If you've been drinking or using drugs and need to sober up fast, it's important to know this upfront: there is no reliable way to make your body process alcohol or drugs faster. Time is the only thing that truly sobers you up. What you can do is take steps to stay safer, feel more comfortable, and avoid making things worse while your body does the work.
Below, we'll cover what actually helps, what doesn't, how long sobering up really takes depending on what you've taken, and when intoxication becomes a medical emergency.
If someone is unresponsive, struggling to breathe, having a seizure, or you suspect an overdose, call emergency services immediately. Don't wait to see if they "sleep it off."
- Time is the only thing that sobers you up. Your liver processes roughly one standard drink per hour, and coffee or cold showers only mask impairment. Neither reduce your blood alcohol level, and neither make it safe to drive.
- Know the signs of an emergency. Call emergency services if someone is unresponsive, struggling to breathe, having a seizure, or may have overdosed. Never leave them to “sleep it off.”
- Frequently needing to sober up fast can be a warning sign. If it’s becoming a pattern, talking to a doctor, a helpline or a treatment provider is a good first step.
The Reality of Sobering Up Quickly
There’s no shortage of tricks people employ to try and sober up fast, but none directly change how impaired you are.
Why Time Is the Only Thing That Truly Sobers You Up
Your liver breaks down alcohol at a fairly fixed rate, roughly one standard drink per hour, and that rate doesn't change no matter what you eat, drink, or do. [1] The same general principle applies to most other substances: your body has to metabolize them, and that process runs on its own timeline. Nothing you buy, drink, or do to yourself speeds that up in any meaningful way.
The Difference Between Feeling Better and Being Sober
While a cold shower or strong coffee may make you feel more alert, that is not the same as sobering up. The stimulating properties of coffee can help mask the symptoms of intoxication, but it doesn’t do anything to lower your blood alcohol level. [2] It is vital to bear this in mind when considering driving after consuming alcohol; feeling alert due to coffee does not mean it is safe for you to get behind the wheel.
Immediate Steps to Take
While you wait for the effects to wear off, these steps can help:
Stop drinking or using right away
The best thing you can do in this moment is to stop drinking or using. Every additional drink or dose extends the processing time and increases the risk of things getting worse before they get better.
Move to a safe, quiet space
Reducing stimulation can help calm your nervous system. Bright lights, loud noise, and crowds can worsen disorientation and nausea. Find somewhere calm, away from hazards such as uneven ground, water, and intoxicants.
Sip water slowly
Water won't lower your blood alcohol content, clear drugs from your system, or even alleviate the next day’s hangover, but dehydration can make you feel considerably worse. [3] It is advisable to sip steadily rather than gulping, especially if you're feeling nauseated. Being properly hydrated also supports liver and kidney functioning, which plays an essential role in metabolizing alcohol and other intoxicating substances.
Eat something light if you are able
Food won't reverse intoxication, but something plain and easy to digest, such as crackers or unbuttered toast, can help settle your stomach and support blood sugar, which alcohol and some drugs can disrupt.
If you’ve been vomiting, start with small sips of clear liquids, such as water or herbal tea, before trying solid foods. Do not force yourself to eat if you feel nauseous or excessively drowsy, as this can increase the risk of vomiting or choking.
Rest without falling into a deep, unresponsive sleep
Rest helps, but if someone is very intoxicated, they shouldn't be left completely alone to sleep it off. Lay them on their side, not their back, to reduce the risk of choking if they vomit, and check on them regularly. [4]
Stay with a trusted person
Being with someone sober, or at least significantly less impaired, can help. They can assist you with decision-making, get help if things escalate, and keep a watchful eye on you to prevent mishap.
Avoid driving
This is worth stating plainly: feeling more alert after coffee, a shower, or some food does not mean you're safe to drive. Impairment can last well beyond when you start to feel "normal."
Popular Methods That Don't Actually Work
From strong coffee to cold showers, people try many ways to speed up the sobering-up process. Some of these methods can make you feel more alert, but none of them lower your blood alcohol level or clear substances from your body any faster. The table below gives a quick verdict on each, and we explore them in more detail further down:
| Method | Does it sober you up? |
|---|---|
| Coffee or energy drinks | No, caffeine in these drinks mask tiredness and other signs of intoxication, but it doesn't lower your blood alcohol level |
| Cold shower | No, it can increase alertness briefly, nothing more |
| Vomiting | No, and this can be dangerous depending on timing and substance |
| Exercise or sweating | No, alcohol and drugs aren't meaningfully eliminated through sweat |
| "Detox" drinks or supplements | No credible evidence these work |
| Sleeping it off | No. While sleep helps your body recover, it doesn't speed up the time taken by your liver to break down alcohol |
Caffeine
Caffeine is a stimulant; alcohol is a depressant. Combining them can leave you feeling more awake while just as inebriated, which is arguably riskier than being tired and intoxicated, because you may feel more confident than you should. [5]
Cold Water Exposure
Cold water exposure, such as a cold shower or dip in an icy lake, triggers an adrenaline response that can make you feel more alert, as though you’ve woken up bolt upright. However, it has no effect on how much alcohol or drugs are in your bloodstream. [6]
Vomiting
Making yourself vomit isn't a reliable way to reduce intoxication, since a meaningful amount of alcohol or a drug is usually already absorbed by the time nausea sets in. It also carries its own risks, including choking, especially if someone is heavily intoxicated.
Exercise and Sweating It Out
Only a small fraction of alcohol, roughly 2-5% of your blood alcohol level, leaves the body through sweat and breath. [7] Exercising while intoxicated also raises the risk of injury, dehydration, and accidents.
Energy Drinks and "Detox" Products
There's no supplement, drink, or product currently sold that safely speeds up how your liver processes alcohol or drugs. [8] Be especially wary of anything marketed as a "detox" shot or pill promising fast or ‘magic’ results.
The reality of "sleeping it off"
Sleep won’t sober you up any faster, but it can still help after drinking: it gives your body time to recover, lets your liver keep metabolizing the alcohol, and stops you from drinking any more. Important things to note when going to sleep after drinking include: [15]
- Drink water before going to bed, as this can help reduce dehydration caused by alcohol.
- It is possible for blood alcohol levels to continue to increase while sleeping, particularly if alcohol has been consumed shortly beforehand. This means that alcohol poisoning can occur during sleep, which can be dangerous.
- Alcohol can cause vomiting, which can be dangerous or fatal if it occurs while the individual is asleep, as they can choke.
- Sleeping upright or on one side can help reduce certain risks.
How Long Sobering Up Can Take
These are general ranges, not guarantees; individual factors like body weight, tolerance, what else you consumed, and overall health affect how long it takes to sober up from the following substances:
Alcohol
The body processes roughly one standard drink per hour, though effects can be felt for longer than that, and impairment can linger even after you no longer feel drunk.
Cannabis
Noticeable effects often ease within a few hours, but cannabis can affect coordination and reaction time longer than people expect. THC, the active ingredient in cannabis, is detectable in the body for much longer than its effects last. Standard urine or blood tests can detect it for up to 11 weeks. [9]
Stimulants (Cocaine, Methamphetamine)
Effects are often shorter and more intense than alcohol. Cocaine is eliminated from the body relatively quickly, with a half-life of roughly one hour. Methamphetamine, by contrast, is cleared much more slowly, with a half-life of around 10 to 12 hours. [10]
However, a comedown period can follow, involving fatigue, low mood, or agitation that can last well beyond the initial high.
MDMA
The half-life for MDMA leaving the bloodstream is 8 hours and it takes around 5 half-lives for over 95% of the drug to exit the body. [11] While the acute effects typically last several hours, they can be followed by a comedown lasting several days, marked by low mood, fatigue, poor concentration, and reduced overall functioning.
Opioids
Sobering-up time varies widely depending on the specific opioid, ranging from a few hours for short-acting drugs like heroin to over a day for longer-acting ones like methadone. [12]
Even after the intoxicating effects fade, residual drowsiness, slowed thinking, and impaired coordination can persist for several hours longer. Opioids also carry a serious risk of overdose, particularly when combined with alcohol or other sedatives. [13]
Benzodiazepines
Benzodiazepines don't all leave your system at the same rate; how long they linger depends on which one you've taken. They're classified by elimination half-life: ultrashort-acting compounds (e.g., midazolam, triazolam) clear in under 5 hours; intermediate/short-acting ones (e.g., alprazolam, lorazepam, temazepam) range from 5–24 hours; and long-acting benzodiazepines (e.g., diazepam, clonazepam, chlordiazepoxide) can take over 24 hours to clear. [14]
As such, impairment and sedation can last considerably longer than people expect, and combining them with alcohol significantly raises the risk of dangerous sedation or overdose.
Signs Intoxication Has Become an Emergency
Severe intoxication, or alcohol poisoning, occurs when you drink alcohol faster than your body is able to process it. Below are some signs of alcohol poisoning and advice on when to call for help: [14]
- Difficulty breathing or very slow, shallow breaths.
- Slurred words or speech impairment.
- Unresponsiveness or inability to stay awake.
- Seizures.
- Blue, grey, or unusually pale skin, especially around the lips.
- Severe confusion or disorientation.
- Repeated vomiting, particularly while lying down.
- Suspected overdose of any kind.
When to Call for Emergency Help
If you see any of the signs above in yourself or someone else, call emergency services right away. Don't wait to see if the person improves on their own, and don't leave them alone. If you're unsure whether a situation qualifies as an emergency, it's safer to call and be wrong than not to call at all.
When "Sobering Up Fast" Becomes a Recurring Problem
There are often times a person may want to sober up quickly, perhaps after the occasional late night without enough sleep, or when an unexpected commitment comes up the morning after alcohol consumption. But if you regularly find yourself hunting for ways to sober up fast, it could be a sign your drinking or substance use is negatively affecting your daily life.
Patterns Worth Paying Attention To
Signs worth paying attention to include:
- Drinking or using to cope with stress
- Needing to hide how much you’re drinking or using
- Blacking out
- Repeatedly telling yourself you’ll cut back, but not managing to
- Your alcohol or drug use interfering with your life, work, or relationships
If any of these sound familiar, it may indicate that you’re struggling with a substance use disorder.
Moving From Damage Control to Getting Support
There's a stark difference between managing the after-effects of drinking or using and addressing what's driving it in the first place. If you regularly find yourself in "how do I sober up fast" situations, that's often a sign you should address the root cause through treatment.
Get Help
Support for alcohol and substance use disorders ranges considerably depending on what you need, from outpatient counseling to structured treatment programs. There's no single "right" level of care. What matters is finding an option that matches where you actually are.
Lasting recovery works by understanding why substance use took hold in the first place. You can then build a way of life that supports staying sober as a natural byproduct, not a constant battle. Rather than just getting you through one intoxicated episode at a time, professional, clinical support looks at the whole picture: your physical and mental well-being, your relationships, and the coping tools you rely on day to day.
Talking to Someone Today
If any part of this article feels like it's describing your own situation more than you'd like, reaching out doesn't commit you to anything beyond a conversation. Talking to someone, whether a doctor, a helpline, or a clinical treatment provider, is an advisable first step to finding your optimal recovery solution.
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