Summary
- Alcohol can raise or lower your heart rate depending on the dose, timing, and your individual response.
- Short-term effects may include a racing or irregular heartbeat, while long-term use can reduce your heart rate variability (HRV) and increase the risk of chronic cardiovascular issues.
- Alcohol can also slow your heart rate dangerously by affecting your brain function, especially when combined with other depressants.
- Many undesirable heart issues can result from alcohol misuse—from palpitations and dizziness to hypertension, atrial fibrillation, stroke, and a weakening of your heart muscle.
- To protect your heart, reduce the amount of alcohol you consume, hydrate, and avoid stimulants and hot environments if you are drinking. Call our 24/7 national hotline if you need help finding resources that can help you quit drinking.
Drinking alcohol can have a noticeable impact on your body—and your heart is no exception. It’s not uncommon for your heart rate to change during and after drinking. But is this just a temporary response, or could it point to something more serious?
Below, we explain how alcohol affects your heart rate, what the short- and long-term cardiovascular risks associated with drinking are, and what you can do to improve your safety.
If you’re concerned about your drinking or how it’s impacting your health, you can call our confidential 24/7 hotline to get connected to support programs near you.
Alcohol Can Raise—or Lower—Your Heart Rate
Alcohol can either increase or decrease your heart rate depending on the dose, timing, and your individual response. These effects stem from its impact on your nervous system and cardiovascular regulation.
How Alcohol Can Increase Your Heart Rate
Short Term
Drinking heavily can have an acute impact on your heart rate, which has the potential to be extremely dangerous. Some research shows that it may cause an extremely fast and irregular heartbeat where the contractions of your upper and lower heart chambers lose coordination. This can cause sudden death in rare cases.
Long Term
Other research has found that middle-aged men who drank more alcohol had higher 24-hour heart rates and lower heart rate variability (HRV). HRV reflects how well the nervous system manages changes in heart rhythm—so lower HRV can signal a higher risk of heart problems.
The researchers suggested that alcohol may raise your heart rate by activating the body’s stress response system, possibly due to blood vessel dilation or changes in calcium handling in heart muscle cells. But the drop in HRV appeared to be linked more to the faster heart rate itself than to any direct interference with the nerves that help regulate the heart.
How Alcohol Can Lower Your Heart Rate
Short Term
Because alcohol is a central nervous system (CNS) depressant, drinking large amounts at once can affect your brain’s involuntary control of certain bodily functions—including your breathing and heart rate. This can cause a potentially fatal overdose, and the risk goes up if you have been taking opioids or sedative hypnotics like sleep or anxiety medications.
Long Term
Evidence shows that long-term alcohol abuse contributes to your risk of alcoholic cardiomyopathy, a type of heart disorder where your heart becomes less effective at pumping blood through your body. Although this may not make your actual heart rate slower, it can increase your risk of heart failure.
Finally, a long-term British study of over 400,000 participants suggested that an increased risk of bradyarrhythmia (a condition where the heart beats slower than usual due to an irregular rhythm) could be linked to drinking certain types of alcohol such as beer and cider. However, other evidence from the same study appears to contradict this claim, and more research is needed to confirm or deny this hypothesis.
Short-Term vs. Long-Term Effects of Alcohol on the Heart
For most healthy adults, a slightly elevated heart rate after a drink or two is usually not dangerous on its own. However, repeated episodes or prolonged increases can pose a problem, especially if you drink heavily or have other cardiovascular risk factors.
Here are some of the short- and long-term risks that can accompany changes to your heart rate from drinking alcohol:
When to Worry About Your Heart Rate After Drinking
As mentioned above, everyone’s heart rate increases slightly during alcohol consumption, but certain signs should prompt concern. Seek medical attention if:
- Your heart rate stays elevated for hours after drinking
- You feel chest pain, shortness of breath, or dizziness
- You have a history of heart disease or high blood pressure
- You notice skipped beats or pounding sensations that won’t go away
Persistent symptoms may be a sign of an underlying condition like AFib or alcohol-related cardiomyopathy (see chart above). The sooner you catch and treat these conditions, the better your health outcomes are likely to be.
Tips to Protect Your Heart Health if You Drink
If you choose to drink and accept the risks that come with it, there are certain steps you may be able to take that can minimize the strain on your heart:
- Drink in moderation: No more than one drink per day for women or two for men.
- Stay hydrated: Drink water alongside alcohol to reduce dehydration.
- Avoid energy drinks or other stimulants: These can further increase heart rate.
- Don’t mix alcohol with hot environments (like saunas or hot tubs): They can cause your heart to work harder.
- Take breaks from alcohol: Give your body time to recover and check in on how it’s feeling.
Most importantly, listen to your body. If alcohol consistently makes your heart race or leaves you feeling unwell, it could be a sign that your body isn’t tolerating it well—or that it’s time to cut back.
Call for Help If You’re Concerned
While a few drinks now and then may seem harmless, any amount of alcohol can affect the way your heart beats—and over time, this can contribute to several major health risks. Drinking heavily, even on occasion, comes with other potential heart risks as well.
If alcohol is affecting your heart—or your life in other ways—you’re not alone. Call our free 24/7 hotline to speak with someone who understands and can help you find a treatment program, support group, or recovery service near you.
Protecting your heart is one more reason to take control of your relationship with alcohol. Reach out today and take the first step toward a healthier future.