how long for alcohol to wear off

Alcohol usually wears off at about one standard drink per hour , but the exact time depends on how much you drank, your body size, food, and liver metabolism. A common rule of thumb is that the body clears about 0.015 BAC per hour , so time—not coffee, showers, or exercise—is what actually lowers intoxication.

What that means

• If your BAC is around 0.08% , it can take roughly 4–5 hours to get to zero for an average person.

• If you had multiple drinks, it can take many hours longer , especially for smaller bodies or when drinking quickly.

• You may still be impaired even after you feel “fine,” because feeling sober and actually being sober are not the same thing.

Important safety note

• Do not drive just because you feel less drunk.
• Do not use coffee, energy drinks, or a cold shower to “sober up”; they do not speed alcohol breakdown.

• If someone has trouble staying awake, vomiting repeatedly, slow breathing, or confusion, get emergency help right away.

Quick example

If someone drinks enough to reach about 0.10% BAC , it may take around 6–7 hours to come down to zero, and sometimes longer depending on the person.

If you want, I can also give you a simple drink-to-hours estimate based on how much you had.