Sobering Up: Myth vs. Fact
After a long night out on the town, many people are stranded away from home and need to “sober up” quickly so that they can drive. Unfortunately, all quick tricks for sobering up are merely myths. The only way for your blood to become less saturated with alcohol is to give it time and allow it to metabolize.
If you or someone you know has been charged with an alcohol-related offense, it is important that you hire an experienced legal representative. Contact experienced Rhode Island DUI lawyer Matthew Marin today at 401-287-4384 to discuss your legal options.
Sobering Up Myths
There are a number of myths about how to sober up. Some of these myths include:
- Drinking coffee. It is standard for a host to serve a round of coffee or espresso following dinner. Frequently, people are misled into thinking that by ingesting caffeine, their body will metabolize the alcohol more quickly. This is false. Drinking coffee may make you less sleepy, but you are just as intoxicated.
- Drinking water. While this may prevent a bad hangover, it will not make you less drunk.
- Cold/hot showers. Also a completely ineffective method for sobering up.
- Exercise. This may be the most scientifically grounded myth—exercise increases metabolism, which may lower your BAC, but this is not likely true. Exercise increases your metabolism over time, not instantaneously.
Sobering Facts
The only way to sober up is to wait it out. Alcohol leaves the body of virtually everyone at a constant rate of about .015 percent of blood alcohol content (BAC) per hour. Thus, a person with a BAC of .015 would be completely sober in an hour, while a person with a BAC of ten times that (.15) would require 10 hours to become completely sober. This is true regardless of sex, age, weight, and similar factors.
Contact Us
For an experienced defense attorney who can help protect your legal rights, contact Rhode Island DUI lawyer Matthew Marin today at 401-287-4384.
