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HomeAddictionAlcoholHow to Get Alcohol Out of your System

Estimated reading time: 36 minute(s)

Edited & clinically reviewed by THE BALANCE Team
Fact checked

Estimated reading time: 36 minute(s)

While consuming alcohol can be temporarily enjoyable for many, having it in your body time doesn’t remain fun for long. Too much alcohol can quickly intoxicate a person, and the resultant hangover can be excruciating and uncomfortable. If you frequently indulge in binge drinking to the point of feeling sick and intoxicated, you have probably wondered about the fastest way to get alcohol out of your urine to cleanse the body.

The fact is, there is no cut-and-dry remedy to flush alcohol out of your system more quickly than its normal speed. However, there are ways to manage intoxication symptoms and help quit the habit if it interferes with your life too much. Suppose you take proper care and follow the suggested practices. In that case, the symptoms will subside eventually, allowing you to feel like yourself once again.

Because the blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) may vary depending on the user, situations, and the type of drinks being used, the time taken for its effects to subside can tremendously vary. How long you experience the effects of alcohol also differs depending on the type of substance. A general timeline in this regard is given below:

  • A shot of liquor — 1 hour
  • A glass of wine — 3 hours
  • A pint of beer — 2 hours

Even if effects wear off, it is still possible to detect alcohol in the system through different types of drug testing.

Blood Tests: Up to 6 Hours

Approximately 20 per cent of alcohol coming from a single drink goes straight into the blood vessels. The remainder enters the small intestine, from where it moves to the bloodstream. Eventually, it gets processed and is flushed out through the liver.

Urine Tests: From 12 to 72 Hours

Older methods of urine analysis were able to detect the traces of alcohol for up to 24 hours. However, with the newer, more advanced techniques, ethanol metabolites can be picked up from urine even after 72 hours of consumption.

Breathalysers: 12 to 24 Hours

Because alcohol metabolises comparatively quickly, a saliva test or a breathalyser is usually used to confirm an event of recent drinking. These tests are typically used by police offers or addiction rehabs in an outpatient setting to ensure that patients are practising abstinence.

Hair Analysis: Up to 3 Months

On average, alcohol remains in the hair strands for up to three months after the last drink.

If you have only had a couple of drinks and are looking for methods to perform quick alcohol cleanse on your own, the following tips may help:

Sleep in

If you have not reached full intoxication yet, sleeping in for the night can help your body go back to normal by excreting alcohol as you rest.

Drink water and other fluids

Alcohol often causes dehydration which eventually leads to headaches and lethargy. Keeping your hydration level up by drinking enough water can help your body recover soon.

Have a meal

Consumption of alcohol is associated with low blood sugar and consequent crashes. Hence, it is important to balance these effects by eating food. If a proper meal makes you nauseous, try some rice or crackers until the body can process heavier food items.

Get some exercise

While completing an aerobics class under alcohol intoxication is impossible, try your best to sweat. You can also consider deep breathing to ramp up your oxygen levels and release toxins. These effects ultimately help the liver filter out alcohol from your system more easily.

While you might be able to flush the alcohol out of your system after a single episode of binge drinking, these are merely short-term solutions, especially if you suffer from an alcohol abuse disorder. In such a case, speaking with an addiction treatment specialist as soon as possible is the best solution to begin recovery. These professionals are trained to assess each individual case and choose from the following programmes to initiate recovery:

Alcohol Detox Programmes

Many people addicted to alcohol try quitting on their own but fail because of the severe withdrawal side effects that follow. For such people, enrolling in a detox programme is advised to get alcohol out of the system without putting their comfort and safety at stake. A detox may take place, inpatient or outpatient, depending on the severity of the addiction. The length of this process varies depending on:

  • How long you have been drinking
  • How much you drink in one sitting
  • Family history of alcohol abuse
  • Number of past attempts to self-detox

Inpatient Programmes

These programmes are conducted in a temptation-free environment and are best for people who are unable to quit on their own due to too many distractions in their homes. In this case, patients check into specified accommodations, live there under 24/7 supervision, attend therapy, and slowly recover.

Outpatient Programmes

An outpatient programme works best for people with milder alcohol addiction to aim for recovery. This type of programme offers more flexibility as clients are able to maintain their regular life and continue with everyday activities and responsibilities while getting therapy.

Medication-assisted Programs

Some chronic alcohol abusers may develop highly uncomfortable and potentially dangerous withdrawal symptoms as they attempt to quit alcohol abuse. To prevent these symptoms from causing any damage, physicians sometimes prescribe medications. Medications are also given to alcohol addicts with a concurring mental health illness to ensure a smooth detox without any hiccups.

Individual Therapy

In addition to detoxing, tackling alcohol addiction requires therapy. Through regular therapy with an expert, addicts can understand the cause behind their addictive behaviours and work on fixing them.

Group Therapy

Group therapy aims to build a healthy, sober support team to speed up recovery and ensure long-term abstinence.

If you are experiencing alcohol intoxication and hangovers too often, you might consider seeking help for alcohol addiction. Alcohol addiction is a sneaky disease that often takes many people by surprise. If you or a loved one around you is a high-functioning alcoholic who is low-key struggling to remain healthy, contact an addiction rehab today for a personalised, comprehensive treatment plan curated by professionals.

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