How to Get Sober Fast: 4 Immediate Steps to Take + What Really Works and What Doesn’t

Methods That Actually Help Your Body Recover

While you can’t speed up your body’s natural detox process, you can support it and minimize uncomfortable symptoms. These evidence-based approaches help you feel better while your system clears substances naturally.

Stay Hydrated

Dehydration makes all the symptoms of drug and alcohol intoxication worse—headaches become more severe, nausea increases, and fatigue deepens. Water helps your kidneys flush waste products and supports overall body function during recovery.⁷

Drink water slowly and consistently rather than large amounts at once. Room temperature water is often easier to keep down than ice-cold drinks. If plain water causes nausea, try small sips of electrolyte solutions or diluted sports drinks. Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and high-sugar beverages, which can worsen dehydration.

Rest and Time

Sleep is one of your body’s most powerful recovery tools. During rest, your liver continues processing substances while your brain clears toxins and repairs itself.⁸ Even if you can’t fall asleep, lying quietly in a dark room helps reduce stimulation and supports recovery.

Create a safe sleeping environment by lying on your side, keeping a glass of water and trash can nearby in case of nausea, and having someone check on you if you’ve consumed large amounts. Remove any choking hazards and ensure you can breathe clearly. Light, restful activities like listening to calm music can help if sleep isn’t possible.

Nutrition Support

Light, easy-to-digest foods⁹ can help stabilize blood sugar and provide energy for recovery. Toast, crackers, bananas, or clear broth are gentle options that won’t upset your stomach. Avoid greasy, spicy, or heavy foods that could increase nausea.

If you’ve been vomiting, start with small amounts of clear liquids before trying solid foods. Ginger tea may help settle your stomach naturally. Don’t force yourself to eat if you’re very nauseous, but try small amounts when you feel able.

Fresh Air and Gentle Movement

Getting outside or opening the windows for some fresh air and deep breathing can help reduce nausea and calm your mind. The increased oxygen might clear your head slightly, but it won’t speed up the elimination process.

Very light movement like slow walking can sometimes help with nausea and restlessness, but avoid anything strenuous. Never attempt to drive, bike, or engage in activities requiring coordination and quick reflexes. Keep in mind that alcohol affects your reaction time and judgment,¹⁰ even if you feel somewhat better.

Common Myths That Don’t Work

Many popular “sobering up” methods are not only ineffective, but can actually be dangerous. 

Cold Showers and Coffee 

Taking a cold shower or drinking coffee might make you feel more alert temporarily, but neither actually reduces your blood alcohol level or eliminates other substances from your system. Caffeine can mask some symptoms of intoxication,¹¹ giving you a false sense of being more sober while your coordination and judgment are still impaired.

This is a dangerous combination because you might feel capable of activities like driving even if you’re still significantly intoxicated. Cold showers can also be risky if you’re unsteady on your feet or have been binge drinking, as the shock can cause dizziness or falls.

Sweating It Out

Intense exercise, saunas, or other attempts to sweat out substances are both ineffective and potentially harmful.¹² While small amounts of alcohol do leave through sweat and breath, the vast majority is processed by enzymes in your liver, not through perspiration.

Vigorous exercise while intoxicated increases your risk of dehydration, overheating, injuries from poor coordination, and dangerous heart rhythm changes. Your body is already working hard to process substances; adding physical stress can overwhelm your system.¹³

Vomiting 

Some people try to induce vomiting, thinking it will help remove substances from their system. However, this approach isn’t necessarily effective and also poses risks. Most substances are absorbed into your bloodstream within minutes to hours of drug or alcohol consumption, so vomiting only removes what’s still in your stomach.

Forced vomiting can cause serious complications¹⁴ including choking, dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, and damage to your teeth and throat. If you’re naturally vomiting due to intoxication, focus on staying hydrated and getting medical help if vomiting is severe or persistent.

Over-the-Counter “Detox” Products

Unfortunately, over-the-counter supplements, detox drinks, and “hangover cures” don’t speed up your body’s natural processing of alcohol or drugs.¹⁵ These products often contain concentrations of caffeine, vitamins, or herbal ingredients that might temporarily mask some symptoms but don’t actually eliminate substances faster.

Energy Drinks and Stimulants

Energy drinks and stimulants are problematic because they can mask intoxication symptoms while increasing heart rate and blood pressure. This combination puts additional stress on your cardiovascular system and can be dangerous, especially if you have underlying health conditions.

Beyond Quick Fixes: Building Lasting Recovery

If you find yourself frequently needing to get sober fast, it might be time to examine your relationship with substances from a broader perspective. Repeatedly cycling through substance use and urgent sobering attempts often speaks to underlying patterns that need attention, whether that’s stress, anxiety, depression, or other triggers driving your substance use. Continuing to drink heavily despite the negative consequences in your life is also a sign of alcohol use disorder.

Quick fixes treat symptoms rather than causes, keeping you trapped in a cycle of consequences and crisis management. Sustainable recovery, on the other hand, focuses on understanding what drives your substance abuse and building a lifestyle that naturally supports sobriety. This holistic approach addresses your physical and mental health, relationships, and coping skills instead of just managing individual episodes of intoxication. 

Your Next Steps

The only reliable way to get sober fast is to prioritize safety, stay hydrated, rest, and let your body do its natural work. While there’s no shortcut to processing substances, understanding how to genuinely support your well-being can help you feel better sooner and avoid dangerous myths.

If you’re finding yourself in situations where you need to sober up fast on a regular basis, professional addiction treatment can help you address underlying patterns and build sustainable recovery skills. Recovery.com connects you with treatment centers nationwide that offer compassionate, effective healthcare.

Find treatment options near you to start building a healthier relationship with substances.

FAQs

Q: How long does it take to sober up?

A: The time to sober up depends on several factors including what and how much you consumed, your body weight, and overall state of wellness. Generally, your liver processes about one standard drink per hour. For other substances, timelines vary significantly—marijuana effects may last several hours, while stimulants typically clear faster than alcohol.

Q: Can you sober up in 2 hours?

A: If you’ve only had one or 2 drinks, you might feel significantly better in 2 hours as your body processes the alcohol. However, if you’ve consumed multiple drinks or other substances, 2 hours likely isn’t enough time to completely sober up. There’s no safe way to speed up this natural process.

Q: What helps get rid of alcohol faster?

A: Nothing can make your liver process alcohol intake faster than its natural rate of about one drink per hour. Staying hydrated, resting, and eating light foods can help you feel better while your body works, but they don’t speed up alcohol elimination.

Q: What sobers you up quickly when high?

A: Time is the only thing that truly sobers you up from any substance. While staying hydrated, getting fresh air, and resting in a safe place can help you feel more comfortable, they don’t eliminate substances from your system faster.

Q: How long does it take to get rid of the effects of alcohol?

A: Most people feel significantly better within 24 hours after their last drink,¹⁶ depending on how much they consumed. However, some alcohol effects like dehydration and fatigue may linger longer after a night of drinking. Complete elimination depends on the amount consumed and individual factors.

Q: Can you speed up alcohol detox?

A: No, you cannot safely speed up alcohol detox. Your liver processes alcohol at a set rate, and attempting to rush this process through extreme measures like excessive exercise or “detox” products can be dangerous and ineffective.

Q: What are effective ways to sober up quickly?

A: The most effective approach focuses on safety and comfort rather than speed: Stop consuming substances, stay hydrated, rest in a safe environment, eat light foods if you can tolerate them, and have someone sober monitor you (or take you to get medical care) if you’re severely intoxicated.