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Coming Out as Sober Is Easier Than You Think

How to share your sobriety with friends, family & coworkers?

When I got sober in 2020, keeping it a secret would’ve been easy. I was living alone. My city was in lockdown. There was no one around to notice I was no longer drinking. 

Heck, I didn’t even hit the fabled rock bottom! But I knew that any amount of alcohol was hurting me. I knew that any amount of alcohol was disrupting my sleep, compromising my health, and making my swings between anxiety and depression way worse.

I also knew that many folks are profoundly addicted to alcohol (even if their drinking passes as “normal”). I didn’t want to be part of that anymore. I wanted to celebrate my choice and to be “out” as sober.

As a writer, I chose to disclose my sobriety on my personal blog and newsletter. Because my family and closest friends were reading along, they found out along with everyone else.

Obviously, this isn’t the most casual, low-key way to share your sobriety! It’s not even the way I most recommend (more on what I do recommend below). Still, the reactions I received are common ones: 

All in all, coming out as sober wasn’t so bad! The biggest surprise was how many folks revealed that they too were sober or thinking about trying it.

That said, not everyone’s experience goes so smoothly (or happens in such a public, all-at-once way). Whether and how to share your sobriety is a personal choice, and there are many variables to consider. To support you in this, I’ve got some backup.

Should You Tell People About Your Sobriety?

There’s a saying in sober circles that “recovery comes first.” If you suspect that sharing your sobriety with others will endanger your sobriety, don’t do it. You get to keep this to yourself for now if that’s what supports your recovery.

However…there are also benefits to sharing your sobriety! Let’s run through some pros and cons.

Benefits of telling people about your sobriety:

Potential challenges of telling people about your sobriety:

How to Tell People You’re Sober

Let’s say you’ve weighed the pros and cons and have decided to tell folks you’re sober. Now what? What’s the best approach?

 

While I told everyone through my blog, you don’t need to do that! Same goes for sharing on social media or elsewhere online. In fact, I recommend starting with one-on-one conversations and expanding from there if and when you feel ready.

 

Regardless of how you decide to share, think it through and make a list of people and groups you’d like to tell. While making this list, consider how much detail you plan to provide (this will likely differ depending on the group or person you’re telling). Also consider when, where, and how the topic might come up naturally. 

 

Will a casual conversation suffice? Are you hoping for an in-depth heart-to-heart? How about a simple email or text? Coming out as sober can look all kinds of ways. The key is to bring intention to the process and to have standard backup lines for predictable situations and questions. 

 

 

If this sounds daunting, rest assured that the first time for each situation is by far the most awkward. After that, it gets easier. At a certain point, you may even feel confident pride when responding: “No thanks, I’m sober.”

 

Another great answer? “I’m not drinking right now.” No need to say more.

Whether you’re using a general line like that last one or disclosing your sobriety, you get to decide how much information you provide. In other words, “coming out as sober” or as “not drinking right now” can be the whole of it! 

You’re not required to answer follow-up questions. You get to say: “I’m not ready to talk about that right now. If I change my mind, I’ll let you know.” 

If they push back or insist on knowing more, just calmly repeat the same line: “I’m not ready to talk about that right now. If I change my mind, I’ll let you know.”

If they still push back or insist on knowing more, that’s your cue to remove yourself from the situation. You (only you!) get to decide how much access people have to your personal reasons, details, and story.

Make it about you.

You’ll notice that all the examples above include “I” statements. Whatever and however you share your decision to not drink, make the disclosure about you – not the other person. 

Same goes for answering questions about why you’re not drinking. For example, I might tell a friend who asks questions: “I just feel so much better when I don’t drink. My sleep is great. My metabolism is better. My skin looks brighter. I feel more energized. I’m noticing way less anxiety, depression, and brain fog.”

Nothing above contains a judgment about the other person and their drinking habits. And while science is definitely on the side of NOT drinking alcohol when it comes to our health, I don’t recommend broaching that aspect when sharing your sobriety. Getting into a scientific debate will probably not be helpful.

Instead, focus on how you feel better making this choice. Emphasize that, for you, the benefits are worth the tradeoffs.

Common Reactions People Have When Someone Says That They’re Sober

 

Here’s the deal: You can weigh all the pros and cons, plan out who you’re going to share your sobriety with and how, and proceed with tons of intention. 

 

And, it still might feel awkward. And, you still might get reactions that are less than ideal.

 

Know what? That’s okay. Believe it or not, most people will appreciate that you’re showing up with authenticity and courage. Any awkwardness will pass and is more likely to increase their trust, respect, and compassion – not lessen it.

 

Just remember that the person you’re telling may feel awkward too. And – however they respond – their reaction has little to do with you. They may have a fraught relationship with alcohol themselves. They may lack the emotional capacity to have vulnerable conversations. They may simply be nervous, taken off guard, or unsure what to say. 

 

When you tell someone you’re sober:

 

 

Or…

 

 

The more people you tell, the more different reactions you’re likely to get. I recommend thinking through how you might respond in the above situations. 

 

And remember: Keep your responses about you! Don’t divulge any more than you feel comfortable divulging! Their reactions are out of your control and aren’t really about you at all.

 

If things go sideways, you have complete permission to say: “I don’t want to discuss this further right now. If I change my mind, I’ll let you know.”

 

Your Next Right Steps

As you consider everything above – here are my suggested next steps.

 

 

Coming out as sober isn’t one-and-done. Even if you tell everyone in your life now, you’ll still encounter new opportunities to share your sobriety in the future. 

 

That said, it will never feel as uncomfortable as it does in the beginning!

 

And, as more people embrace sober living or choose to drink less, saying you’re sober is becoming less of a big deal. 

 

These days, it might even make you seem more self-secure, confident, and cool.

 

Am I an Alcoholic? Take the Quiz

When we think of the word ‘alcoholic’ we might imagine a dramatic scene from a movie, like someone stumbling around, shouting, or causing an accident. Except, you can be an alcoholic and not follow any of the stereotypes. 

 

Understanding Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), which in the past was called alcoholism, is much more complex than it seems. You can have a relatively normal life but deeply struggle with your alcohol usage. Read on to learn the signs of AUD and take the quiz to see the next steps you can take. 

What is Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)?

AUD, or alcoholism, is a brain disorder that can appear as mild, moderate, or severe. Depending on the severity of AUD, brain function begins to change. For example, neurotransmitters that affect your mood and behavior can become dysregulated, even when you’re not drinking. Those “feel good” chemicals, serotonin and dopamine, start working differently and can lead to mood disorders. 

 

While initially, alcohol can increase these chemicals that affect your mood, reward, and motivation systems, they become blunted with continued overuse. The effect decreases, meaning you need more alcohol to get the same results. 

 

Eventually, if your brain starts needing alcohol for a mood boost, or simply to avoid withdrawal symptoms, a cycle of dependence can begin. A chronic dysregulation of dopamine and serotonin can develop, making it difficult to even find satisfaction or joy in other activities.

Take the quiz: Am I an alcoholic? 

If you’re not sure where you stand, go through these questions to get a better idea of your relationship with alcohol: 

 

  1. Do you keep drinking even if it makes you feel depressed or anxious, or negatively affects your physical health? 
  2. Are you spending a lot of time drinking, trying to get alcohol, or recovering from drinking? 
  3. Have you stopped or cut back on doing the things you love, like hobbies or social activities/
  4. Do you get strong urges or cravings to drink?
  5. Have you often drunk more, or for longer, than you meant to? 
  6. Does drinking get in the way of your work or home life responsibilities? 
  7. Have you gotten into dangerous situations during or after drinking?
  8. Do you notice withdrawal symptoms when alcohol starts wearing off, like having a hard time sleeping, getting restless, shaky, or nauseous?
  9. Have you noticed that you need to drink more than you used to? 
  10. Have you tried cutting back or quitting but couldn’t? 

 

If you’ve responded yes to a few or more of these questions, it might be time to consider taking some steps to observe and improve your habits with alcohol. That could mean tracking your usage, diving into mindful drinking, or seeing a professional for specialized tips that fit your lifestyle. 

 

Keep in mind that this quiz doesn’t equal a diagnosis. It follows the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, DSM-5, for AUD, which helps health professionals diagnose AUD as mild, moderate, or severe. 

 

It’s best to speak with a professional to get a better idea of where you’re at and the steps you can take to move forward healthily.

What are the signs of an alcoholic?

While everyone can show different signs, these are some of the most common:

 

What exactly is heavy, moderate, and binge drinking?

Binge drinking is having four or more drinks on one occasion for women, or five for men. It’s quite common, with more than 20% of Americans saying they binge drank last month. While four or five drinks might sound like a lot, it’s not too hard to imagine if you’re at a party or night out. 

 

Ultimately, the health risks of binge and heavy drinking can be intense, especially for the liver. Just one night of binge drinking can lead to fat build-up in the liver, just as in fatty liver disease. A weekend bender can even end up in acute alcoholic hepatitis, where the liver swells up. 

 

Even moderate drinking, which is one drink a day or less for women and two or less for men, has health risks. Currently, some countries are even changing their definition of moderate drinking. Canada, for example, now suggests two drinks or less per week. Science now shows that any amount of alcohol can have negative health effects

 

As for heavy or excessive drinking, it’s defined as eight or more drinks per week for women or 15 for men. However, falling into this category doesn’t necessarily mean you have AUD or are alcohol-dependent. 

Is drinking more dangerous for women vs men?

Women respond quite differently to alcohol when compared to men. Their bodies are often smaller in size, meaning the alcohol concentration can be much higher. Female bodies also have less water and more fat compared to men. Fat tends to retain alcohol, while water can dilute it. Finally, women also have less of the enzyme, dehydrogenase, that breaks down alcohol. 

 

All these factors put together, plus societal and environmental impacts put women at a higher risk of developing alcohol-related organ damage, trauma, and interpersonal difficulties. For example, women may develop addictions and suffer their consequences more quickly than men. This includes depression, anxiety, reproductive issues, breast cancer, liver, and heart disease. 

Risks associated with drinking

 

What happens to your body when you stop binge drinking?

If you’re used to heavy or binge drinking, stopping should be done with medical care. Speak to your healthcare provider about your plans for stopping, follow their suggestions, and keep them updated. 

 

Your body will likely go through a few significant changes, including: 

 

 

If you’re a heavy drinker, speak to your doctor before cutting back on your drinking — you may need medical assistance during the process. 

 

After withdrawal passes, you might notice these benefits:

 

How to help your friend or loved one binge drinking

If you’re worried about someone close to you, you might be wondering how to best broach the subject and get them help. First, it’s important to always keep compassion and empathy top of mind. People with AUD are often struggling with a mental health disorder, such as depression or anxiety. 

 

Depressive disorders are particularly high — people suffering from AUD are 2.3 times more likely to also have had a major depressive disorder in the previous year. 

 

If you’d like to speak with your loved one, try to prepare yourself first. Think about what you’d like to say but also remember to listen actively, without judgment. They may be going through a hard time and need your support. 

 

Think of open-ended questions you can ask them to understand their situation better. Offer a listening ear and a comforting and safe space, letting them speak without interrupting or reacting negatively. This way, they may be less likely to feel ashamed, and perhaps, more likely to feel as though you’re open to truly hearing them out. 

 

In the end, the most important thing you can do is offer judgment-free support. You can try offering gentle ideas for what you think might be helpful for them, such as a mindful drinking app or a professional, but what they’re ready for is up to them. 

 

You can also consider setting boundaries and practicing self-care. Caring for someone going through a hard time is stressful, and you might even benefit from a support group for those caring for loved ones with AUD. 

 

In the end, compassion for yourself, and others, is always essential for good mental health. 

 

Resources

 

  1. https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochures-and-fact-sheets/alcohol-use-disorder-comparison-between-dsm
  2. https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochures-and-fact-sheets/understanding-alcohol-use-disorder 
  3. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41398-018-0309-1
  4. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41386-020-00938-8
  5. https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/alcohol-use.htm
  6. https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochures-and-fact-sheets/binge-drinking
  7.  https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/alcohol-liver 
  8. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/alcoholic-hepatitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20351388?DSECTION=all 
  9. https://www.ccsa.ca/canadas-guidance-alcohol-and-health 
  10. https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/04-01-2023 
  11. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378512217311027 
  12. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/0-306-47138-8_9 
  13. https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/aa46.htm
  14. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2759762/ 
  15. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000764.htm 
  16. https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/files.alcoholchange.org.uk/documents/De-Visser-2016.pdf?mtime=20181114110441 
  17. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5821259/ 
  18. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5513683/ 
  19. https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochures-and-fact-sheets/alcohol-use-disorder-comparison-between-dsm 
  20. https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/health-professionals-communities/core-resource-on-alcohol/mental-health-issues-alcohol-use-disorder-and-common-co-occurring-conditions 
  21. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6799954/ 
  22. https://iaap-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/aphw.12127 

Why Sober Sleep is Better Sleep

People often think that having a few glasses of wine or a shot of liquor at night will help them fall asleep fast and sleep peacefully through the night. But the truth is that, even if you manage to nod off into dreamland, the chances of getting a good night’s sleep are slim.

In reality, alcohol and quality sleep just don’t mix. And the more alcohol you drink, the worse you sleep, which means you can look forward to brain fog and feeling lethargic the following day.

Why Does Alcohol Not Make You Sleep Better?

According to data, alcohol disrupts the normal phases of deep and light sleep that we all go through each night.1 These phases are known collectively as your sleep architecture.

When alcohol is added to your bedtime routine, it interrupts – or “fragments” – those healthy patterns, meaning you’re likely to wake up several times during the night instead of smoothly transitioning from stage to stage. Over time, this sleep disruption can create health problems.

Here’s how a night of alcohol-induced sleep unfolds:1

During the first half of the night, when the alcohol levels are still high in your bloodstream, you’ll likely sleep deeply and without dreaming. That’s because alcohol acts on gamma-aminobutyric acid, or GABA, a neurotransmitter that has a calming effect. Alcohol also suppresses rapid eye movement, or REM sleep, which is when most dreaming occurs.

During the second half of the night, when your alcohol levels have dropped, your brain kicks into overdrive. You start tossing and turning because your body is experiencing rebound arousal. You’re also more prone to waking up multiple times and having vivid or stressful dreams.

Alcohol is also a diuretic, meaning it increases your urine output. And that means, you guessed it, you’re more likely to wake up needing to go to the bathroom.

You’re also more likely to snore when you drink before bed. Alcohol relaxes the muscles of your upper airways, causing normal breathing to be disrupted. This is especially dangerous if you have obstructive sleep apnea, which is a condition that makes people wake up several times during the night due to a momentary airway collapse that prevents breathing.

So What Happens to Your Sleep When You Stop Drinking?

Quality sleep is crucial after you quit drinking. That’s because amazing things happen during your sleep time. Sleep allows your body to take a break by lowering your blood pressure, relaxing your muscles, and releasing hormones that decrease inflammation in your body. These are restorative benefits that your body can’t afford to miss out on!

Sleep disturbances are some of the most common and persistent problems people experience after they quit drinking. Sometimes alcohol use is responsible for masking pre-existing and undiagnosed sleep issues. Other times, quitting alcohol leaves your brain and body scrambling to readjust to functioning normally, ultimately disrupting your ability to get quality sleep.

According to data from the Substance Use And Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), about 72% of those with an alcohol use disorder suffer from sleeping problems.2 And these problems can last for months or even years after getting sober.

Effects of Sleep Loss In Sobriety

Sleep problems are among the most common issues people face in early sobriety, and they’re usually some of the last issues to show improvement.2 Unfortunately, sobriety and abstinence from alcohol become a lot harder to manage if you aren’t able to get enough quality sleep.

Difficulty sleeping, especially when you feel like you can’t sleep sober, may increase your risk of picking up alcohol again. In fact, insomnia during sobriety can lead to a lot of negative side effects. Here’s a few of them:2

Sleep issues experienced after quitting alcohol tend to include insomnia, disrupted sleep patterns, sleep apnea, and other types of sleep-disordered breathing (snoring, for example).

Disrupted Sleep

When you quit drinking alcohol, it tends to take you longer to fall asleep, you have issues sleeping through the night without waking up, and you rarely wake up feeling like your sleep was restorative.

Alcohol withdrawal causes a serious reduction in deep sleep and abnormal REM sleep. (REM sleep is characterized by increased brain activity, relaxation of the body, rapid eye movements, and increased dreaming.)

Insomnia

Insomnia is a common problem after quitting drinking. This condition makes you experience difficulty falling and staying asleep, and that can lead to daytime sleepiness, an inability to concentrate, and many other negative issues.

People in recovery are often more likely to have problems with sleep onset than with sleep maintenance, which is why some might conclude that they can’t sleep sober.

Insomnia can linger long after you stop drinking, but it’s important to remember that many people already had insomnia before drinking alcohol became a problem.

Sleep Apnea

Alcohol and obstructive sleep apnea are directly related. In fact, data shows that drinking can increase your risk of sleep apnea by up to 25%.3

Sleep apnea is a condition that does a number on your airway while you’re sleeping. It relaxes and essentially closes your airway while you’re asleep, forcing you to wake up over and over throughout the night in order to breathe.

Do You Sleep Better When Sober?

We’ve already talked about the impact that quitting alcohol can have on your sleep health. But do those sleep disturbances ever go away? Or are you doomed to a life of restless sleep?

David Hodgins, a psychology professor at the University of Calgary, told ScienceDaily, “Sleep has a reputation among the recovering community of being one of the last things that fall back into place for an individual. It’s also recognized as a potential precipitant of relapse.”4

Here’s the good news: things do get better! And Brody Hay is a great example to illustrate those eventual sleep improvements. Hay, a 28 year old man from Louisiana, stopped drinking five months ago. A few weeks into his sobriety, he felt like his sleep had significantly improved, but he wanted to put that theory to the test.5

Hay decided to track his sleep architecture data using a sleep app. He shared those sleep metrics – from before and after getting sober – with Newsweek. Here’s what he had to say about his sleep quality since quitting alcohol:5

“Since cutting alcohol, I feel as if I’ve stepped into an entirely new life as a new man. My mental clarity is sharper than ever; it’s almost as if I’ve emerged from this perpetual mental fog. My energy levels and motivation have been through the roof compared to the levels I had when drinking.”

Resources

  1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC5821259/
  2. https://store.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/d7/priv/sma14-4859.pdf
  3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5840512/
  4. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/08/030818071457.htm
  5. https://www.newsweek.com/man-shares-sleep-data-giving-alcohol-sober-results-astonishing-1806930

How to Sober Up

Like it or not, there comes a time when you have to acknowledge the party’s coming to an end. You’ve had a ton of fun, but now it’s time to shift your focus away from partying and toward the task at hand: sobering up..

How to Sober Up From Alcohol Fast

Whether you couldn’t turn down those last few tequila shots or it just felt wrong to leave the club before finishing that final bottle of wine, you are feeling the alcohol. You take one more sip of beer, pull out your phone and Google “how to sober up from alcohol fast.

A massive number of results are now staring back at you from the screen of your phone., but you don’t have time to read through all this stuff.! You need to sober up immediately!

No need to waste precious time doing online research; we’ve got you covered.

How Long Does It Take to Sober Up?

The truth is there’s no miracle cure or secret recipe to reverse the effects of all the alcohol you drank. All the tricks and old wives tales you learned in college were designed to make you appear sober, but they didn’t do a thing to bring down your blood alcohol concentration (BAC). And when it comes to sobering up, your BAC number is what matters.

So, is it possible to sober up in a matter of minutes? Can you sober up enough to avoid puking? Can you safely drive home after you’ve been drinking? Are there any shortcuts to lowering that all-important BAC number?

Let’s take a deep dive and find out.

Fact-Check: 6 Ways to Get Sober Fast

If you consume alcohol, your body feels its effects and you run the risk of a hangover the next day. There’s nothing you can do to kick your liver into overdrive or make it process alcohol at a faster rate.

If you evaluate all the sober shortcuts floating around online and passed down through word-of-mouth, you’ll notice the shortcuts tend to focus on making you more alert. But they don’t do anything to make you less intoxicated. Alertness and intoxication levels are two totally different ball games.

Let’s look at the following six sober shortcut examples.

#1 Drink Water

Drinking a lot of water in between shots of liquor, cold beers, or glasses of wine does help your body metabolize alcohol, but it doesn’t dilute the alcohol in your bloodstream. And as we already discussed, it’s that BAC number that determines your level of intoxication. So even if you drink an 8oz glass of water between every shot of whisky, your BAC will be the same. What drinking extra water will do, however, is ensure you stay hydrated, and that’s the best way to avoid a hangover.

#2 Eat Food to Absorb the Alcohol

During a night of drinking, it doesn’t matter if you sit down to a feast or snack on the bowls of stale popcorn that have been sitting on the bar at your local watering hole for the past three months. Eating food after drinking doesn’t help to sober you up and it won’t help to lower your BAC. It’s definitely worth mentioning, however, that eating a meal before you start drinking might help to slow down your body’s absorption of alcohol.

#3 Jump in a Cold Shower

While a cold shower – or just splashing your face with cold water – is an easy way to wake yourself up or get a quick burst of energy, it won’t do a thing to help reverse the effects of alcohol.

#4 Drink a Lot of Coffee

You obviously know that alcohol is a depressant, and that means it can make you drowsy. Coffee, on the other hand, is packed with caffeine, which is a stimulant that gives you energy.

People often think that combining the two will somehow negate the effects of alcohol in your system. The truth is that coffee doesn’t do a thing to make your body metabolize alcohol faster than usual. In fact, when your body encounters both alcohol and caffeine, it puts dangerous stress on your heart.

#5 Work Up a Sweat

 

This tip might conjure up memories of Richard Simmons’ selling his “Sweatin to the Oldies” VHS tapes, but there’s no need to break a sweat when drinking alcohol. That’s because alcohol is in your bloodstream; it’s not excreted in your sweat.

#6 Just Puke Already

Speaking of excreting things from your body,  you’ve likely heard that making yourself throw up can be an effective way to sober up instantly. But wait…before you go sticking your finger down your throat, you need to know that throwing up won’t lower your BAC at all. Again, the alcohol is in your bloodstream, not your stomach.

How Long Does It Take to Sober Up from Alcohol?

It typically takes 1-2 hours for your body to metabolize one serving of alcohol.  The more you drink, the longer it takes your body to metabolize the alcohol.

Here are the standard drink sizes:

When you drink alcohol, it enters your bloodstream and makes its way to your liver for processing. If you drink alcohol faster than your liver can metabolize it (more than one serving per hour), your BAC goes up and your cognitive functions go downhill.

You’ll  find examples of alcohol’s effects according to BAC levels in the table below.

BAC (%) Behavior Impact
0.001–0.029 The average individual appears normal Subtle Effects Police Officers Can Detect With Tests
0.030–0.059 Mild euphoria
Relaxation
Joyousness
Talkativeness
Decreased inhibition
Poor Concentration
Talking Louder Than Usual
More Outgoing in Public
0.060–0.099 Reduced sensitivity to pain
Heightened Euphoria
Lack of All Inhibitions
Extraversion
Reasoning
Depth Perception is Off
Peripheral vision is Blurry
Glare Recovery
0.100–0.199 Over-Expression
Boisterousness
Possibility of Nausea and Vomiting
Reflexes
Reaction Time Decreases
Generalized Lack of Motor Control
Staggering
Slurred Speech
Temporary Erectile Dysfunction
0.200–0.299 Nausea/Vomiting
Emotional Mood Swings
Anger or Sadness
Impaired Sensations
Decreased Libido
Possibility of Stupor
Severe Motor Impairment
Loss of Consciousness
Memory Blackout
0.300–0.399 Sedentary in a Stupor
Central Nervous System Depression
Loss of Understanding
Blacking In and Out
Slight possibility of death
Loss of Bladder function
Erratic Breathing Patterns
Dysequilibrium
Irregular Heart rate
0.400–0.500 Severe Central Nervous System Depression
Coma
Possible Risk of Death
Breathing Slows
Heart Rate Slows
Positional Alcohol Nystagmus
Call for Emergency Help
>0.50 High possibility of death Dial 911 Immediately

How To Sober Up Before Bed

You already know there’s no instant fix that will help you sober up before bed, but there are some things you can do to help your body sober up while you sleep. Be sure to get enough rest so your body has a chance to process and rid itself of the alcohol.

Here’s what you can do to reduce the chances of a bad hangover when you wake up. Before bed, you should:

How to Sober Up the Morning After

Hangovers tend to go away within 24 hours, but in order to make yourself feel better, try the following tips to help you sober up the morning after:

Is There a Way to Sober Up Fast to Drive?

In short, there is no safe driving if you get behind the wheel after you’ve been drinking. The only thing that can ensure a safe driving experience is time – your body needs time to process and rid itself of the alcohol in your bloodstream.

Still impaired by all the alcohol you drank? Pick up your phone and call an Uber, a Lyft, or a sober friend to pick you up when you’re ready to leave. It’s never a good idea to put yourself at risk for being pulled over for a DUI, or worse, causing a drunk driving accident and risking the lives of everyone on the road.