Only Time Will Sober You Up
Ways to Sober Up Quickly
You drank some alcohol at a party, even though you knew you shouldn’t have. After the party, you are thinking of driving home. So, you consider ways to sober up quickly.
One or two cups of coffee or any other source of caffeine perks you up. It is only logical that caffeine also sobers you up. A cold shower also makes you feel more alert, which should help. Or a brisk walk around to block to fill your lungs with fresh air. It clears your brain. Or a quick bite of some numbing and spicy food.
These remedies can surely make you feel more awake after drinking alcohol. Still, it won’t affect the amount of alcohol in your blood.
Worst of all, alcohol impairs your judgment. So, you may think you can drive just because you feel better – when you can’t.
Read more: How Alcohol Affects Driving Ability
Another Classic Mistake
Another classic mistake is trying to calculate the blood alcohol content (BAC) from the number of drinks you had since you started drinking and the number of hours you spent drinking. If the body gets rid of one standard drink per hour, your BAC should be zero if you give the body three hours to get rid of three drinks.
Read more: What is a Standard Drink?
This will put you under the legal limit, but it doesn’t make you a safe driver. Remember, when you drink alcohol, your judgment is clouded. Getting the numbers straight can be tricky. Maybe you drank more than you think you did.
Your body will also react to the alcohol metabolism. The amount of alcohol in your blood is perhaps not the only thing that makes you an unsafe driver.
Alcohol is also a depressant, you are likely to feel tired after drinking.
Why Time is the Key
The only thing that will genuinely sober you up is time. And, by the way, they love this question on DMV tests nationwide. For one thing, DMV officials want to kill the myth that multivitamins and other hangover cures sober you up. They also want you to understand that drinking has consequences that you must deal with by not driving.
It doesn’t matter how much alcohol you drink; your body can only get rid of the alcohol at a certain rate. That rate varies among individuals and depends on several factors. Getting rid of one standard drink takes about 45 – 60 minutes. Most of this slow process takes place in the liver.
The liver eliminates alcohol in separate steps. Enzymes help to break apart the alcohol into something that the body can get rid of more easily. During this process, the body forms other toxic compounds, which can have harmful effects and cause a hangover.
You cannot speed up the process. The liver works steadily and metabolizes about .015 percent alcohol per hour.
To sober up, you must wait until the liver finishes its job. Eventually, the body will eliminate all alcohol. But remember, it takes time!
When the liver is ready, you are technically sober. But you may not always feel great and are not always a safe driver.
Dealing with Social Drinking Situations
Understanding what alcohol does to your body, your judgment and driving skills is essential, not only for your written knowledge test.
Suppose you know that you must drive after a social situation where they serve alcohol. In that case, you can hopefully make a better decision about whether to drink or not.
If you choose to drink, you can make safer decisions about drinking and how to get home. Ask if someone not drinking will give you a ride home or check if public transport is available. Plan before you start drinking. Don’t change your mind after a few drinks. Stick with your original plan.
Knowing more about alcohol can also help you recognize the warning signs of dangerous intoxication and get help for a friend.
With knowledge, you are probably also more aware of other risks associated with alcohol, such as unwanted sex and being a victim of crime.
Don’t Drive Until You Sober Up
After you drink alcohol, don’t drive. Not even after one drink. Give your body enough time to sober up and eliminate any aftermath.
Driving requires your full and undivided attention. Drowsy driving can be just as bad as drunk driving. Make sure you’ve had enough sleep after the party. The longer you was awake, the more your body needs to sleep.
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Photos:
Pulled over photo – Copyright: Elliot Burlingham
Party photo – Copyright: Dolgachov
Man with hangover – Copyright: Katarzyna Bialasiewicz
The liver – Copyright: Naveen Kalwa
