How to Drink Alcohol

This article is for adults who are of legal drinking age (in most places, 18 and 19, and in the US, 21). It is illegal to provide alcohol to minors or drink alcohol underage. This can be done at social events such as bars, nightclubs or casinos. You can have a good time without alcohol, and you shouldn’t feel pressured to drink just because other people are. If you decide to drink alcohol, this article will help you to maintain control and minimize the risk of hurting yourself or others. Alcohol can harm a baby if you are pregnant.

Prepare to drink

1. Hydrate as needed. You will lose water when you drink alcohol, so you need to compensate for this. You will feel less intoxicated if you drink water before drinking your first alcohol of the day.
   • Drinking enough water to keep hydrated should be a habit. It is best to start drinking water if you haven’t already. It is important to note that tea, juice, and soda do not count towards water. Although they may contain water, pure H2O is the best way to hydrate. If you are planning to drink a lot of alcohol, you should consume more water.
   • Consider your physical activity when deciding the amount of water you should drink. Drink a lot of bottled water if you have been to the gym, played sports or done other physical activities before going out. You should drink plenty of water before you start drinking alcohol if you plan on drinking while dancing.
   • Reader poll: When we asked 227 readers of wiki how they like to pace themselves when drinking, 52% said that they would prefer to drink water between alcoholic beverages.
     
2. Be aware of other substances which cause dehydration and avoid combining them with alcohol. Caffeine, sodium and sugar are the most common. If you are planning to drink lots of alcohol, skip the dessert. 
   • Recent research has shown that drinking four cups of coffee a day does not cause you to dehydrate as much as was originally thought. Caffeinated drinks and energy drinks tend to contain excessive amounts of sugar. Note that the sweeteners in diet sodas dehydrate you more than sugar. You should drink water between Red Bull and Cola if you are going to mix them.
   • Remember that everyone’s body reacts differently to the food they eat. You may need to drink less or more water depending on your height, weight, metabolism, and other factors.
   • You can control your sleep by being aware of how your body reacts to dehydration. Early symptoms of dehydration include nausea, headaches and dizziness. As soon as any of these symptoms occur, you should immediately stop drinking the bottle and begin to drink water.

3. Before drinking alcohol, eat a healthy meal. You will be intoxicated much more quickly and intensely if you drink without food.
   • Drinking and eating can be dangerous. Wine, for example, goes better with some foods than others. You might feel more satisfied if you drink beer with your meal. It’s not a bad idea to wait at least an hour after eating before you start drinking.
   • You can enjoy more alcohol before the situation gets out of control if you have a good buffer of food.
   • Foods high in carbohydrates, fats and protein are good to eat prior to drinking. Burgers, eggs, fries, bread, potatoes and bacon are all good examples. Fried foods are not only unhealthy but also a source of other risks to your health. They can be a good foundation for a fun night out.
   • It is not good for your body to drink alcohol until you are intoxicated or beyond. Take a multivitamin every day to make life a bit easier. Be careful, as multivitamins need a lot of water and time to break down. Take your vitamins with lots of water in the morning if you are planning to drink alcohol at night.
     
4. Alcohol and most medications do not mix. According to studies, 70% of Americans regularly take prescription medications. Check the information package you received from the pharmacy before you drink to see if your medicine has any alcohol warnings.
   • Be sure to read the warnings on all medicines purchased over the counter.
   • Alcohol can reduce the effectiveness of antibiotics. Combining alcohol with antibiotics can cause nausea and other side effects.
   • Alcohol should never be mixed with many antidepressants or anxiety medications. You probably already knew this because your doctor told you.
   • Alcohol and painkillers are not compatible. Alcohol and even over-the-counter acetaminophen or ibuprofen may cause liver damage. Wait 4-6 hours after taking ibuprofen for a headache or cramps.
   • In order for your body to absorb the medicine, you need to drink a lot. Some cause dehydration. If you are allowed to drink alcohol with your medication, make sure to have enough water consumed to compensate.
     
5. Rest well. Sleep deprivation symptoms do not match up well with alcohol intoxication. Many of the symptoms associated with sleep deprivation are also similar to alcohol intoxication. If you don’t get enough sleep, you will most likely black out sooner than normal. Consider this before you start.
   • You may feel drunk after drinking less if you haven’t slept enough the night before.
   • To be on the safe side, take a nap. This can be done between leaving work and getting ready to go out.

6. Avoid drinking alone. It’s also not as much fun. It’s easier to drink too much and get things out of control when you drink alone. You won’t be embarrassed. You won’t even be noticed if you have alcohol poisoning.
   • When you are out alone, be careful. You may be more likely to get in a dangerous situation if you have lowered inhibitions. Always take at least one friend with you when going out.
     
7. Before anyone in your group drinks, designate a driver. You could end up stranded or riding with someone drunk to your destination, or you might find yourself behind the wheel.
   • If you don’t want to drink, set aside money for taxis and tell your friends to do the same.
   • If you have guests drinking at your house, make sure that you provide a place for them to crash if they can’t get home. As the host, you must ensure that no one in your group is driving drunk.

Drinking Responsibly

1. Remember your past experiences. You can use these to determine how much and what you can drink.
   • The majority of people dislike at least one type of alcohol. You can avoid this spirit by knowing which cocktails it is in.
   • Start slowly if this is your very first time drinking. Have a few beers or glasses of wine to get a feel for how alcohol affects you.
   • When you try something new, be extra cautious. It may take you years to understand how different types of alcohol can affect you fully.

2. Mixing alcohol is not recommended. Some people are indeed more sensitive to certain combinations of drinks than others. However, it will be less stressful on your system to stick with one drink throughout the night.
   • Tequila has a notoriously bad compatibility with other alcoholic beverages.
   • Irish Crème, for example, can be used in some cocktails. However, it is known to have a curdling effect that could upset your stomach more quickly than normal, so it is not recommended to consume too much.
   • Some people have problems mixing beer and liquor. The only way to find out what works in this situation is by trial and error.
   • Some drinks contain different types of alcohol. Cocktails like Long Island Iced Teas may contain more alcohol than other drinks. Limit your consumption of these cocktails.
   • Cider has a higher alcohol content than beer. The majority are 4-5 per cent, but some are 7-8.5. If you choose a cider that is on the strong side, be careful. You will be drunk faster than you think. Beginners should not consume strong ciders.
   • Know what you’re drinking. A good bartender will be able to tell you what ingredients are in their cocktails. You can learn a lot by watching your drink being made. When you mix your drinks, stick to the recipe and measure with a shot glass.
     
3. Sugary syrups and mixers should be avoided. The sweet taste of alcohol can be masked by beginners with mixers. Sugar increases alcohol’s dehydrating effect and is associated with hangovers and blackouts.
   • Even some liquors, such as brandy, bourbon, and cordials, have high sugar content. Therefore, you should be extra careful when mixing these liquors with mixers that contain sugar.
   • When you order a whiskey and coke, only one shot will be in your glass. The remaining drink is mainly high fructose corn syrup. You have probably consumed more than three times as much cola as alcohol by the time you feel tipsy.
   • You should also know that many bars don’t serve 100% juice. Any fruit juice you mix into your cocktail will have added sweeteners.
   • Even popular shots such as Sex on the Beach contain less alcohol than mixed drinks. These drinks are also served in shot glasses but contain less alcohol than full shots.
   • Some sugar substitutes can be even more dehydrating than the sugar itself.
   • Tonic and soda are the best mixers if you want to avoid sugar’s dehydrating effect. Carbonated water is what soda is. Tonic is made with quinine, which has mild pain-killing and anti-inflammatory effects. Sugar is also present but in a lesser amount than other carbonated mixers. Diet tonics that don’t contain sweeteners are great to mix with alcohol. They may not mask the alcohol flavour as well, but they are less likely to cause vomiting, headaches and other hangover-like symptoms.
     
4. When possible, stick to the top-shelf brands. Cheaper liquor is more likely to contain impurities, which can lead to a worse hangover. It’s expected that you can’t afford to drink as much top-shelf liquor, but it will taste better. You can still enjoy the taste without adding a lot of mixers.
   
5. Pace yourself. You may find it tempting to drink quickly, but it will make it harder for you to monitor how the alcohol is affecting your body. When you drink too quickly, you make it easier to overdrink because you don’t allow the alcohol effects to take hold before deciding whether or not you want to drink another. One drink per hour is a good pace to start with.
   • Make sure you measure your drinks correctly so you can limit yourself accurately. You can relax if you drink at a bar. The alcohol is already controlled. When mixing drinks yourself or at a party, you should always measure alcohol by the shot.
   • Listen to your body. Check for signs of dehydration after you have finished drinking each drink. These include headaches, nausea and dizziness. As soon as you experience any of these symptoms, stop drinking alcohol and switch over to water. Note the state of your basic motor abilities. You shouldn’t drink more if you stumble or have trouble speaking clearly.
   • Listen to those who care about you. Listen to your friends.
     
6. Stop when you need to. This can be done in a variety of ways, but the key is awareness and self-control. This is a difficult task for those who are learning to drink.
   • Set yourself a limit at the start of the evening. For inexperienced drinkers, three drinks is an appropriate limit. This should give you the feeling of euphoria, social lubrication and light drunkenness.
   • Tell a friend or the designated driver of your vehicle about your limit and ask them to be accountable.
   • Alcohol can be left in a flask for as long as desired. Alcohol kept in stainless steel flasks for several months or even years is not known to cause any health issues.
   • After a while, the alcohol will take on the taste of the flask. After a few weeks, if you have cleaned and rinsed the flask properly before filling it with alcohol, you may notice a metallic flavour.

The Night is Not Over Yet

1. Enjoy a tasty meal. In this case, sugar is not recommended. You’ll thank yourself the next morning.
   • Grab some breakfast at an all-night restaurant on your way home. Think carbs, fat, and absorbent foods. They are not good to eat every day, but they can help move alcohol through the system.
   • Before going to sleep, you should at least eat something absorbent, such as crackers, pretzels, or popcorn.
     
2. Before sleeping, drink at least one glass of water. Drink more if you can.
   • Be sure to empty your bladder prior to sleeping.
     
3. Take one 200mg tablet of ibuprofen. This is a great way to prevent a hangover.
   • This should be done ONLY AFTER you have eaten a good meal and drunk plenty of water. The stomach lining may have been temporarily damaged by drinking large amounts of alcohol. This condition should have improved enough with food, water, and a few hours to make a standard ibuprofen over-the-counter pill more beneficial than harmful.
   • Take only one pill to be on the safe side.
   • Avoid acetaminophen as it is associated with an increased risk of liver damage.
4. After drinking, you’ll sleep better. The quality of sleep is lower, but you will sleep better. You must do what you can to compensate.
   • Set your alarm earlier than usual if you need to get up at a specific time. You will likely have to wait a little while before you can join the world of living.