Do you sweat after drinking alcohol? 7 reasons why it may happen

If you’re a regular drinker, chances are you know the feeling. Taking one glass of alcohol after another may cool you down mentally, but physically, you may feel the heat, quite literally! Do you know what causes you to sweat after drinking alcohol? Come, let us find out.

When Health Shots got in touch with Dr Jinendra Jain, Consultant Physician, Wockhardt Hospital, Mira Road, Mumbai, and asked why people often experience sweating or hot flashes after drinking alcohol. He promptly replied that it’s quite common as it’s an aftereffect of alcohol.

The expert explained that it happens because alcohol causes a lot of changes and imbalances in your body.

According to him, there are multiple reasons that can lead to this problem, and the amount of alcohol also has a major role to play. No points for guessing that high body temperature and increased heart rate are the biggest culprits here.

Here are 7 causes why you sweat after drinking alcohol:

1. Rapid heartbeat

You will feel a little warmer even after one drink. A few drinks may cause your heart to accelerate, which further increases the chances of flushing and sweating. Dr Jain says, “Alcohol impacts the central nervous system, the circulatory system, and every part of your body. Thus, drinking leads to an increased heart rate and widens blood vessels in your skin.” This tends to trigger perspiration.

Also, read: Struggling with excessive sweat? Maybe you’re missing out on these vitamins

2. Fluctuations in blood pressure

The relationship that binge drinkers have with alcohol is unhealthy. Alcohol affects the nervous system and can cause your blood vessels to tighten, which results in increased blood pressure. Hence, one tends to sweat after drinking alcohol.

3. Hangover

Due to the hangover inducing a fight-or-flight response, hot flashes may occur while you are drunk and feeling hungover.

4. Body temperature

The body has to process the alcohol after drinking it. The more one drinks it, the more one has to metabolize it. So, when the body is metabolizing alcohol, one may sweat. “A rise in metabolic rate is associated with increased body temperature,” says Dr Jain.

Also, read: Use these 5 yoga asanas to heal yourself from alcohol addiction

5. Impacts brain

The hypothalamus (a region of the brain) is responsible for controlling the nervous system and body temperature. Alcohol impacts the brain and changes body temperature, and one may sweat due to this.

6. Hot weather

You may sweat due to the heat if you may be drinking in an outdoor environment or under the sun, of course! Besides this, if you’re drinking while seated in a crowded, poorly ventilated place, you might also feel overheated.

7.  Alcohol intolerance

Alcohol intolerance and alcohol withdrawal can also lead to symptoms such as night sweats and facial redness.

Alcohol also increases urination, which makes your body lose water along with sweat and can lead to dehydration. So, be careful and try to drink enough water.

How much alcohol is safe to drink regularly?

It is better to refrain from drinking alcohol every day. But if someone wants to consume it, they should do it in accordance with their doctor’s recommendations. However, according to the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion’s 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, moderate alcohol consumption refers to up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men.