How Long Does it Takes Your Body to Recover From a Weekend of Drinking? Experts Weigh In
(Photo: Andra C Taylor Jr/Unsplash)
The holiday season brings festivities marked by abundant feasts and lively gatherings. Amidst the revelry, many grapple with the aftermath of indulgent weekends, prompting the question: How long does it take for the body to recover from an extended bout of drinking?
In an exclusive interview with DailyMail.com, health experts shared crucial insights into the recovery process, offering valuable tips. The revelation is clear: the body requires a minimum of two to three days to fully return to its normal state following a heavy weekend of drinking. And contrary to popular belief, consuming hearty meals doesn’t act as a cure-all for the inevitable hangover.
Dr. Hussain Ahmad emphasized in the report that alcohol metabolism is a meticulous process, taking up to 12 hours for the bloodstream to completely rid itself of alcohol.
“Although food is often recommended to accompany alcohol, it can slow how quickly your body metabolizes alcohol, meaning it takes longer to leave your system,” Ahmad informed Daily Mail.
While a substantial meal may temporarily alleviate inebriation symptoms, it, in fact, extends the recovery period. Speaking with the British tabloid, nutritional scientist Clifford Stephan cautioned against relying on heavy meals for post-drinking relief, underscoring their limited effectiveness in mitigating the aftermath.
According to Daily Mail, the body’s return to normal involves normalization of blood vessels, reactivation of liver functions and eventual alcohol expulsion from the digestive system. The 12-hour mark heralds the hangover, characterized by low dopamine levels and dehydration from alcohol’s diuretic effect.
Post-drinking requires mindful navigation, with Stephan advising against hasty caffeine consumption. Instead, he recommended trying lemon water with sea salt to restore lost electrolytes crucial for rehydration.
During recovery, stomach issues persist for about two days, stemming from alcohol’s impact on the gut microbiome. Stephan advocated a strategic approach, cautioning against common pain relievers to allow the liver ample time to rebound from the detoxification process.
Further addressing alcohol’s impact on the body, a study published in August concluded that women in the U.S. are binge drinking in higher numbers than ever before — and many are dying from it. The news came following January’s study from the WHO, which cited that no amount of alcohol is safe for consumption.
“We cannot talk about a so-called safe level of alcohol use. It doesn’t matter how much you drink — the risk to the drinker’s health starts from the first drop of any alcoholic beverage,” said Dr. Carina Ferreira-Borges, the regional advisor for Alcohol and Illicit Drugs in the WHO’s Regional Office for Europe.
“The only thing that we can say for sure is that the more you drink, the more harmful it is — or, in other words, the less you drink, the safer it is.”
In response to the WHO’s claims, multiple speakers at a Lifestyle, Diet, Wine & Health conference held in Toledo, Spain, pushed back, with one stating the wine world is “under attack from fundamentalists — people with ideology.”
Read next:
New York Drinks More Gin Than Any Other State, Recent Study Reveals
Mayday Call, Emergency Landing Prompted by Gin-Drinking Passenger’s Assault on Cabin Crew
Here at Gin Raiders, we do more than write about current events in gin and booze. We are the only media property reviewing gins and aggregating the scores and reviews of other significant voices in the gin world in one place. If you’re interested in getting a shot of gin in your morning email, sign up for our Deal of the Day newsletter.
Follow The Daily Pour:
About The Daily Pour
Founded by Dan Abrams, The Daily Pour is the ultimate drinking guide for the modern consumer, covering spirits, non-alcoholic and hemp beverages. With its unique combination of cross-category coverage and signature rating system that aggregates reviews from trusted critics across the internet, The Daily Pour sets the standard as the leading authority in helping consumers discover, compare and enjoy the best of today's evolving drinks landscape.
