How to Drink Alcohol
Hydrate accordingly., Take note of other substances that cause dehydration, and be careful not to combine them with too much alcohol., Eat a good meal before drinking alcohol., Be aware that booze does not mix with most medication., Get plenty of...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Hydrate accordingly.
Alcohol will dehydrate you, so it is important to make sure you have sufficiently compensated for this.
Your system will be less upset by the experience of intoxication if you are well hydrated before you have your first alcoholic beverage of the day.
You should already be in the habit of drinking enough water per day to stay hydrated.
If you are not, it is probably best that you start.
To be clear, soda, juice and tea do not count as water.
They may have water in them, but there is no substitute for pure H2O when the goal is to hydrate.
Drink extra water when you know you will be having a lot of alcohol in the near future.
Take physical exertion into account when deciding how much water to drink.
If you went to the gym or played sports before you hit the bar, drink a lot of water before you start drinking alcohol.
If you plan to drink while you are out dancing, prepare to supplement your boozy drinks with plenty of water. -
Step 2: Take note of other substances that cause dehydration
The most common are caffeine, sugar and sodium.
Definitely skip dessert if you plan to drink a lot of booze.
It was recently discovered that drinking up to four cups of coffee per day will not dehydrate you as much as originally speculated.
You should still be careful with stuff like energy drinks and caffeinated sodas since they tend to combine sugar and caffeine in unnatural amounts.
Also note that sweeteners used in diet soda dehydrate your body more than natural sugar.
If you must mix your booze with stuff like Red Bull or Cola, make sure you balance it out with a glass of water in between drinks.
Keep in mind that everyone has different reactions to what they put into their bodies.
Depending on your weight, height, metabolism and other biological factors, you may need to drink more or less water in order to fend off the symptoms of dehydration.
Be aware of your body’s reactions to dehydration so that you can maintain control of your condition throughout the night.
Early symptoms include headaches, dizziness and nausea.
Be ready to put down the bottle and start drinking water as soon as you experience any of these things. , If you drink on an empty stomach, you will reach intoxication much faster and the effects will be more intense.
Be careful when drinking booze while you eat.
Some beverages, like wine, go better with food than others.
Drinking beer with food might make you feel full faster.
It doesn’t hurt to leave at least a full hour between eating dinner and starting to drink.
With a nice hearty buffer of food in your system, less alcohol will be sent directly to the bloodstream and you will be able to enjoy more adult beverages before things get out of hand.
Good foods to eat before a night of drinking are high in protein, fat and carbohydrates.
Some examples are burgers, fries, eggs, bread, potatoes, bacon, tacos, etc.
Fried foods, while they come with other risk factors involving general health, provide a great foundation for a saucy night on the town.
Consuming alcohol to or past the point of intoxication takes a lot out of your body.
You can make it a little easier on yourself if you take a general multivitamin regularly.
But beware, because multivitamins require a lot of time and water in order to break down properly.
If you plan to drink at night, take your vitamins in the morning with a whole lot of water. , Studies show that 70% of Americans take prescription meds regularly.
If you are one of them, check the information packet you got from the pharmacy to see if there are any alcohol advisory warnings associated with your medicine before drinking.
Check the warning labels on all over-the-counter medicines as well.
Alcohol will decrease the effectiveness of many antibiotics.
It may also cause nausea or other side effects when combined with such medicine.
Many antidepressants and anxiety medicines should not, under any circumstances, be mixed with alcohol.
It is likely your doctor warned you about this, so you should already know better than to drink while you are on these meds.
Pain killers should never be combined with alcohol.
Even over the counter doses of acetaminophen and ibuprofen can cause liver damage when mixed with booze.
If you took a couple of ibuprofen earlier in the day for cramps or a headache, wait 4-6 hours before having a drink.
Medicines generally require a lot of water in order to be fully absorbed into your system.
Some cause dehydration.
Even if your meds are okay to mix with alcohol, be sure you have consumed enough water to compensate for the difference before hitting the bottle. , The symptoms of sleep deprivation do not go very well with the effects of alcohol consumption.
Sleep deprivation causes many symptoms that are similar to those of alcohol intoxication.
You will almost definitely black out faster than you would otherwise.
Take this into account before you get started.
If you didn’t get enough sleep last night, you may start to feel intoxicated after fewer drinks.
Take a disco nap just to be safe.
You can do this between getting off work and preparing to go out on the town. , On top of being risky, it’s not nearly as much fun.
When you drink alone, it is easier to overdrink and let things get out of hand.
You don’t have the fear of embarrassing yourself.
There also won’t be anyone to notice if you pass out from alcohol poisoning.
Be careful when you go out for drinks alone.
Decreased inhibitions might make you more likely to seek out the attention of strangers and get into a potentially dangerous situation.
Always go out with at least one trusted friend. , Otherwise, you stand the risk of being stranded, riding home with someone who is drunk, or ending up behind the wheel when you shouldn’t be.
Set aside some cash for cab fare if nobody wants to remain sober, and remind your friends to do the same.
In the event of people drinking at your place, be sure to offer crash space for those who can’t drive home.
It is your responsibility as host to make sure nobody in your party is allowed to drive drunk. -
Step 3: and be careful not to combine them with too much alcohol.
-
Step 4: Eat a good meal before drinking alcohol.
-
Step 5: Be aware that booze does not mix with most medication.
-
Step 6: Get plenty of rest.
-
Step 7: Avoid drinking alone.
-
Step 8: Secure a designated driver before anyone in your group has a drink.
Detailed Guide
Alcohol will dehydrate you, so it is important to make sure you have sufficiently compensated for this.
Your system will be less upset by the experience of intoxication if you are well hydrated before you have your first alcoholic beverage of the day.
You should already be in the habit of drinking enough water per day to stay hydrated.
If you are not, it is probably best that you start.
To be clear, soda, juice and tea do not count as water.
They may have water in them, but there is no substitute for pure H2O when the goal is to hydrate.
Drink extra water when you know you will be having a lot of alcohol in the near future.
Take physical exertion into account when deciding how much water to drink.
If you went to the gym or played sports before you hit the bar, drink a lot of water before you start drinking alcohol.
If you plan to drink while you are out dancing, prepare to supplement your boozy drinks with plenty of water.
The most common are caffeine, sugar and sodium.
Definitely skip dessert if you plan to drink a lot of booze.
It was recently discovered that drinking up to four cups of coffee per day will not dehydrate you as much as originally speculated.
You should still be careful with stuff like energy drinks and caffeinated sodas since they tend to combine sugar and caffeine in unnatural amounts.
Also note that sweeteners used in diet soda dehydrate your body more than natural sugar.
If you must mix your booze with stuff like Red Bull or Cola, make sure you balance it out with a glass of water in between drinks.
Keep in mind that everyone has different reactions to what they put into their bodies.
Depending on your weight, height, metabolism and other biological factors, you may need to drink more or less water in order to fend off the symptoms of dehydration.
Be aware of your body’s reactions to dehydration so that you can maintain control of your condition throughout the night.
Early symptoms include headaches, dizziness and nausea.
Be ready to put down the bottle and start drinking water as soon as you experience any of these things. , If you drink on an empty stomach, you will reach intoxication much faster and the effects will be more intense.
Be careful when drinking booze while you eat.
Some beverages, like wine, go better with food than others.
Drinking beer with food might make you feel full faster.
It doesn’t hurt to leave at least a full hour between eating dinner and starting to drink.
With a nice hearty buffer of food in your system, less alcohol will be sent directly to the bloodstream and you will be able to enjoy more adult beverages before things get out of hand.
Good foods to eat before a night of drinking are high in protein, fat and carbohydrates.
Some examples are burgers, fries, eggs, bread, potatoes, bacon, tacos, etc.
Fried foods, while they come with other risk factors involving general health, provide a great foundation for a saucy night on the town.
Consuming alcohol to or past the point of intoxication takes a lot out of your body.
You can make it a little easier on yourself if you take a general multivitamin regularly.
But beware, because multivitamins require a lot of time and water in order to break down properly.
If you plan to drink at night, take your vitamins in the morning with a whole lot of water. , Studies show that 70% of Americans take prescription meds regularly.
If you are one of them, check the information packet you got from the pharmacy to see if there are any alcohol advisory warnings associated with your medicine before drinking.
Check the warning labels on all over-the-counter medicines as well.
Alcohol will decrease the effectiveness of many antibiotics.
It may also cause nausea or other side effects when combined with such medicine.
Many antidepressants and anxiety medicines should not, under any circumstances, be mixed with alcohol.
It is likely your doctor warned you about this, so you should already know better than to drink while you are on these meds.
Pain killers should never be combined with alcohol.
Even over the counter doses of acetaminophen and ibuprofen can cause liver damage when mixed with booze.
If you took a couple of ibuprofen earlier in the day for cramps or a headache, wait 4-6 hours before having a drink.
Medicines generally require a lot of water in order to be fully absorbed into your system.
Some cause dehydration.
Even if your meds are okay to mix with alcohol, be sure you have consumed enough water to compensate for the difference before hitting the bottle. , The symptoms of sleep deprivation do not go very well with the effects of alcohol consumption.
Sleep deprivation causes many symptoms that are similar to those of alcohol intoxication.
You will almost definitely black out faster than you would otherwise.
Take this into account before you get started.
If you didn’t get enough sleep last night, you may start to feel intoxicated after fewer drinks.
Take a disco nap just to be safe.
You can do this between getting off work and preparing to go out on the town. , On top of being risky, it’s not nearly as much fun.
When you drink alone, it is easier to overdrink and let things get out of hand.
You don’t have the fear of embarrassing yourself.
There also won’t be anyone to notice if you pass out from alcohol poisoning.
Be careful when you go out for drinks alone.
Decreased inhibitions might make you more likely to seek out the attention of strangers and get into a potentially dangerous situation.
Always go out with at least one trusted friend. , Otherwise, you stand the risk of being stranded, riding home with someone who is drunk, or ending up behind the wheel when you shouldn’t be.
Set aside some cash for cab fare if nobody wants to remain sober, and remind your friends to do the same.
In the event of people drinking at your place, be sure to offer crash space for those who can’t drive home.
It is your responsibility as host to make sure nobody in your party is allowed to drive drunk.
About the Author
Sharon Taylor
Writer and educator with a focus on practical hobbies knowledge.
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