Hot Tub And Alcohol
We see the question of whether or not it is safe to drink alcohol in a hot tub from new hot tub owners all the time. But, unfortunately, while people do it frequently, it's not the safest idea.
Of course, we know that probably won't stop you from drinking alcohol in your hot tub. However, if you understand the dangers associated with drinking alcohol in a hot tub, then you can mitigate the risks and make your soaking experience far more safe and enjoyable.
Come dive in as we explore the risks associated with drinking alcohol in a hot tub so that you can become more aware when soaking.
Top Reasons Why Drinking Alcohol and Hot Tubs Don't Mix
Heat Exhaustion
Your blood vessels expand, and your body temperature increases when drinking alcohol. Hot tubs cause both of these physiological changes to happen as well. The mixing of alcohol and hot tubs means you're exacerbating these bodily processes, which can cause heat exhaustion.
Some of the main symptoms of heat exhaustion include nausea, fatigue, headache, confusion, and extreme sweating. You may start to feel very sick when you experience these symptoms. If you experience any of the symptoms listed above, make sure to exit the hot tub immediately and drink water or take a cold shower. If you have high blood pressure, you'll want to exit the hot tub and drink water only, forgoing the cold shower.
Heat exhaustion can lead to a stroke or heart attack, especially if you are already at risk as it is.
Dizziness
Drinking in a hot tub can make people dizzy, as mixing hot tubs and alcohol lowers blood pressure. When you feel dizzy, the last thing you'd want is to stumble or fall next to the hot tub, so take it very slow.
Dehydration
We've all had a terrible hangover the morning after drinking alcohol.
That hangover comes from dehydration.
And while you might not notice, soaking in a hot tub makes you sweat A LOT. Your sweat is simply water that your body is expelling, meaning the risk of dehydration increases.
Mixing alcohol and hot tubs can become a recipe for extreme dehydration. Some of the symptoms of extreme dehydration include nausea, headache, fever, rapid heartbeat, and extreme thirst.
The feeling is similar to an unbearable hangover, which we wouldn't wish on our worst enemies.
Drowning
The combination of drinking alcohol during hydrotherapy is a relaxing experience. However, it can sometimes be too relaxing, which is when it becomes dangerous. You risk passing out in the hot tub if you drink too much alcohol while soaking. In turn, this puts you at risk of drowning.
Passing out in the hot tub can be extremely dangerous if you're alone.
Broken Glass
Lastly, it's a good idea to avoid drinking alcohol out of glass bottles if you can. The moment that cold beer bottle breaks in the hot tub, the hot tub session is over. You'll need to drain and refill the hot tub, which is probably the biggest party foul there is.
Recklessness
As we all know, alcohol can lower your inhibitions and make you do insane things you'd have never done sober. While it might sound funny talking about it, having it happen around water can be incredibly dangerous. Many accidental deaths are caused by mixing hot tubs and alcohol.
Even if you don't think you'd ever do something stupid to hurt yourself while drinking in the hot tub, you must also think about the people around you or anyone else you're soaking with. For example, if you have children under your supervision, drinking can limit your ability to focus on them, which can be very irresponsible and have consequences.
Drinking In A Hot Tub
Of course, we know the answers above were not the answers you wanted to hear, which is why we've come up with a few things that can make drinking alcohol and hot tubbing a much safer experience.
Always Drink With Others
Never drink alcohol alone when hot tubbing. It's best to drink with a friend or family member, as the last thing you'd want is to become too intoxicated, slip under the water and drown. These kinds of things can happen quickly, and having a friend with you to take care of you and make sure you get out of the hot water if anything happens is a good idea.
Stay Hydrated
One of the best ways to stay hydrated while drinking in the hot tub is by having a glass of water after every alcoholic drink. By drinking water, you can refrain from becoming dehydrated, limiting the risk of falling asleep.
Stay Cool
If you're going to drink while in the hot tub, it's a good idea to limit your soak time to 15-20 minutes.
Every 15-20 minutes, step out of the hot tub and allow your body temperature to cool off from the extreme heat.
Doing so is a wonderful way to avoid heat exhaustion alcohol can exacerbate.
The ideal approach would be to simply keep your alcohol at a far enough distance from the hot tub so that you had to exit the hot water every time you wanted another drink. In doing so, you can cool down whenever you want to take a sip.
Drink Out Of Plastic Cups
Drinking from glass bottles is a bad idea when you're in the hot tub.
Instead, use plastic cups or beer cans. Cold beer and a koozie never hurt anyone! This will prevent any potential cuts you may endure from broken glass.
Final Thoughts
Look, we know you're not going to stop drinking when soaking in hot tubs.
It's a lot of fun, and we certainly can't deny that!
However, we hope that having this information gives you the knowledge you need to drink safely while soaking so that you can avoid the dire consequences.
If you ever feel light-headed, sleepy, or extremely thirsty while soaking in the hot tub, exit the hot tub immediately, drink lots of water, and take a cool shower.
