Did you vomit the next day after drinking alcohol? It can be an unpleasant experience, but it’s relatively common. Alcohol irritates the stomach lining, increasing acid production. Plus, vomiting is one of your body’s natural responses to remove toxins.
Knowing how to manage this symptom effectively and safely is vital in preventing dehydration. It also helps keep your electrolytes balanced and reduces complications like esophageal damage.
In this article, you will understand why vomiting occurs after drinking alcohol and learn immediate remedies, preventive strategies, and when to seek medical help.
Why Do You Vomit the Next Day After Drinking Alcohol?
Drinking alcohol can lead to vomiting the next day. Here’s why:
Alcohol’s Effects on the Stomach and Digestion
Your stomach lining is made up of a soft tissue called mucosa, which protects against enzymes, acids, and microorganisms. Alcohol can increase acid production, which irritates the stomach lining, causing inflammation. This inflammation is intended to help fight infections and promote healing.
You may develop symptoms like nausea and vomiting when your stomach lining is unable to defend itself against its enzymes and acids. Other people experience stomach pain, bloating, and loss of appetite.
You may develop peptic ulcer disease if the inflammation persists. Failing to address early symptoms can lead to more serious conditions. For instance, ulcers can cause anemia when they contribute to gastrointestinal bleeding.
Dehydration and Electrolyte Imbalance
Alcohol causes dehydration. It increases urine production and prevents the release of a hormone that helps regulate your body’s water balance. Dehydration can cause disorientation, headaches, nausea, and vomiting.
Electrolytes are minerals that produce electrical charges when they dissolve in urine, blood, or other fluids. These minerals balance body fluids, support muscle and nerve function, and regulate your heartbeat. Alcohol-related dehydration contributes to electrolyte imbalance. It happens when some minerals get too low or too high in your blood. Electrolyte imbalance can cause nausea and vomiting.
Alcohol Poisoning and Excessive Consumption
Alcohol poisoning happens when you take so much alcohol that it affects brain regions that support essential functions like:
Heart rate
Breathing
Consciousness
Temperature
Your blood alcohol content (BAC) rises as your body digests alcohol and absorbs it into your bloodstream. When your BAC levels are high, meaning you’ve consumed so much alcohol, your liver is unable to break it down and remove toxins fast enough.
The excess alcohol becomes a depressant, slowing down your body’s essential functions. This depressant effect intensifies as you drink more, until it becomes alcohol poisoning, which affects key body functions. At BAC levels of between 0.15% and 0.30%, you may experience nausea and vomiting.
Immediate Steps to Take if You’re Vomiting the Next Day
Here’s practical, actionable advice for immediate relief if you vomit the next day after drinking:
Hydrate Correctly and Carefully
While your instinct may be to consume large amounts of water for “quick” rehydration, doing so can upset your stomach after vomiting. Start with a few sips every 15 minutes for the first four hours. If sipping feels difficult or uncomfortable, try sucking on ice chips.
Observe how your body responds and gradually increase the amount you take as your body tolerates it.
Electrolyte solutions also help in the following ways:
They replenish lost fluids and essential minerals
They maintain fluid levels and increase your kidneys’ water retention
They balance your body’s pH level to restore normal organ function and enzyme activity.
You can also replenish lost fluids and electrolytes by taking clear broth. You may find it easy to tolerate due to your stomach’s sensitivity after vomiting.
Rest and Recovery
Rest and staying in a comfortable position while avoiding strenuous activities help in the following ways:
It gives your kidneys and circulatory system a chance to restore electrolyte balance without losing more.
It gives your liver time to clear out alcohol and allows your brain to focus on recovery instead of supplying oxygen and blood to muscle work.
It prevents the loss of more water in strenuous activity and conserves the retained fluid.
It prevents stumbling or fainting due to the lightheadedness associated with dehydration.
A comfortable position reduces the chances of triggering nausea or vomiting. It keeps your stomach and its contents settled.
Lying on your side helps keep down any remaining acid in your stomach, reducing heartburn.
Foods to Eat and Foods to Avoid
Ensure you’ve rested and stayed hydrated for at least two hours after vomiting before eating. Afterward, try the BRAT diet, which includes:
B: Bananas
R: Rice
A: Apple sauce (with no juice)
T: Toast
Slowly introduce other foods, but avoid the following for the next three to five days:
Alcohol
Coffee
Fried foods
Spicy foods
Milk or milk products
Salad or raw vegetables
Effective Home Remedies for Alcohol-Induced Vomiting
Here are natural, easy-to-implement remedies to ease symptoms of alcohol-induced vomiting:
Ginger and Herbal Remedies
Ginger can reduce the urge to vomit and relieve nausea. Brew plain ginger tea or with a lemon juice infusion, and take ginger ale to settle your stomach.
A few sips of peppermint tea can also manage nausea or vomiting. Other ways to use peppermint oil to ease nausea include:
Rubbing it on the skin
Inhaling it
Placing a cloth with a small amount of peppermint oil on the head
Dilute peppermint oil with a carrier oil like coconut or jojoba oil before applying it to the skin to prevent irritation.
Similarly, chamomile tea can soothe your stomach and reduce nausea. Its anti-inflammatory properties can counter alcohol’s inflammatory effect and promote relaxation.
Breathing Exercises and Mindfulness Techniques
Breathing exercises that ease nausea symptoms include:
The Paper Bag Trick: Involves covering the nose and mouth with a paper bag. Exhale into the bag, collecting carbon dioxide. Since carbon dioxide has a calming effect, inhale the air to increase the amount of carbon dioxide in your body. Repeating this exercise a few times can inhibit the sensation of nausea.
The 4-7-8 Breathing: Involves slow, controlled, deep breathing. It lowers your blood pressure and promotes relaxation. To exercise it, breathe through your nose for four seconds, with your tongue at the top of your mouth. Hold your breath for seven seconds. Exhale through your mouth for eight seconds.
Over-the-Counter Options
If nothing else works, consider using anti-nausea medications safely and for the intended purpose only. Over-the-counter options include:
Bismuth Subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol): Reduces inflammation in your intestines and kills germs responsible for nausea symptoms
Phosphorated Carbohydrate Solution (Emetrol): Reduces contractions in stomach muscles that can cause vomiting
Sodium Citrate Dihydrate (Nauzene): Neutralizes acid and calms the stomach muscles
When Vomiting After Drinking is a Sign of Something Serious
Signs of Alcohol Poisoning or Severe Dehydration
Alcohol poisoning results from drinking too many alcoholic drinks in a short time. It can also happen when you intentionally or accidentally drink household products that contain alcohol. It’s serious and can be life-threatening.
The following forms of alcohol can also cause toxic poisoning that requires emergency treatment:
Isopropyl Alcohol: Found in some cleaning products, lotions, and rubbing alcohol
Ethyl Glycol or Methanol: Common ingredient in solvents, paints, and antifreeze
Symptoms of alcohol poisoning include:
Confusion
Persistent vomiting
Difficulty staying awake or conscious
Irregular breathing (a gap of more than 10 seconds between breaths)
Slow breathing (less than eight breaths per minute)
Alcohol causes dehydration. But what’s worse is that vomiting the next day after drinking alcohol can cause severe dehydration. Symptoms include the following:
Dry mouth or dry cough
Dark-colored urine
Muscle cramps
Swollen feet
Dizziness and lightheadedness
Headache and confusion
When Immediate Medical Attention is Necessary
You don’t need all the symptoms of alcohol poisoning to seek urgent care. A person who has passed out or struggles to stay awake could die. Here’s what you should do:
Never assume that a person with alcohol poisoning will sleep it off. Call 911.
Provide the emergency staff or hospital with information about how much alcohol was consumed.
Alcohol affects the gag reflex. Someone with alcohol poisoning may choke on their vomit. So, don’t leave them alone or make them vomit.
Try to stay awake or keep someone with alcohol poisoning awake.
How to Prevent Next-Day Vomiting After Alcohol Consumption
The following measures will help avoid future episodes of vomiting after alcohol consumption:
Responsible Drinking Guidelines
The following guidelines will help you develop responsible drinking:
Set safe limits. Your limits are a reminder that it’s time to give it a break.
For every alcoholic drink, take one non-alcoholic drink to keep yourself hydrated.
Avoid drinking when taking medications that interact with alcohol.
Do not mix different types of alcohol or combine alcohol with sugary drinks. It can increase your likelihood of nausea or vomiting.
Choose your drinks wisely. First, take drinks with low alcohol content. Also, consider avoiding drinks with ingredients called congeners. They give alcoholic drinks their smell and taste, and are in larger amounts in dark liquors, like brandy, than in clear liquors, like vodka.
Eating Before and While Drinking
Eating before and while drinking alcohol has the following advantages:
Balances electrolytes
Slows down alcohol absorption
Slows down or manages side effects like nausea and vomiting
Choosing the wrong foods can cause dehydration or heartburn, which can contribute to nausea and vomiting.
Here’s what you should eat before drinking:
Eggs: A protein-rich diet that includes eggs can delay alcohol absorption. Alcohol lowers inhibitions and can enhance appetite. Each egg contains 6 grams of protein, making eggs nutritious and filling.
Bananas: Contain 4g of fiber per fruit. They’re an excellent, portable snack and help slow alcohol absorption.
Here’s what you should eat while drinking:
Healthy Fats: Consider those found in avocados, nuts, and olive oil. They take a long time to digest, which can delay alcohol absorption.
Nuts and Seeds: They’re rich in healthy fats, fiber, and protein, helping delay alcohol absorption.
Hydration Strategies
To stay hydrated while drinking, try alternating your drinks. For every alcoholic beverage, take a glass of water. Also, do not drink on an empty stomach since your body will absorb the alcohol as soon as it gets to your stomach. Alcohol’s dehydrating effect will then act fast.
Drink plenty of water after taking alcohol to replace the water lost to urination. Take electrolyte-rich drinks to replace electrolytes lost when drinking alcohol.
Understanding Long-Term Implications of Regular Alcohol-Related Vomiting
Gastrointestinal Health Concerns
Your stomach’s lining protects it from the digestive juices it produces. Alcohol can inflame this lining, causing gastritis. Over time, it damages the lining and exposes the underlying tissue to stomach acid. Ulcers then develop in the stomach lining or the duodenum.
Alcohol-induced vomiting squeezes and twists the stomach, scraping the irritated lining. The movement of acidic stomach contents further worsens irritation of the lining.
Repeated forceful vomiting can cause a Mallory Weiss tear, which is a split in the inner layer where the esophagus meets the stomach.
Risks of Habitual Excessive Drinking
Excessive habitual drinking doesn’t just affect the liver; it also affects the following:
Cardiovascular System: Findings show that chronic heavy drinking can cause alcoholic cardiomyopathy (ACM), a disease that makes it harder to pump blood to the rest of the body.
Endocrine System: It’s a network of glands and organs that produce essential hormones. Excessive alcohol use can disrupt hormones responsible for maintaining health and stability.
Gastrointestinal System: Alcohol can make the gut “leaky,” allowing toxins and other substances to leak into the body.
Brain: Alcohol interferes with how the brain works and looks in the long term. These changes can affect your behavior, mood, and coordinated movement.
Rediscover Wellness with Nirvana’s Support
At Nirvana Recovery, we’re committed to promoting responsible alcohol consumption and overall wellness. We want you to understand how uncontrolled consumption can harm you and provide practical tools to enjoy physical and mental well-being.
We provide medication-assisted treatment for adults struggling with alcohol-related health issues. We combine this with counseling and behavioral therapies for positive outcomes. Our personalized wellness tips will suit your unique situation. Furthermore, being a community, you will enjoy support from members who share similar experiences.
Nirvana Recovery is a trusted guide in mental health treatment, helping you maintain enjoyable yet balanced lifestyle choices. Talk to our team today for professional help with alcohol-related issues, including addiction and recovery.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is vomiting the next day after alcohol consumption dangerous?
Yes, it can be dangerous if you have alcohol poisoning. Alcohol poisoning can be life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention. If you or your loved ones show signs or symptoms of alcohol poisoning, please call 911 as soon as possible.
How long does alcohol-induced vomiting usually last?
It can last 1 to 4 hours if you try to rehydrate after vomiting and apply the other strategies we’ve discussed. If you do nothing, it can last a few more hours, and the nausea can last up to 24 hours.
If the alcohol-induced vomiting is due to alcohol poisoning, the effects can last several hours to a day or more. During this period, symptoms like nausea and vomiting can persist until medical assistance is provided.
Vomiting the Next Day After Drinking Alcohol: What to Do
Published On July 19, 2025
Table of Contents
Did you vomit the next day after drinking alcohol? It can be an unpleasant experience, but it’s relatively common. Alcohol irritates the stomach lining, increasing acid production. Plus, vomiting is one of your body’s natural responses to remove toxins.
Between 2020 and 2021, excessive alcohol consumption caused about 178,000 deaths each year.
Knowing how to manage this symptom effectively and safely is vital in preventing dehydration. It also helps keep your electrolytes balanced and reduces complications like esophageal damage.
In this article, you will understand why vomiting occurs after drinking alcohol and learn immediate remedies, preventive strategies, and when to seek medical help.
If you or your loved ones need professional assistance, reach out to our residential treatment center team at Nirvana Recovery today.
Why Do You Vomit the Next Day After Drinking Alcohol?
Drinking alcohol can lead to vomiting the next day. Here’s why:
Alcohol’s Effects on the Stomach and Digestion
Your stomach lining is made up of a soft tissue called mucosa, which protects against enzymes, acids, and microorganisms. Alcohol can increase acid production, which irritates the stomach lining, causing inflammation. This inflammation is intended to help fight infections and promote healing.
You may develop symptoms like nausea and vomiting when your stomach lining is unable to defend itself against its enzymes and acids. Other people experience stomach pain, bloating, and loss of appetite.
You may develop peptic ulcer disease if the inflammation persists. Failing to address early symptoms can lead to more serious conditions. For instance, ulcers can cause anemia when they contribute to gastrointestinal bleeding.
Dehydration and Electrolyte Imbalance
Alcohol causes dehydration. It increases urine production and prevents the release of a hormone that helps regulate your body’s water balance. Dehydration can cause disorientation, headaches, nausea, and vomiting.
Electrolytes are minerals that produce electrical charges when they dissolve in urine, blood, or other fluids. These minerals balance body fluids, support muscle and nerve function, and regulate your heartbeat. Alcohol-related dehydration contributes to electrolyte imbalance. It happens when some minerals get too low or too high in your blood. Electrolyte imbalance can cause nausea and vomiting.
Alcohol Poisoning and Excessive Consumption
Alcohol poisoning happens when you take so much alcohol that it affects brain regions that support essential functions like:
Your blood alcohol content (BAC) rises as your body digests alcohol and absorbs it into your bloodstream. When your BAC levels are high, meaning you’ve consumed so much alcohol, your liver is unable to break it down and remove toxins fast enough.
The excess alcohol becomes a depressant, slowing down your body’s essential functions. This depressant effect intensifies as you drink more, until it becomes alcohol poisoning, which affects key body functions. At BAC levels of between 0.15% and 0.30%, you may experience nausea and vomiting.
Immediate Steps to Take if You’re Vomiting the Next Day
Here’s practical, actionable advice for immediate relief if you vomit the next day after drinking:
Hydrate Correctly and Carefully
While your instinct may be to consume large amounts of water for “quick” rehydration, doing so can upset your stomach after vomiting. Start with a few sips every 15 minutes for the first four hours. If sipping feels difficult or uncomfortable, try sucking on ice chips.
Observe how your body responds and gradually increase the amount you take as your body tolerates it.
Electrolyte solutions also help in the following ways:
You can also replenish lost fluids and electrolytes by taking clear broth. You may find it easy to tolerate due to your stomach’s sensitivity after vomiting.
Rest and Recovery
Rest and staying in a comfortable position while avoiding strenuous activities help in the following ways:
Foods to Eat and Foods to Avoid
Ensure you’ve rested and stayed hydrated for at least two hours after vomiting before eating. Afterward, try the BRAT diet, which includes:
Slowly introduce other foods, but avoid the following for the next three to five days:
Effective Home Remedies for Alcohol-Induced Vomiting
Here are natural, easy-to-implement remedies to ease symptoms of alcohol-induced vomiting:
Ginger and Herbal Remedies
Ginger can reduce the urge to vomit and relieve nausea. Brew plain ginger tea or with a lemon juice infusion, and take ginger ale to settle your stomach.
A few sips of peppermint tea can also manage nausea or vomiting. Other ways to use peppermint oil to ease nausea include:
Dilute peppermint oil with a carrier oil like coconut or jojoba oil before applying it to the skin to prevent irritation.
Similarly, chamomile tea can soothe your stomach and reduce nausea. Its anti-inflammatory properties can counter alcohol’s inflammatory effect and promote relaxation.
Breathing Exercises and Mindfulness Techniques
Breathing exercises that ease nausea symptoms include:
Over-the-Counter Options
If nothing else works, consider using anti-nausea medications safely and for the intended purpose only. Over-the-counter options include:
When Vomiting After Drinking is a Sign of Something Serious
Signs of Alcohol Poisoning or Severe Dehydration
Alcohol poisoning results from drinking too many alcoholic drinks in a short time. It can also happen when you intentionally or accidentally drink household products that contain alcohol. It’s serious and can be life-threatening.
The following forms of alcohol can also cause toxic poisoning that requires emergency treatment:
Symptoms of alcohol poisoning include:
Alcohol causes dehydration. But what’s worse is that vomiting the next day after drinking alcohol can cause severe dehydration. Symptoms include the following:
When Immediate Medical Attention is Necessary
You don’t need all the symptoms of alcohol poisoning to seek urgent care. A person who has passed out or struggles to stay awake could die. Here’s what you should do:
How to Prevent Next-Day Vomiting After Alcohol Consumption
The following measures will help avoid future episodes of vomiting after alcohol consumption:
Responsible Drinking Guidelines
The following guidelines will help you develop responsible drinking:
Eating Before and While Drinking
Eating before and while drinking alcohol has the following advantages:
Choosing the wrong foods can cause dehydration or heartburn, which can contribute to nausea and vomiting.
Here’s what you should eat before drinking:
Here’s what you should eat while drinking:
Hydration Strategies
To stay hydrated while drinking, try alternating your drinks. For every alcoholic beverage, take a glass of water. Also, do not drink on an empty stomach since your body will absorb the alcohol as soon as it gets to your stomach. Alcohol’s dehydrating effect will then act fast.
Drink plenty of water after taking alcohol to replace the water lost to urination. Take electrolyte-rich drinks to replace electrolytes lost when drinking alcohol.
Understanding Long-Term Implications of Regular Alcohol-Related Vomiting
Gastrointestinal Health Concerns
Your stomach’s lining protects it from the digestive juices it produces. Alcohol can inflame this lining, causing gastritis. Over time, it damages the lining and exposes the underlying tissue to stomach acid. Ulcers then develop in the stomach lining or the duodenum.
Alcohol-induced vomiting squeezes and twists the stomach, scraping the irritated lining. The movement of acidic stomach contents further worsens irritation of the lining.
Repeated forceful vomiting can cause a Mallory Weiss tear, which is a split in the inner layer where the esophagus meets the stomach.
Risks of Habitual Excessive Drinking
Excessive habitual drinking doesn’t just affect the liver; it also affects the following:
Rediscover Wellness with Nirvana’s Support
At Nirvana Recovery, we’re committed to promoting responsible alcohol consumption and overall wellness. We want you to understand how uncontrolled consumption can harm you and provide practical tools to enjoy physical and mental well-being.
We provide medication-assisted treatment for adults struggling with alcohol-related health issues. We combine this with counseling and behavioral therapies for positive outcomes. Our personalized wellness tips will suit your unique situation. Furthermore, being a community, you will enjoy support from members who share similar experiences.
Nirvana Recovery is a trusted guide in mental health treatment, helping you maintain enjoyable yet balanced lifestyle choices. Talk to our team today for professional help with alcohol-related issues, including addiction and recovery.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Yes, it can be dangerous if you have alcohol poisoning. Alcohol poisoning can be life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention. If you or your loved ones show signs or symptoms of alcohol poisoning, please call 911 as soon as possible.
It can last 1 to 4 hours if you try to rehydrate after vomiting and apply the other strategies we’ve discussed. If you do nothing, it can last a few more hours, and the nausea can last up to 24 hours.
If the alcohol-induced vomiting is due to alcohol poisoning, the effects can last several hours to a day or more. During this period, symptoms like nausea and vomiting can persist until medical assistance is provided.