Is it Harmful to Work Out When You’re Drunk or Hungover?

Almost everyone has experienced waking up feeling groggy and guilty after a night of drinking that went beyond casual limits. In response, you might consider heading straight to the gym or going for a run, viewing it as an act of discipline for showing up or as punishment for overindulging.

But it's crucial to ask: Is it genuinely harmless or even beneficial to exercise while intoxicated or hungover? After all, there’s nothing wrong with living a fitness lifestyle while having the occasional drinks here and there, right?

In this article, we'll explore what science says about exercising after consuming alcohol and how a hangover affects your body.

Alcohol doesn’t just affect your brain temporarily. Unfortunately, it also triggers body chemical changes that persist long after the buzz wears off.

Alcohol causes dehydration by increasing water loss and disrupting hormones that regulate urine production. This leads to more frequent trips to the toilet and greater fluid loss. In the process, essential electrolytes like potassium, magnesium, and sodium are depleted, which can impact muscle construction, heart rhythm, and nerve signaling.

Research suggests that dehydration from alcohol consumption severely reduces endurance, muscle strength, and overall performance immediately after being intoxicated. Dehydration also causes fatigue and impairs thermoregulation, raising your risk of overheating during exercise.

Alcohol is a chemical that gets metabolized in the liver into acetaldehyde, which is a highly toxic byproduct. Elevated levels of acetaldehyde can cause symptoms such as nausea, dizziness, and headaches. As the body focuses on breaking down this toxin, liver functions related to energy metabolism and muscle recovery become impaired.

According to studies, the presence of alcohol in the system significantly reduces the availability of glucose, which is an essential energy source for muscles during exercise. This further stresses the body’s metabolism.

While alcohol can be a great social lubricant, helping you feel more at ease in social situations, it can be detrimental when it comes to physical skills and performance. Even 24 hours after moderate alcohol intake, it can impair cognitive function, coordination, and reaction time, which increases the risk of injury during physical activities.

The short answer is no. It may not be a good idea.

Alcohol stays in your bloodstream for about 3 to 6 hours after your last drink. However, its impact can last for up to 24 hours. A hangover signals that your body is still dealing with the aftermath of alcohol consumption, even if the alcohol has largely cleared from the bloodstream.

Symptoms of a hangover:

• Headache
• Fatigue and weakness
• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Muscle soreness
• Increased sensitivity to light and sound
• Mood disturbance
• Brain fog
• Dehyration
• Sweating or chills
• Bloating
• Tremors
• Rapid heart rate

Contrary to popular myth, working out doesn’t “sweat out” toxins in your body when you are intoxicated or hungover. In fact, exercising in this state can place even more stress on your already compromised system. Your liver and kidneys are primarily responsible for detoxifying alcohol, and physical exertion does little to speed up that process.

Pushing your body too hard while it’s still recovering can worsen dehydration, impair coordination, and increase the risk of injury. Prioritizing rest, rehydration, and proper nutrition is better before returning to intense physical activity.

So, can you work out after having one or two drinks? Sure. It’s all about moderation and habits. Like smoking weed or cigarettes, drinking alcohol is associated with a lifestyle opposite to what you are trying to achieve when getting fit and healthy.

After consuming 2 standard alcoholic drinks, you should wait 4 hours or more before engaging in physically demanding tasks and workouts, especially those that require focus, coordination, or strength. This will give your body time to metabolize alcohol and partially recover from dehydration and metabolic stress.

More importantly, keep in mind that working out while regularly consuming alcohol can do more harm than good. Exercise, particularly prolonged or high-intensity routines, naturally places stress on the body as part of the adaptive process that helps you grow stronger. This stress triggers temporary responses in organs like the heart, liver, and kidneys, which are normal in healthy individuals.

However, regular alcohol consumption adds an extra layer of burden on these vital organs. The liver is already responsible for metabolizing alcohol and clearing toxins, and it also supports blood sugar regulation and recovery.

At the same time, the kidneys work to maintain fluid and electrolyte balance, which can be disrupted by alcohol. Over time, the combined stress from both alcohol and exercise can impair performance, delay recovery, and increase the risk of long-term health issues.

If you're training fasted, consuming alcohol, or not eating enough, the liver may become strained in trying to maintain blood sugar levels.

While alcohol and exercise don’t mix well, exercise can play a valuable role in reducing alcohol dependence and preventing unhealthy drinking habits. It may help curb cravings and provide short-term relief from the urge to drink.

Regular physical activity also supports mental health by improving mood, reducing anxiety and depression, and boosting self-esteem—all of which can be beneficial for those struggling with alcohol use.

On a cellular level, exercise may help counteract some of the damage caused by alcohol. It can improve mitochondrial function, reduce oxidative stress, and enhance blood flow in skeletal muscles through better capillarization.

Here’s a workout program for women you should do if you had a drink or two:

And for men:

The occasional drink likely won’t sabotage your progress, but regular alcohol consumption can chip away at your recovery, hormonal balance, sleep quality, and long-term performance. The real issue isn’t just whether you should work out when you're hungover; It's whether your lifestyle supports the goals you're chasing.

Plan social outings around your training schedule, not the other way around. Hydrate before drinking, eat a balanced meal, and prioritize sleep if you know you’ll be having alcohol. Most importantly, give yourself permission to rest and recalibrate after a night out rather than trying to out-train the aftermath.