Know the Facts: Sobering Up
You've probably heard a list of things that can help someone sober up—water, coffee, a shower, greasy food. The reality is that nothing will speed up the sobering up process. The only thing that works is time.
Sobering up is a slow process. No matter who you are, your body can only process a BAC equivalent of around 0.015 per hour, so it takes a long time. The chart below gives an example of just how long.
It's something to think about if you go out on Thursday night and wonder why you’ve struggled in Friday classes, or wonder why you don’t get anything done on Sunday afternoons.
| Time | Activity | BAC |
|---|---|---|
| 2 a.m. | In bed, dizzy and disoriented | .200 |
| 3 a.m. | Nauseous, unable to sleep | .185 |
| 4 a.m. | Restless | .170 |
| 5 a.m. | Sleeping, but not well | .155 |
| 6 a.m. | Sleep | .140 |
| 7 a.m. | Get up for class with headache | .125 |
| 8 a.m. | Drive to school (risk of DUI) | .110 |
| 9 a.m. | In class, trouble focusing | .095 |
| 10 a.m. | Judgment still impaired | .080 |
| 11 a.m. | Fatigue | .065 |
| Noon | Not hungry | .050 |
| 1 p.m. | In class, still can’t focus | 0.35 |
| 2 p.m. | Head is clearing some | 0.20 |
| 3 p.m. | Feeling better | .005 |
| 4 p.m. | Finally sober | .000 |
