel more in control as withdrawal effects run their course.
• It helps to get rid of toxins by burning fat and thereby releasing toxins stored in the fatty tissues of the body.
• If you’re more of a moderate to occasional drinker, you may find the hardest part of stopping drinking to be the social pressures.
• There, healthcare providers will help you slowly and safely stop drinking alcohol while closely monitoring your physical and mental health.

Next stop: the liver

However, these processes release wastes in the form of urea and carbon dioxide, which can cause harm if they build up in your blood (23). You should regularly sleep 7 to 9 hours per night to help promote good health (18). Recognizing acetaldehyde as a toxin, your liver converts it to a harmless substance called acetate, which it eliminates from your body (3). Detox diets often involve the use of laxatives, diuretics, vitamins, minerals, teas, and other foods thought to have detoxing properties. Mixing NyQuil and alcohol is dangerous and can have serious consequences.

Increase Your Water Intake

For anyone with a family history of alcohol use disorder, there is a higher risk of also developing the condition. For those people, it may be wise to avoid consuming alcohol altogether. However, there is currently no strong evidence to suggest that exercise can help metabolize alcohol quicker. Sleep also helps restore the body’s ability to get alcohol out of the system. Alcohol intoxication is a temporary condition that can impair coordination, decision-making, impulse control, and other functions, which can increase the risk of harm.

Alcohol can be detected in a urine test between 12 and 48 hours after your last drink through an ethyl glucuronide (EtG) drug test. If you drink excessive amounts of water it can lead to water intoxication or poisoning, which affects brain function due to the swelling of cells, including brain cells. This swelling increases pressure within the brain, leading to symptoms like confusion, drowsiness, and headaches. In severe cases, it might result in high blood pressure and a slowed heart rate. If you’ve been drinking and you’d like to speed up recovery, there isn’t much you can do except ensuring you get enough sleep, going for a walk, and maybe drinking something carbonated.

• BetterHelp can connect you to an addiction and mental health counselor.
• Have a designated driver or a ride-hailing service ready to go if you plan on drinking enough that your judgment will be impaired.
• After a night of heavy drinking your BAC may still be over the legal driving limit the next morning.
• Food slows the emptying of the stomach into the small intestine, where alcohol is very rapidly absorbed.

How to Tell When Alcohol is Out of the Body

Doctors may prescribe other medications to treat withdrawal-related symptoms. One example is a beta-blocker (such as propranolol) to reduce high blood pressure. If you’ve had a drink or two, you might be wondering just how long that alcohol will stay in your system. If a person chooses to consume alcohol, they should do so safely how to flush alcohol out of your system in 24 hours and take whatever steps are necessary to avoid putting themselves and others in harm’s way. Some proponents suggest that carbon or charcoal capsules, which people can buy in health food stores, may help with sobering up. However, there is no effective way to sober up quickly other than to stop drinking and allow time to pass.