Talk with your healthcare professional if you’re concerned that frequent heavy drinking may lead to serious problems, such as alcohol withdrawal. The relationship between alcohol tremors and withdrawal syndrome highlights a significant risk for individuals who consume alcohol heavily and suddenly cease drinking. This physiological response indicates the nervous system’s readjustment to the absence of alcohol.
Conclusion – Why Do I Get Trembling And Chills After Drinking Water?
Your brain, now over-excited due to the lack of alcohol in your system, is the reason for your shaky https://ecosoberhouse.com/ hands. Shaking after drinking alcohol, medically known as a tremor, is a common reaction indicating a temporary disruption in the body’s internal balance. The causes vary significantly, ranging from mild metabolic disturbances while the body processes the substance to more serious signs of central nervous system overactivity. Understanding these reasons is important because while some causes are merely uncomfortable, others signal a medical emergency requiring immediate attention. Alcohol shakes, or tremors, occur when a long-term or heavy drinker stops consuming alcohol.

Alcohol Withdrawal
Long-term consumption of alcohol disrupts neurotransmitter balance in the brain. This alteration can result in a dependence cycle, where the brain adjusts to increased alcohol levels, leading to withdrawal symptoms—including tremors—when alcohol is not present. Consistent heavy drinking can cause permanent damage to brain structures and peripheral nerves, leading to ongoing physical issues and complications such as peripheral neuropathy.
Sudden Changes in Temperature

The liver plays a central role in maintaining stable blood sugar by storing and releasing glucose as needed. When alcohol is consumed, the liver prioritizes metabolizing the alcohol, as a toxin. This effect occurs because alcohol inhibits the release of vasopressin, a hormone that helps the body retain water. Dehydration can disrupt the body’s ability to regulate its temperature effectively, contributing to chilliness.
Individual Factors
Some individuals may experience severe side effects from even small amounts of caffeine, while others may be able to consume large quantities without noticeable effects. Understanding one’s own sensitivity to caffeine is crucial in managing its side effects, including hand shaking. If you suspect someone may be experiencing alcohol poisoning, do not hesitate to call for emergency medical assistance. While waiting for help to arrive, it is important to provide the person with water to reduce the risk of dehydration. However, do not give a person with alcohol poisoning a cold shower, as this can increase chills and further drop their body temperature.
- Alcohol enhances the effect of GABA and reduces the effect of glutamate, leading to a slowdown in brain activity.
- Co-occurring mental or physical health conditions can also impact withdrawal symptoms.
- Medical professionals can provide guidance, support, and appropriate treatment options to manage alcohol withdrawal and reduce potential risks 2.
Drinking too much too quickly can affect breathing, heart rate, body temperature and gag reflex. Alcohol tremors, commonly referred to as shakes or jitters, manifest as involuntary shaking movements that predominantly affect the hands, arms, and sometimes even legs or other body parts. These tremors typically arise after a period of excessive alcohol consumption and often signal alcohol withdrawal. Dehydration and shivering after drinking low blood sugar are additional contributing factors to hangover shakes. Alcohol is a diuretic, leading to increased fluid loss, which causes electrolyte imbalances. Low blood sugar occurs as the liver prioritizes processing alcohol over maintaining glucose levels, further exacerbating symptoms like trembling and weakness.
Different Ways to Get Involved and Build Up Your Community During Recovery
- These shakes typically occur as quickly as 8 hours after the last drink, as the brain is flooded with more activity when alcohol leaves the body of a heavy drinker 2.
- If you choose to drink alcohol, doing so responsibly can help you stay away from hangovers.
- For those recovering from an alcohol abuse disorder, making it through the weeks of withdrawal symptoms can be one of the biggest hurdles to overcome.
- Many people experience shakes and tremors when they’re hungover, but they’re unlikely to be the same from one person to the next.
Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to severe hangover symptoms, including shakes. Shaking can indicate severe alcohol withdrawal, especially when accompanied by symptoms like confusion, hallucinations, or seizures. Seeking immediate medical help is essential, as DTs can be life-threatening and require professional management to ensure safety and recovery. Shaking after drinking alcohol, known as hangover shakes or alcohol tremors, results mainly from alcohol withdrawal. When someone stops drinking, their nervous system reacts by becoming more active, which leads to involuntary trembling. This shift occurs because alcohol acts as a depressant, altering neurotransmitter activity in the brain.
Too much glutamate without enough GABA creates hyperexcitability throughout Substance abuse your central nervous system, showing up first as tremors. Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning it increases urine production and fluid loss. This diuretic effect occurs because alcohol inhibits the release of vasopressin, an antidiuretic hormone that signals kidneys to reabsorb water. With vasopressin suppressed, the kidneys excrete more water, leading to increased urination and depletion of fluid reserves. Reframe supports you in reducing alcohol consumption and enhancing your well-being.
That is why governing organizations recommend recovering from alcohol use disorder while under medical supervision. But ask your healthcare professional if this is safe for you and how much medicine is best for you. These medicines may not work well together with other medicines you take. These signs may indicate more than just a hangover and could be a result of other underlying health conditions. To combat alcohol-induced dehydration and reduce the likelihood of experiencing hangover shakes, it is crucial to maintain proper hydration.