The Effects of Alcohol & Sun
Lounging in the hot sun with a cool, alcoholic drink might seem relaxing, but it can be dangerous if you don’t pay attention to what your body is telling you. If you drink alcohol outdoors on a hot day, avoid the sunlight and drink extra water frequently. Avoid getting intoxicated or you risk failing to realize that you’re experiencing dangerous symptoms of dehydration or heatstroke 1.
Dehydration
On a hot, sunny day, you are at risk of dehydration 1. As your body temperature increases, you start to sweat more because the evaporating perspiration will cool your body. If you drink enough water to replace what you lose through perspiration, you won’t experience any problems. But alcohol not only fails to replenish your water stores, it dehydrates you further because it causes you to urinate and perspire more than normal.
- On a hot, sunny day, you are at risk of dehydration 1.
- If you drink enough water to replace what you lose through perspiration, you won’t experience any problems.
Symptoms
The Sun & Water Retention
Learn More
Symptoms of dehydration include thirst, a decreasing need to urinate, fatigue, dry mouth, dizziness, increased heart rate, rapid breathing and dry skin 1.cause:
- Symptoms of dehydration include thirst
- a decreasing need to urinate
- fatigue
- dry mouth
- dizziness
- increased heart rate
- rapid breathing
- dry skin 1
You can treat mild dehydration by drinking more fluids 1. Moderate dehydration might require intravenous fluids to replenish your body 1. Severe dehydration can kill you, so immediate medical attention is necessary 1.
Heatstroke
If your body lacks fluids because of alcohol, it can’t sweat to cool itself. If you are out in the hot sun, this can lead to heat stroke, a condition in which your temperature levels rise to dangerous levels. Symptoms of heat stroke include headache, dizziness, sluggishness, disorientation, confusion, loss of consciousness, hallucinations, seizure and other symptoms similar to those of dehydration 1.cause:
- Symptoms of heat stroke include headache
- dizziness
- sluggishness
- disorientation
- confusion
- loss of consciousness
- hallucinations
- seizure
- other symptoms similar to those of dehydration 1
Immediate cooling and replenishment of fluids are necessary to prevent permanent damage or death. Expert medical attention is necessary in severe cases.
- If your body lacks fluids because of alcohol, it can’t sweat to cool itself.
Other Problems
5 Things You Need to Know About Heat Exhaustion
Learn More
If you become inebriated, you might not notice the effects of the sun, causing you to experience severe sunburn.
Related Articles
References
- Mayo Clinic; Dehydration; Mayo Clinic Staff
- Vega RM, Avva U. Pediatric Dehydration. [Updated 2019 Feb 3]. In: StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2020 Jan-.
- Shaheen NA, Alqahtani AA, Assiri H, Alkhodair R, Hussein MA. Public knowledge of dehydration and fluid intake practices: variation by participants' characteristics. BMC Public Health. 2018;18(1):1346. doi:10.1186/s12889-018-6252-5
- Shaheen NA, Alqahtani AA, Assiri H, Alkhodair R, Hussein MA. Public knowledge of dehydration and fluid intake practices: variation by participants' characteristics. BMC Public Health. 2018;18(1):1346. doi:10.1186/s12889-018-6252-5
- American College of Sports Medicine et al. American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Exercise and fluid replacement. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2007 Feb;39(2):377-90.
- Nardone R, Brigo F, Trinka E. Acute Symptomatic Seizures Caused by Electrolyte Disturbances. J Clin Neurol. 2016;12(1):21-33. doi:10.3988/jcn.2016.12.1.21
- Popkin BM, D'Anci KE, Rosenberg IH. Water, hydration, and health. Nutr Rev. 2010;68(8):439–458. doi:10.1111/j.1753-4887.2010.00304.x
- Vega RM, Avva U. Pediatric Dehydration. [Updated 2019 Feb 3]. In: StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2020 Jan-.
- Choi JW, Kwon SH, Huh CH, Park KC, Youn SW. The influences of skin visco-elasticity, hydration level and aging on the formation of wrinkles: a comprehensive and objective approach. Skin Res Technol. 2013;19(1):e349-55. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0846.2012.00650.x
- Popkin BM, D'Anci KE, Rosenberg IH. Water, hydration, and health. Nutr Rev. 2010;68(8):439–458. doi:10.1111/j.1753-4887.2010.00304.x
- Roussel R, Fezeu L, Bouby N, et al. Low water intake and risk for new-onset hyperglycemia. Diabetes Care. 2011;34(12):2551-4. doi:10.2337/dc11-0652
- Hooper L et al. Clinical symptoms, signs, and tests for identification of impending and current water-loss dehydration in older people. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015 Apr 30;(4):CD009647. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD009647.pub2
- Diggins KC. Treatment of mild to moderate dehydration in children with oral rehydration therapy. J Am Acad Nurse Pract. 2008 Aug;20(8):402-6. doi: 10.1111/j.1745-7599.2008.00338.x
- Strachan SR, Morris LF. Management of severe dehydration. J Intensive Care Soc. 2017;18(3):251-255. doi:10.1177/1751143717693859
- Copyright © 2020 National Academy of Sciences. All Rights Reserved. Dietary Reference Intakes for Electrolytes And Water. Published October 8, 2018.
- Polhuis KCMM, Wijnen AHC, Sierksma A, Calame W, Tieland M. The Diuretic Action of Weak and Strong Alcoholic Beverages in Elderly Men: A Randomized Diet-Controlled Crossover Trial. Nutrients. 2017;9(7):660. doi:10.3390/nu9070660
- Johns Hopkins Medicine. Dehydration and Heat Stroke.
- Snell PG, Ward R, Kandaswami C, Stohs SJ. Comparative effects of selected non-caffeinated rehydration sports drinks on short-term performance following moderate dehydration. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2010 Aug 22;7:28. doi: 10.1186/1550-2783-7-28
- Somers MJ. (2018). Clinical assessment and diagnosis of hypovolemia (dehydration) in children. Mattoo TK, Kim MS, eds. UpToDate. Waltham, MA: UpToDate Inc.
Writer Bio
Stan Mack is a business writer specializing in finance, business ethics and human resources. His work has appeared in the online editions of the "Houston Chronicle" and "USA Today," among other outlets. Mack studied philosophy and economics at the University of Memphis.