Does Drinking Alcohol in a Hot Tub Make You More Drunk?
After a stressful day at work, taking a dip in the hot tub with some beer or cocktail in hand sounds like a pleasant and relaxing experience. But the idea is not as good as it sounds. There are many risks of getting too intoxicated in the hot tub. But, does a hot tub make you more drunk?
Yes, drinking in a hot tub can make you feel drunker. Your blood vessels will dilate and your bloodstream will be pumping at a higher rate. As a result, your body absorbs any alcoholic drink you consume at a faster rate as well. Your liver won’t be able to keep up with this increased absorption and you’ll feel more intoxicated.
So, for those dumb enough to be even thinking about trying this, I’m going to talk about how drinking while in a hot tub can harm you. I’ll also provide some tips on avoiding over intoxication in the hot tub. So, stick with me till the end for a proper picture.
How Does Drinking in A Hot Tub Intensify the Effects of Alcohol?
A nice soak in the hot tub after a long day can make you feel extremely relaxed. Just soaking by itself doesn’t cause any intoxication. Though staying for too long might make you feel a bit dizzy. But if you are drinking in the hot tub, you are getting drunk at an increased rate due to increased circulation in your body.
Such intensified intoxication happens because your body goes through some changes when you soak in the hot tub. The changes start with the high temperature resulting in your internal body’s temperature rising.
To lose the heat, all the blood vessels around your body dilate and let the blood flow better through the skin. But your body can’t cool down as you are in the hot tub. As a result, your body temperature will keep elevating and alcohol stays in your system for much longer.
The high heat from the hot tub also causes your body to be in a state of dehydration. The alcohol in your system, coupled with dehydration, causes some serious side effects to your body.
Side Effects of Drinking in Your Hot Tub
These days, whenever we throw a house party, a fun and relaxing time in the hot tub with good company is a must. A cocktail for some extra relaxation can sound like a good idea. But not many people are aware of the dangerous combination of alcohol and hot tubs. Let’s look at all the reasons you should think again before getting drunk in the hot tub:
Dehydration
One of the greatest problems with drinking in the hot tub is because you might get an extreme case of dehydration. Something most people don’t realize is how much you are sweating when you are soaking in the heated pool.
The body produces massive amounts of sweat to keep the core temperature of your body down. Your body is already losing a massive amount of fluid very quickly. Then when you add alcohol to the equation, it causes double dehydration.
Such extreme dehydration means nausea, headache, extreme thirst, rapid heartbeat, and fever when you come out. Then you will also face the worst hangover you will ever get. Without a doubt, it doesn’t sound like the most pleasant experience.
Getting Dizzy
In the hot tub, you are already sweating to lose the heat from your body. At the same time, dilated blood vessels are working to cool down your heated skin. Such dilation will lower the blood pressure of your body and cause dizziness.
Then you add the disoriented and unsteady feeling from drinking alcohol, and the slight dizziness can become very dangerous. You can fall, break bones, suffer a concussion or even suffer other serious injuries.
Getting Unconscious and Drowning
Hot tubs are the best at calming you down and making you feel so relaxed that you might even fall asleep. Alcohol also works amazingly to relax our body muscles and the brain.
If you decide to combine both of them, it’s easy to pass out while you are in the hot tub, slip in the water or even drown. Since alcohol makes it hard to take care of yourself, there are more chances of such situations happening.
Heat Stroke
Bathing in the hot tub and alcohol raise our body temperature and dilate our blood vessels. So in many extreme cases, it’s possible to suffer from a heat stroke.
Alcohol also makes it harder to notice any sign of this happening. Heatstroke can cause heart palpitations and headaches. In many extreme cases, people go through heart attacks and need to go to the hospital.
Broken Glass
Drinking from a fancy wine glass during your time in the heated pool can make anyone feel fancy. But your senses are gone as you are drunk, and your hands are wet and slippery. There are more chances of dropping the glass and smashing it into pieces inside the hot tub. The worst-case scenario however is getting a deep glass cut.
If such unfortunate cases end up happening, everyone has to get out of the hot tub to avoid any injuries. Cleaning up the glass can be a huge pain as well.
Can You Go In a Hot Tub After Drinking?
Unfortunately, it’s never completely safe to combine alcohol and hot tubs. Even if you play it sneaky and drink some alcohol before, it is still dangerous to get in the hot tub.
You are already dehydrated and getting into the heated water just doubles the state of your body. There’s the risk of getting drowsy, losing your senses, falling, drowning, getting injured, or even suffering from a heat stroke. So it’s best to stay sober if you have plans to get in the hot tub.
Signs of Severe Intoxication
If you’re ever at a party with a jacuzzi, not only should you stay away from it if you’ve been drinking. But you should also look out for any signs of severe intoxication among your friends.
Knowing about the signs of severe intoxication can be a matter of life and death in some scenarios. And one of those scenarios is at some type of jacuzzi party. If you ever get a hint of someone being drunk, getting him out of the tub and somewhere cool would be the best thing to do.
But how do you know if someone or even you yourself are hangover. Here are some signs to look out for:
Difficulty in speech and coordination: As we all know, alcohol suppresses motor and neural functions. So, anyone who is very drunk should be having trouble speaking. They’ll also find it difficult to walk or even stand.
Red eyes: Alcohol causes decreased oxygen concentration in your eyes. This causes the blood vessels to constrict. This in turn causes eyes to become red.
Vomiting: When you’re intoxicated your body tries its best to get rid of the stuff that’s causing it to become ill. So, that’s why when someone is very very drunk, they’ll usually vomit. And this actually works. So, if you see someone vomiting by a hot tub or a jacuzzi, there’s a good chance he’s super drunk.
Sweaty skin: Just like vomiting this is another way the body defends itself from harmful stuff like alcohol. Clearly when you are drunk it means your body is absorbing more alcohol than your liver can break down. And sweating is a great way to get rid of those extra intoxicants.
Flushing face: Just like getting blood shot eyes, the constriction of vessels cause your face to become red. But, this can be an unreliable sign if you or your friends are in a hot tub or jacuzzi. Because the increased blood circulation will have you guys turning red already. Even so, it's a good rule to keep in mind.
Some Tips to Stay Safe When You are Drinking in the Hot Tub
If you are still willing to take the risk of drinking a little in the hot tub, you should follow the following tips:
- Make sure to drink with your friends. It’s never a good idea to drink alone in the hot tub. Before you realize it, you are already intoxicated. When you have friends near, they can help you not slip underwater or pass out.
- Keep Yourself Hydrated. You can take a big glass of water between every alcoholic liquid you take. This will help you avoid the dangerous symptoms of dehydration.
- Use Plastic Cups. Glass cups may make you feel fancy. But they won’t keep the dangers of breaking them in the hot tub away. No one wants to suffer a large glass cut from glass shards. So it’s best to use plastic cups and keep glass bottles at a distance from the hot tub.
- Make sure to monitor how you feel. No one knows your body as well as you do. Keep in mind that everything happens faster in the hot tub and keep yourself in check.
- Remember to step out of the hot tub now and then. Every 15 to 20 minutes get out and let yourself get a bit of rest from the extreme heat. This way your body will cool down and you can avoid getting heat exhaustion.
So, does a hot tub make you more drunk? Yes, it does. Should you do it? Never. As we’ve discussed, alcoholic beverages while taking a hot bath can severely harm you. And, it's also not a good idea to dive into a hot tub right after drinking. So, please heed my advice and take better care of yourself. Thanks for stopping by.
