How To Space Out Your Drinking Perfectly

It is always a good idea to drink responsibly, but it can be difficult to know when you’ve had enough. Even if you are a person who enjoys drinking alcohol on the regular, there is no one right amount of drinking that will make you safely drive or sleep. The best way to avoid this is by spacing out your drinking throughout the day to avoid becoming intoxicated.

To do this successfully, here are some things you should pay attention to and how they affect your body:

1. The amount of food in your stomach

 Alcohol is converted into a toxic compound called acetaldehyde by an enzyme in the liver called alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), so its presence can be reduced by drinking on a full stomach. Drinking on an empty stomach only speeds up the alcohol conversion process, as much of the food in your stomach will have been digested. Meals with high fat content help to absorb alcohol and lower its absorption rate, while meals that are high in protein make the liver produce more ADH.

2. The amount of oxygen in your blood

Your body’s ability to properly metabolize alcohol is highly dependent on the level of oxygen in your bloodstream. The brain is the first organ impacted by a lack of oxygen, but it doesn’t stop there and will also begin to metabolize alcohol when the body begins to run low on oxygen. Since breathing can interfere with how much alcohol you absorb, making sure you have enough air flow around you and are around people who can help keep you alert next to you can be crucial if you plan on staying the night drinking. In addition, taking deep breaths while drinking will help re-circulate blood faster and keep your brain from being affected as quickly as it would while sleeping.

3. The time of day

Alcohol metabolizes faster at night and can make you feel sleepy quicker, which can be dangerous if you are driving in the morning or need to focus on a test next to you. Another reason why it can be important to stop drinking at a certain point during the day is because your blood alcohol content will rise much higher depending on what time it is. This means that you may end up being more intoxicated than when you first began drinking if you do not take breaks. Drinking later in the evening is also good for your liver since it doesn’t have to metabolize anything at all during those hours.

4. Your age

The older you get, the more alcohol your liver can process, which means you will have to drink much more to become intoxicated. It is also important to realize that alcohol shuts down as we age. Even though a person’s liver can metabolize much more alcohol than someone who is younger, their ability to physically tolerate it is still lower. One solution is to take your time with drinking in order to keep yourself from becoming impaired or completely worthless when you are older.

5. How much exercise you are getting

Exercise can help you deal with a hangover, but it can also speed up the amount of alcohol your body absorbs. While it is not the best idea to drink and work out at the same time, drinking a few hours before hitting the gym can make your workout more effective and efficient. If you aren’t exercising enough when you’re drinking, your body will be unable to break down alcohol as quickly as it normally would.

6. How hydrated you are

Dehydration is dangerous for any activity that you do, especially if you will be drinking later. It has been shown that a person who is dehydrated is able to absorb more alcohol than someone who is well-hydrated. If you want to avoid the possibility of becoming intoxicated while drinking, it’s important to drink enough fluids before, during, and after your drinking session.

Bottom Line

When it comes to drinking, it’s common knowledge that alcohol is a depressant. It can be both toxic and nerve-intensive. If you’re going to drink, it’s best to know how much you should consume at once and how often. When it comes to alcohol, people typically have a hard time scoping out their limits. You can get some night out accessories to relax and  help you space out your drinking.