If I metabolize a drink an hour, why do I feel Hungover?

If you're read about your body metabolizing about a drink an hour, you may have wondered why you don't feel fully refreshed when you wake up the next morning, many hours later, instead of feeling that dreaded hangover. If the alcohol is gone, why do you still occasionally feel awful?

Great question!

While your body does metabolize alcohol at a fairly consistent rate (about one standard drink per hour), hangovers aren’t just about alcohol still being in your system. Here’s why you can still feel awful hours later:

1. Dehydration & Electrolyte Imbalance

Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning it makes you pee more, leading to dehydration and loss of electrolytes like sodium, potassium, and magnesium. Even after the alcohol is gone, the effects of dehydration—headache, dizziness, dry mouth—can linger.

2. Acetaldehyde Buildup

When your liver breaks down alcohol, it first turns it into acetaldehyde, a toxic compound. Your body eventually processes this into acetate (which is harmless), but if you drink a lot, acetaldehyde builds up, contributing to nausea, sweating, and an overall feeling of misery.

3. Inflammation & Immune Response

Alcohol triggers an immune response that can cause body aches, fatigue, and trouble concentrating—kind of like a mild case of the flu. This response can persist even after the alcohol is gone.

4. Blood Sugar Crash

Alcohol messes with your blood sugar levels. If your body overcompensates by releasing too much insulin, your blood sugar can drop too low, leading to shakiness, weakness, and irritability.

5. Poor Sleep Quality

Even if you sleep for several hours, alcohol disrupts your REM sleep cycle, so you wake up feeling exhausted. This fatigue can make your hangover symptoms feel even worse.

6. Stomach Irritation

Alcohol irritates your stomach lining and increases acid production, which can lead to nausea and stomach pain that last well into the next day.

So while the alcohol itself may be out of your system, its effects on your body can take much longer to clear up! Hydrating, replenishing electrolytes, eating a good meal, and getting rest can help speed up recovery.