Does a Hot Tub Make You More Drunk?

Having an alcoholic beverage whilst in the hot tub really is one of life’s great pleasures. However, getting drunk in a hot tub is less of a good idea and is also known for being dangerous. I decided to find out what the risks of drinking in a hot tub are, why you get drunk so quickly in a hot tub and what the safest ways to drink in your hot tub are.

So, does a hot tub make you more drunk? Yes, a hot tub will make you feel more drunk as your heart rate will be higher and your blood vessels dilated. The alcohol will be absorbed into your bloodstream faster and pumped around the body at a higher rate. Add in the extra effects of dehydration in a hot tub and you will feel more drunk more quickly.

Whilst feeling slightly drunk on dry land can be a pleasant experience and, within reason, not particularly harmful, if you get drunk in a hot tub the risks are far greater. Let’s have a look at some of the issues:

Why shouldn’t you get drunk in a hot tub?

Yes, why shouldn’t you get drunk in your own hot tub? Surely what you do in your own back garden is basically up to you and having a few drinks whilst relaxing in the hot tub sounds like the perfect way to unwind at the weekend! All that is true but it’s good to at least be armed with the facts before you crack open the fizzy!

One of the main things to remember is that you will get drunk much more quickly and deeply in a hot tub than you will on dry land. We will have a look at some of the main reasons in more detail in a moment but bear in mind that your body is likely to react to alcohol much more severely in a hot tub than it normally does.

In my experience this gets more acute as you get older. I will admit to enjoying a good drink or two with friends but, as I have aged my body simply does not cope as well. I quickly begin to feel sleepy after drinking alcohol and the effects of drinking last much longer than they used to. This is even more pronounced in the hot tub. I personally have to be very careful if I do drink in the hot tub as I know that my body basically can’t really cope with it – sad times!

So what are the main issues?

Dehydration – This is the big one and one of the main problems. Whilst you are in the hot tub your body is working hard to keep your core temperature down. One of the main ways it does this is by sweating, in fact, your body can sweat a liter or more of fluid very quickly in a hot tub and still keep going as it will have little effect on cooling the body. In fact, your body is in a constant state of trying, against the odds to cool down and you will sweat profusely.

One of the problems in a hot tub is that you don’t realise you are doing this. You are surrounded by water and you don’t realise how much sweating you are doing. You will be losing liquid quickly and if you don’t drink water to replace the lost fluids you will start to feel ill very quickly.

Now, if you add alcohol into the equation matters only get worse. Alcohol in itself dehydrates the body so you are now trying to cope with a double whammy of dehydration. Your body will also be fooled into thinking that you are taking on rehydrating liquid as you are drinking and, as you start to feel drunk very quickly you will probably miss the warning signs that you are starting to feel dehydrated.

Feeling Dizzy – At the same time as your body trying to cool down by sweating your blood vessels will be dilating to try to take some of the heat away from your skin. This dilation can lead to lower blood pressure and dizziness. Sometimes when you suddenly move or stand in the hot tub you will be hit by a bout of dizziness and that is the reason why.

If you add in the feeling of being drunk as well then it becomes all too easy to become very unsteady and disorientated. In fact, you become extremely dangerous. If you have ever fallen or even just slipped getting in or out of the hot tub you will know just how painful it can be. It’s easy to break bones, fall on other people, suffer from a concussion or do yourself some other serious injury.

Heat Stroke – In extreme cases you could suffer from heatstroke in the hot tub. Alcohol may add to the risk of this happening but it is more likely that if you are drunk you will miss the signs and symptoms until it is too late. Heat stroke can cause severe headaches, heart palpitations and even heart attacks in extreme cases.

However, one of the main risks is unconsciousness. If you are drinking in a hot tub you could quickly fall asleep, suffer from heat exhaustion and pass out or just blackout for a few moments. This is bad enough on dry land but in a hot tub you can all too easily slip under the water and drown very quickly. It only takes about 60 seconds to drown and, even if you are with other people, the risks are just far too great.

Broken glass – It’s much nicer drinking from real glass but, with a combination of inebriation and wet slippery hands, the chances of dropping and smashing a glass are reasonably high. You could, if you are really unlucky smash a glass on the side of the hot tub and the broken glass may get into the hot tub or, alternatively you are likely to drop a glass by the side of the hot tub where you walk with bare feet.

It can be hard enough cleaning up the glass when you are sober but if you are slightly worse for wear then it becomes much harder. You become very likely to get a cut from the broken glass and, in the worst-case scenario a deep glass cut can be very dangerous.

If you are unfortunate enough to get broken glass in the hot tub itself then you will have little choice other than to get everyone out until it has been removed. This isn’t an easy job and you can, to a certain extent, use a pool vacuum to do it but a much safer option is to completely drain the hot tub, clear out all of the broken glass and thoroughly wipe the hot tub down before refilling.

Drunken behavior – Finally, if you have friends over and there is some heavy drinking then the chances are that people will start losing their inhibition and become far less risk-averse. Many people can behave perfectly safely when they are drunk but it only takes one person to get out of control and the combination of water to cause a big problem.

Of course, having a glass of wine in the hot tub with your partner is a very different event to having a full-blown pool party with many guests and freely flowing drinks. It will also depend upon the age and temperament of the bathers but the combination of groups of people, high alcohol consumption and pools and hot tubs is a recipe for disaster.

Having written and read all of that though I will fully admit that I have and plan to continue to drink in moderation on occasion when I am having a soak.

What can I do to make my not guilty pleasure as safe as possible?

Alternate drinks – One of the main problems in a hot tub and also when drinking alcohol is one of dehydration. Do as much as you can to try to prevent dehydration by starting off with a large glass of water before you get in the hot tub for the first time. It is then a good idea to alternate alcoholic drinks with non-alcoholic drinks, preferably water, to keep your hydration levels going.

Alternatively, you could have a bottle of water with you by the side of the hot tub and sip from it regularly. The advantage of this is that you can see how much or how little water you have drunk and, even if you don’t feel you need more or less, you can regulate your water intake more easily.

Do not mix drinks – It’s well known that mixing different types of alcohol together can make you drunk more quickly and leave you feeling much more worse for wear than if you had just stuck to one drink. Apparently it’s more to do with your perception of how much you have drunk than any scientific fact but, chances are if you stick to one type of alcohol you will feel better.

Drink in moderation – Remeber that alcohol will have a more powerful effect if you drink it in the hot tub. Slow down and pace yourself. It’s really easy to lose track of time and how much you have drunk so try to keep a tally somehow so that you can keep tabs on yourself.

Have frequent breaks – It’s recommended that you take frequent cooling off breaks from the hot tub even if you are not drinking. This becomes even more important if you have alcohol in your system and you should get out and cool off every 15 – 20 minutes.

Not only will this give your body time to recover but it will also give you a bit of a chance to see how drunk you are feeling. Remember that when you are sitting in the hot tub you will feel less drunk than when you try to stand up. Take extreme care when you are moving, keep both hands free and take the opportunity for a little bit of time out to re – group.

Use plastic glasses – Smashed glass is highly probable if you are drinking in a hot tub and highly dangerous. It’s not as nice drinking out of plastic but it’s a much better idea.

Monitor how you are feeling – You probably know how your body copes with alcohol when you are on dry land and can probably tell if you have gone a bit too far. Remember things happen much more quickly if you are drinking in a hot tub – you will get drunk more quickly and start to feel ill more quickly as well.

Try to remember to keep an eye on how you are feeling. Look out for the early signs of dehydration which can include dry lips and mouth and a headache and slow down, get out of the hot tub and drink water.