If cold, move them to a warm place and offer a blanket. Don't give them food, drink or medication of any kind. Remember that only time will sober up a drunk person. Walking, showering or drinking coffee will not help and may actually cause harm.
Alcohol intoxication can cause hypothermia, or a low body temperature below 95 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on the alcohol level. This, in turn, can make the body feel warm inside and cause shivering because the actual temperature decreases, giving the illusion of having a fever.
STAY WITH THE PERSON AND WAKE HIM/HER UP FREQUENTLY.
Even though the person is sleeping, alcohol levels may continue to rise, causing the person to become unconscious, rather than asleep. If at any time you can not wake the person up, CALL 9-1-1.
Your blood alcohol level can still rise whilst you're asleep and lead to alcohol poisoning. That's the big deal… putting a drunk person to sleep doesn't automatically remove the undigested alcohol from their system. They're body still needs to process it and break it down.
Helping your friend
Remember, when someone has had too much to drink, their judgement might be impaired, so don't get angry with your friend. Get them a glass of water or a soft drink, or even order them some food. This will stop them drinking and give their bodies time to process the alcohol.
If you find someone who appears to be highly intoxicated don't take a chance. NEVER put a drunk person in a cold shower. The shock of the cold water may cause him or her to become unconscious. NEVER give a drunk person food, liquid or medicine in an attempt to sober him/her up.
In most cases, the body metabolizes about one drink per hour. However, that doesn't mean that their “buzz” will wear off. Considering all the factors that contribute to being drunk, the effects will usually wear off in about six hours on average.
Contrary to popular belief, caffeine, exercise, taking a shower or drinking water won't help you sober up. There is no way of speeding up this process.
Immediate medical assistance is necessary if the person is:
Having difficulty breathing (choking, wheezing, or rasping) Breathing irregularly (less than 6x per minute, more than 20x per minute) Unconscious or semiconscious, unable to “wake up” Shaking, or having convulsions or seizures.
If the person doesn't appear to be at risk of alcohol poisoning, sleeping it off can give their body the time it needs to process the alcohol and remove it from their bloodstream. However, they could be at risk of vomiting while they sleep and choking on it.
Curl up on your side in case you get sick at any point. This is the only position that it's safe to sleep in while you're still actively drunk. Once you're nestled in bed or on the couch, prop a pillow up behind you to stop yourself from accidentally rolling over onto your back.
Keep them quiet and comfortable. If they are in the sun, move them to the shade. If cold, move them to a warm place and offer a blanket. Don't give them food, drink or medication of any kind.
Researchers are the University of Missouri College of Arts and Science conclude that alcohol merely cuts out our natural "alarm signals."
Do true feelings come out when you're drunk? True feelings may come out when you're drunk, but this isn't necessarily true all the time. Instead, alcohol can make people make fake stories and react with emotions they don't feel.
It can take anywhere from 2 to 4 hours or longer for your body to process the alcohol out of your system from one serving. The more servings that are in a beverage means you will need more time to sober up from that drink.
More than 90% of alcohol is eliminated by the liver; 2-5% is excreted unchanged in urine, sweat, or breath. The first step in metabolism is oxidation by alcohol dehydrogenases, of which at least four isoenzymes exist, to acetaldehyde in the presence of cofactors.
If you are drinking alcohol, ensure you drink plenty of water too—just alternate drinks. This will allow your liver to better process the alcohol and reduce damage.