Running with a hangover doesn’t speed up alcohol processing (which happens in the liver, not sweat), but drastically increases the risk of dehydration, muscle injuries, and heart problems.
- The false myth: “I sweat so I flush out toxins.” False. Only a minimal part of alcohol leaves through sweat. The rest is the liver’s job.
- Risk #1: Alcohol is a diuretic. You are already dehydrated. Running and sweating makes the situation worse, making blood thicker and straining the heart.
- Muscles at risk: Alcohol reduces coordination and protein synthesis. The risk of strains, sprains, and cramps is extremely high.
- Heart: Intense exercise under the influence of alcohol metabolites can trigger arrhythmias (the “holiday heart syndrome”).
- What to do: Drink water, eat, rest. At most, take a light walk to get some fresh air.
Drank Too Much Last Night? Leave Your Running Shoes in the Closet.
December. Office parties, toasts with friends, Christmas lunch. We’ve all been there. You wake up the next morning with a heavy head, a pasty mouth, and a vague sense of guilt for that extra glass.
The typical reaction of the disciplined (or masochistic) runner is: “I’ll go out for a run now. I’ll do 10 km, sweat it all out, and come back good as new.” It’s the idea of sports penance, the “Hangover Run” as a quick detox method.
Stop.
What you are about to do isn’t an act of health. It is an aggression on a body that is already fighting a chemical battle. Running today won’t make you process the alcohol sooner, but it could cost you problems.
The Myth of “Sweating Out Alcohol”: Why It Doesn’t Work Physiologically.
We must debunk this locker room belief: alcohol doesn’t “sweat out.”
Your body eliminates alcohol through three pathways:
- Liver: Here is where about 90-95% of alcohol is metabolized.
- Breath: A tiny part.
- Urine and Sweat: Less than 5%.
The liver works at a constant and unchangeable speed (about one alcohol unit per hour, varying by person). Running, jumping, or sweating buckets does not speed up the liver’s work.
Going for a run to “flush it out” is like trying to empty a pool with a teaspoon: the effort is huge, the result is irrelevant.
The Real Risks: Extreme Dehydration, Arrhythmias, and Muscle Strains.
If the problem were just uselessness, fine. The problem is that running in these conditions is dangerous.
1. Dehydration Squared
Alcohol inhibits the antidiuretic hormone (meaning “it makes you pee a lot”). You wake up already dehydrated. If you go running and sweat, you lose even more fluids and electrolytes.
The blood becomes thicker, the heart has to pump harder to circulate it. It is useless and risky cardiovascular stress.
2. Toxins in Circulation
As the liver works, it produces acetaldehyde, a toxic substance (more so than alcohol itself) that causes nausea and headaches. Running with acetaldehyde in your body means asking muscles to perform while “poisoned.” Coordination drops, reflexes are slow. An ankle sprain is just around the corner.
3. Heart Arrhythmias
There is a phenomenon called “Holiday Heart Syndrome.” Alcohol abuse, combined with physical stress and dehydration, can trigger cardiac arrhythmias (like atrial fibrillation) even in healthy people.
4. Muscle Injuries
Alcohol blocks protein synthesis and raises cortisol levels. Your muscles are stiffer, less elastic, and more fragile. A sprint or a hill tackled today could easily turn into a tear.
What to Do Instead: Water, Sleep, and (Maybe) a Walk.
So do you have to stay in bed suffering? Not necessarily.
- Hydration: The absolute priority. Water, electrolytes, tea. Refill the tank.
- Nutrition: Eat complex carbohydrates and proteins to stabilize blood sugar.
- Movement: If you feel the need to move, walk. A walk in the fresh air oxygenates the brain and stimulates circulation without stressing the heart or causing excessive sweating.
Don’t worry about fitness. One skipped workout doesn’t ruin your preparation. An injury, an illness, or a collapse, however, does. Be patient today, drink an extra glass of water, and rest. Tomorrow you’ll be ready to run for real.