Why Am I Shaking After Drinking?

After a night out drinking with friends, you might feel sick. If you notice that you are nauseous, dehydrated, and have a headache, you probably have a hangover. While these are all common symptoms of a hangover, you might notice some side effects you are unfamiliar with.

For example, alcohol tremors can be a side effect of a typical hangover. If you notice your hands shaking, you might worry about your health. Thankfully, shaking is just a less-discussed side effect of an alcohol hangover.

It is possible for shaking the morning after drinking to be a sign of alcohol withdrawal. If you have been drinking consistently and notice other symptoms like cravings or urges, you might suffer from a dependence on alcohol. Unfortunately, alcohol withdrawal can cause other dangerous symptoms like seizures, which means you must seek professional medical detox support.

In this article, you will learn:

• What are alcohol shakes
• How to cope with the symptoms of a hangover
• How to tell the difference between hangover shakes and alcohol withdrawal
• Signs that you need treatment for alcoholism

What are Alcohol Shakes?

If you wake up after a night of drinking to notice that your hands or arms are shaking, you might be dealing with alcohol tremors. While shaking can indicate an alcohol use disorder, it could also be a simple side effect of being hungover. Understanding why hangover shakes occur can help you better understand your symptoms.

When you drink alcohol, your body experiences a decrease in gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). At the same time, your body will increase the amount of sensitivity receptors that bind to glutamate to counteract the sedative effects of alcohol. Once alcohol begins leaving your body, these receptors will remain unbalanced for some time.

As your body attempts to balance missing or increased chemicals, it will respond to the stress it is dealing with by creating symptoms like sweating, increased heart rate, or even tremors.[1] It is also possible that drinking alcohol the night before causes you to develop low blood sugar, which will make you shake.

How to Cope With a Hangover

Common signs of a hangover include nausea and vomiting, dehydration, excessive sweating, shaking, headache, and sensitivity to light. If you are experiencing these symptoms, there are some ways to cope.

When dealing with an alcohol hangover, you should:[2]

• Drink Water – Drinking alcohol causes you to become dehydrated. Simply drinking enough water the next morning can reduce some of the symptoms of your hangover. You can also consume beverages with electrolytes like Gatorade.

• Drink Caffeine – While drinking coffee and tea does not cure a hangover, caffeine can help. Because it is a stimulant, it will lessen the grogginess you feel and help you focus on the day.

• Eat Carbs – Because drinking alcohol lowers your blood sugar, you should eat carbs the next morning. Doing so will replace some of the nutrients you are missing and lessen your overall symptoms.

• Take Pain Relievers – Aspirin and Ibuprofen or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pain medications are great for hangovers. They will lessen the headaches you are experiencing without causing irritation to your stomach lining like Tylenol would.

• Get Rest- While eating, drinking water, and taking pain relievers can help, there is nothing better than getting some rest. Your body needs time to heal from the alcohol you’ve consumed the night before.

If you are trying to prevent a hangover, you should avoid excessive alcohol consumption. Stop drinking when you start feeling a buzz. Additionally, it is best to consistently drink water while you are consuming alcohol. Doing so will prevent severe dehydration the morning after.

How to Tell the Difference Between Hangover Shakes and Alcohol Withdrawal Shakes

Even though it is possible for shaking to be part of your hangover, it can also be a symptom of alcohol withdrawal. Withdrawing from alcohol can be incredibly dangerous without professional help, especially if you suffer from chronic alcoholism. Thankfully, there are ways to tell the difference between normal hangover tremors and alcohol withdrawal shakes.

If your shaking is a part of alcohol withdrawal, you will notice other symptoms as well. The symptoms of alcohol withdrawal can begin as early as hours after the last drink and may include:[3]

• Anxiety or irritability
• Depression or mood swings
• Fatigue
• Nightmares
• Being unable to think clearly
• Sweating and clammy skin
• Dilated pupils
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea and vomiting
• Changes in blood pressure
• Significant cravings for alcohol
• Rapid heart rate
• Tremors
• Delirium tremens (DTs), a form of alcohol withdrawal that includes symptoms like agitation, delirium, seizures, and hallucinations

If you have been engaging in frequent alcohol abuse and suddenly stopped drinking alcohol, shaking might be a sign that you are in the early stages of withdrawal. Since stopping alcohol can lead to severe symptoms like seizures and hallucinations, you should seek help from an alcoholism treatment program.

Signs That You Need Help for Alcoholism

If you notice that you are experiencing alcohol withdrawal during periods when you are not drinking, you need help for alcoholism. That said, it can be hard to determine if you are suffering from alcoholism because of the denial that the condition can cause. As a result, being aware of the signs that long-term alcohol abuse has transitioned into an alcohol use disorder can help you decide whether it’s time for rehab.

The main signs that indicate you need treatment for alcohol use disorder include:

• Having a hard time controlling how much alcohol you consume
• Experiencing urges or cravings to consume alcohol
• Continuing to drink despite facing social or relationship issues
• Continuing to drink even though you are experiencing physical or mental health effects
• Drinking alcohol to cope with uncomfortable feelings or emotions
• Having a hard time maintaining responsibilities at home, school, or work
• Losing interest in previously enjoyed activities so you can drink more alcohol
• Hiding your alcohol use from friends or loved ones
• Needing to increase the amount of alcohol you drink to experience a depressant effect
• Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when you stop drinking alcohol like shaking, vomiting, changes in blood pressure, or more

First, you’ll need to gain support from a medical detox center to overcome alcohol withdrawal. After that, you should transition into an inpatient or outpatient rehab center to tackle the root causes of your alcoholism in therapy.

Get Connected to a Top-Rated Alcohol Rehab Center

If you or a loved one suffers from an alcohol use disorder, you’ve come to the right place. At the Mandala Healing Center, we offer evidence-based treatments that will help you regain control over your life and achieve long-term sobriety.

Contact us today for more information on our highly-rated alcohol rehab program.

References:

1. The National Library of Medicine: Alcohol Hangover
2. Harvard Health Publishing: 7 steps to cure your hangover
3. Medline Plus: Alcohol Withdrawal