In 2024, 16.6 million Americans aged 18 to 25 admitted to drinking alcohol in a single month. This statistic implies that drinking alcohol is heavily normalized, especially for younger people. However, regular drinking comes with a wide range of side effects, and if you try to stop without entering a detox program, you might experience alcohol fatigue syndrome and other medical issues.
How Quitting Alcohol Affects the Body
When you’re addicted to a substance, your body has come to rely on that substance for normal function. For example, alcohol is a central nervous system depressant, which means it slows your heart rate, respiratory rate, and brain activity, and it can also lower your blood pressure. This is why some people who drink alcohol experience feelings of calmness, relaxation, or sleepiness.
In the case of ongoing alcohol use, your body gets accustomed to operating at this level. When you stop drinking alcohol, whether overnight, for a day at work, or as part of trying to get sober, your body starts to experience withdrawal symptoms. Depending on the severity of the drinking and your overall health, unmanaged, cold-turkey alcohol withdrawal can be very unpleasant.
Symptoms of Alcohol Withdrawal
Some common symptoms of alcohol withdrawal include:
- Extreme fatigue
- Headache
- Nausea
- Vomiting
In severe cases, those who are addicted to alcohol and try to detox from alcohol may experience alcohol withdrawal syndrome and delirium tremens. This is a very serious condition that can cause seizures, dangerous spikes in blood pressure and heart rate and even hallucinations. If you think you’re experiencing symptoms of delirium tremens, seek medical care immediately.
Facts About Alcohol Fatigue Syndrome
Fatigue is one of the most frequently experienced symptoms on the above list. It’s, therefore, not surprising to come across questions about it in chat rooms and forums. Some of the most commonly asked questions about the side effects of quitting drinking and their answers are as follows:
Does Drinking Alcohol Cause Fatigue?
Just one beer or a couple of glasses of wine can make many people feel sleepy and pleasantly relaxed. However, extreme fatigue is more likely to occur in the aftermath of heavy or binge drinking or excess alcohol consumption.
Any level of alcohol use can contribute to dehydration, which in turn causes blood pressure to drop and circulation to slow. When less oxygen and blood flow reach the brain, tiredness sets in.
Heavy alcohol use also affects circadian rhythms, disturbing sleep so that you’re not getting a satisfying night’s rest. Fatigue is then a natural byproduct.
What Happens When You Stop Drinking Alcohol?
In the longer term, stopping drinking is one of the wisest health choices someone with an alcohol problem can make. A body that’s not constantly under the influence of alcohol is healthier all around. Here are just some of the positive side effects of ditching alcohol:
- More hydration. This correlates with less fatigue, better cognitive function and even improvements in mood.
- Weight loss. Many people shed pounds after they stop drinking.
- A stronger immune system. Sobriety typically means less getting sick.
- Better sleep. Alcohol is notorious for interfering with a good night’s sleep.
- A healthier digestive system. Let’s not underestimate the power of a working liver and other organs that help to digest food, flush toxins and minimize digestive discomfort.
They’re worth bearing in mind during the earliest phase of an alcohol-free life, when what happens to the body immediately after alcohol leaves the system can cause fatigue and other mental and physical symptoms.
Not everyone will have the exact same experience when they stop drinking. Alcohol is a toxin, meaning that once it enters the bloodstream, it goes on to negatively affect just about every organ of the body. When a person has been drinking for a while, their brain and body adjust to this new normal. When they stop drinking, a readjustment back to life without alcohol will occur. Withdrawal constitutes the adjustment process by which the brain and body get back to health and gradually, over time, recover.
What is the Timeline for Alcohol Withdrawal?
Withdrawal from alcohol follows a general timeline, but it’s important to note that the specific timing and symptoms can vary from person to person depending on various factors. These can include the amount and duration of alcohol use, overall health, age and genetic predisposition, among others. Here’s a general timeline:
- Hour 0–6
Early withdrawal symptoms may start within a few hours after the last drink. These can include trembling (shakes), loss of appetite, insomnia and mild anxiety. - Hour 6–24
Symptoms often become more intense. You might experience increasing anxiety, mood swings, restlessness,and irritability. Other symptoms like nausea, vomiting, heart palpitations or a rapid heart rate, high blood pressure, heavy sweating and headaches may occur. - Day 1–3
Severe symptoms can begin within the first couple of days. These can include hallucinations, severe agitation, seizures (often peaking around 24 hours) and symptoms of delirium tremens (DTs), which can occur in the most severe cases. This can include severe hallucinations and delusions, extreme confusion and fever. - Day 3–7
This is often when symptoms peak for most individuals. Symptoms may include disorientation, severe hallucinations, high blood pressure and a risk of serious medical complications such as heart attack, stroke or death, particularly in those with underlying health conditions. - Week 1–2
While the physical symptoms of withdrawal might start to fade during this period, psychological symptoms like depression, anxiety and cravings for alcohol can persist. It’s common to experience difficulty sleeping, restlessness and decreased energy. - Week 2 and beyond
Post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS) can occur. Symptoms can include ongoing mood swings, insomnia, fatigue and continued cravings. These symptoms may come and go for several months or longer.
Remember, withdrawing from alcohol can be dangerous and even life-threatening. If you or someone you know plans to stop drinking after heavy, long-term use, it’s crucial to seek medical supervision. A health care provider can create a safe and effective withdrawal plan and provide appropriate treatment, such as medication, to manage symptoms and prevent complications.
It’s also essential to consider long-term treatment and support options, such as counseling or support groups, to maintain abstinence and manage the psychological aspects of recovery.
How Do You Manage Alcohol Fatigue Syndrome?
Experiencing fatigue after quitting alcohol is common, and there are specific reasons the body deals with this tiredness as you get sober. The good news is that fatigue caused by dehydration, stress, circadian rhythm issues or even liver damage can be remedied with time as the body relearns how to operate and deal with life sober. However, that doesn’t mean you just have to endure the extreme fatigue from drinking in the meantime.
You can take some steps to manage exhaustion by:
- Focusing on good nutrition so your body has the vitamins and proteins it needs to repair and recover
- Staying hydrated by drinking water, herbal teas and sports drinks — keep in mind that soda and black tea can have dehydrating effects, and energy drinks and juice can have too much sugar, which can further stress your system
- Resetting your circadian rhythm by trying to go to bed and wake up at the same time
- Finding ways to cope with stress, such as journaling, meditation or therapy
- Engaging in light exercise, such as walking or biking
What is the Best Way to Quit Drinking?
The best way to quit drinking will always be in a trusted rehab center. There, addiction-certified medical professionals can oversee the detox process by monitoring vitals, administering fluids, watching for complications and prescribing comfort medications for troublesome symptoms. Going this route can ensure your detox is as safe and comfortable as possible— but also complete.
A medically supervised detox is the first crucial step towards successfully quitting drinking. Following detox, inpatient treatment and therapies can help people identify and address the root causes of a drinking problem. Without this work, it’s often easy to return to the same bad habit.
Fatigue as a Symptom of Alcohol Withdrawal
A variety of influencing factors can cause extreme fatigue after drinking alcohol. Here are some of the most common reasons you may feel excessively tired the next morning or when trying to get sober.
Dehydration
Alcohol has a dehydrating effect on your body, which is why you have a hangover when you drink too much. Because the human body consists of up to 60 percent water, and water is a vital ingredient to keep all of your body’s processes running smoothly, not having enough can cause serious problems. Headaches, nausea, body aches and feeling light-headed are all signs of dehydration, as well as fatigue.
Disrupted Circadian Rhythm
The circadian rhythm is how your body knows when to be awake and when to be asleep, and it’s one reason why so many experts recommend going to bed and waking up at the same time every day. Having a sleep routine helps keep your circadian rhythm working well and keeps sleep issues at bay. However, one of the major effects that alcohol has on the body is disrupting that rhythm. Alcohol may help you fall asleep, but once you move to sobriety, you start to feel the effects of that interrupted circadian rhythm. This can lead to difficulties falling and staying asleep and may cause insomnia, which can leave you with extreme fatigue during the day.
Liver Damage
Heavy, long-term alcohol use takes a toll on the liver, and liver damage is one of the most common long-term effects of alcoholism. Liver damage can make it harder for your body to get into regular sleep-wake cycles and can leave you with the same insomnia and fatigue issues as stated above.
Stress
If you’ve been drinking to cover anxiety or to cope with life stressors, you may find getting sober and having to deal with issues and daily struggles overwhelming. Even though it’s a negative coping technique, alcohol use for stress is still a coping technique, and any time you’re trying to make a big life change, it’s going to be challenging. Stress can make it harder for the body to keep up its energy levels and make it difficult to sleep, both of which can lead to fatigue.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Do people feel tired after they stop drinking alcohol?
Some people experience alcohol fatigue syndrome after they stop drinking. This is a withdrawal symptom that eventually fades away. - How can you reduce alcohol fatigue?
Exercising, drinking water and eating a healthy diet may help you stay alert. It also helps to include fun and engaging activities in your schedule. - How long does the fatigue last?
Generally, the fatigue lasts a week or two before it starts to recede. However, the exact timeframe can vary depending on the length and intensity of the individual’s substance use disorder.
FHE Health Can Help
When you seek treatment for alcoholism through a medically supervised detox program, you have the option of ongoing inpatient or outpatient rehab and support services. Taking advantage of these services can help you better understand the underlying factors behind your addiction and give you the tools you need to make lasting change. Find out more about FHE Health’s medically supervised alcohol detox program and how we can help you take the first step toward a healthier, sober lifestyle when you contact us today.
