Hot tubs are a source of entertainment for many, which is why so many people ask if drinking alcohol and hot tubs mix.
One of the best ways to enjoy a drink while soaking in the hot tub is to understand the risks involved.
Come dive in with us as we explore the complex relationship between alcohol and hot tubs.
Is It Bad To Drink Alcohol In The Hot Tub?
While sipping a bubbly cocktail in a bubbly environment is undoubtedly fun, it's not the best idea.
Alcohol can dilate your blood vessels, opening them up and allowing blood to pass through much quicker.
The result?
Your body temperature rises. This is the reason so many people feel hot after drinking a lot.
When your body temperature rises rapidly into dangerous territory, you can begin to feel nauseous or dizzy.
Reasons You Should Never Drink In The Hot Tub
- Dizziness: As we said before, when your blood vessels expand, blood passes through your body much quicker, lowering your blood pressure and increasing your body temperature. Being dizzy alone isn't the worst thing in the world, but having a loss of motor control can be scary and can lead to worse consequences, such as falling or passing out.
- Dehydration: You probably don't notice it when you're wet, but you sweat quite a bit when in the hot tub. As you know, sweat is just water that your body is expelling. Too much sweat loss and you can begin to feel dehydrated. Combine that with the dehydrating effects of alcohol and you may end up going into a state of extreme dehydration. The first signs of extreme dehydration including extreme thirst, fever, rapid heartbeat, headache, and nausea.
- Heat Exhaustion: Extreme dehydration can lead to heat exhaustion. Some of the common symptoms of heat exhaustion include extreme sweating, nausea, headache, fatigue, and confusion. If you're relaxing in the hot tub and you begin feeling symptoms like this, GET OUT IMMEDIATELY. Get to a cold shower as fast as you can and drink a ton of water.
- Unconsciousness: Even if you don't break the threshold of dehydration or heat exhaustion, the sheer state of relaxation from drinking alcohol with the jets running can put you to sleep. If you're drinking alcohol in a hot tub alone, falling asleep can be incredibly dangerous and can lead to drowning or death.
Staying Safe While Drinking In The Hot Tub
Now you might be thinking,
I can handle my alcohol, guy.
Honestly, I don't doubt it! Everything in life comes with a risk and I don't expect every person to read this article and never drink alcohol in a hot tub again. However, when you have an understanding of the risks involved, you can make better choices to limit the negative consequences.
If you choose to drink in a hot tub, here are a few ways you can stay safe.
- Drink With Others: If you plan on drinking alcohol while in the hot tub, don't do it alone. There are way too many horror stories and near-death experiences of people becoming intoxicated and falling asleep or passing out while soaking. It can happen in an instant. Having at least one friend or loved one around to make sure you don't fall asleep in the water isn't a hard thing to do. Plus, there's nothing quite as fun as a hot tub party!
- Stay Hydrated: This tip should be for life in general (shoutout to all of those who have had terrible hangovers in their lives and swore they'd never drink again!). An easy and effective way to combat dehydration when drinking alcohol and hot tubbing is to drink water between each alcoholic drink. If you can shotgun that mango White Claw, you can throw back a glass of water.
- Step Out Of The Hot Tub: Taking a break every 15-20 minutes can help you cool down. By stepping out of the hot tub periodically, you give your body a break from high temperatures. This is a wonderful way to avoid heat exhaustion.
- Drink Out Of Plastic Cups: While a glass bottle isn't going to kill you, broken glass isn't fun to step on. Good luck getting a hundred micro shards of broken glass out of the hot tub when your drunk buddy accidentally smashes his Modelo on the shell of the hot tub during his manic Crypto sales pitch. Even if no one breaks a glass on accident, the combination of glass and hot water could cause the glass to break. Don't be the party foul by bringing a cold beer into the spa. Ditch the glass for some plastic cups. You won't regret it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will Drinking In The Hot Tub Get Me Drunk Faster?
A hot tub intensifies the effects of alcohol thanks to the fact that it opens up your blood vessels, allowing alcohol to flow through your bloodstream much faster. With decreased blood pressure, the alcohol circulates through your body much faster.
So yes, drinking alcohol while you soak will get you drunk much faster than normal.
Will A Hot Tub Help Cure My Hangover?
Yes, soaking in the hot tub can help cure your hangover! Though you must drink water to remain hydrated.
If you wake up feeling hungover after a long night of drinking, drink a glass of water or two.
Once you've hydrated your body, go for a 15 to 20-minute soak in the hot tub.
Not only will you feel more relaxed sitting in the hot tub, but it will also help stimulate your blood circulation.
With better blood circulation, you'll have a better chance of flushing the alcohol toxins out of your system.
If you have a headache from your hangover, you can use a few drops of peppermint aromatherapy product in the hot water.
When you're done in the hot tub, make sure to take a cold shower to rehydrate your skin.
Final Thoughts - Do Alcohol and Hot Tubs Mix?
We're not here to stop you from having a drink or two when hanging out in the hot tub, but rather provide you with the information you need to stay safe while relaxing! The combination of hot tubs and alcohol can be a dangerous one and that is no joke.
However, if having a couple of drinks when hanging in the hot tub isn't the form of entertainment that you want to give up, make sure to follow our advice above so that you can do it safely! Happy hot tubbing!
