Can You Drink Alcohol If You Have POTS?

Living with POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) comes with plenty of daily decisions—and if you drink alcohol or are considering it, you're probably wondering how (or if) it fits into your life with dysautonomia.

Short answer? It depends.

Let’s break it down together, friend to friend. We’ll talk about how alcohol affects people with POTS, how to prepare if you do drink, and how NormaLyte Oral Rehydration Salts can help you hydrate smarter—for your POTS symptoms and yes, for hangovers too.

Alcohol + POTS = A Tricky Combo

Alcohol is a vasodilator, meaning it causes your blood vessels to widen. That can be bad news for people with POTS, who already struggle with poor blood circulation and low blood volume. Drinking alcohol can cause more blood to pool in your lower body and make it even harder for your heart to pump blood to your brain when you're upright. Hello, dizziness.

As Tay put it perfectly: "I'm dizzy for free!"

For some, even a single drink leads to a racing heart, worsening fatigue, nausea, or a crash that takes days to recover from. Others say they can have a drink or two occasionally and be fine. POTS isn’t one-size-fits-all, and neither is your body’s response to alcohol.

Tracy shared, "I'll have an egg nog (with rum) at Christmas. That's it."

Meanwhile, Sammi said, "I still drink. Alcohol either doesn't affect me at all (POTS-wise) or makes me feel like garbage and I never know which it's gonna be. But I like drinking wine with my mom at dinner and partying with my friends so I kinda just deal with it."

If You Do Choose to Drink, Here's How to Be Smart About It:

1. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.

Drinking alcohol is dehydrating even for people without dysautonomia. For those of us with POTS, dehydration can send symptoms into overdrive.

That’s where NormaLyte comes in. NormaLyte Oral Rehydration Salts follow the World Health Organization’s gold-standard formula for rapid fluid absorption. It’s a POTS-friendly way to stay ahead of dehydration. Some people drink it before going out. Others use it after as a recovery tool. You can even bring a stick with you and sip as needed!

Tia put it well: "It affects me, but I do still drink. Have to drink a lot of sodium/electrolyte water and plan the days ahead afterwards."

2. Stick to one or two drinks and know your limits.

Start small. If you haven’t had alcohol in a while, try a few sips at home when you feel stable and see how your body reacts. And definitely don’t drink on an empty stomach.

3. Avoid sugary mixers and high-carb cocktails.

These can spike your blood sugar and make symptoms worse. Stick to simple drinks—think vodka with soda water and lime—and skip the sweet stuff.

4. Listen to your body.

If you start feeling off, dizzy, or flushed, stop drinking and switch to electrolytes and water.

Summer shared, "I used to drink more, but started getting terrible hangovers. It’s just not worth it to me anymore."

Alcohol Can Worsen POTS Symptoms—Here's Why

According to Cleveland Clinic, people with POTS have issues regulating blood flow and heart rate, especially when upright. Alcohol intensifies those issues.

And Johns Hopkins Medicine notes that alcohol raises your heart rate—not ideal for someone already experiencing tachycardia.

Lastly, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism confirms that alcohol leads to dehydration and electrolyte imbalances, which can lead to hangovers, fatigue, and poor cognitive function.

Sounds a lot like a POTS flare, doesn’t it?

The NormaLyte Hangover Hack

NormaLyte wasn’t made for hangovers, but let’s be honest—anything that helps rehydrate your body quickly and efficiently will help when you’ve overindulged. NormaLyte is packed with:

• Sodium and potassium for fluid balance

• A glucose-to-sodium ratio optimized for rapid absorption

• Clean ingredients with no artificial dyes, colors, or sweeteners in the PURE formula

Feeling extra rough the next day? Mix up a NormaLyte ORS and rest up. Your body will thank you.

Final Thoughts

Drinking with POTS is personal. For some, it’s a hard no. For others, it’s an occasional glass of wine or cocktail with lots of planning and hydration. Whatever you choose, do it with awareness, compassion for yourself, and NormaLyte in your toolkit.

Your health isn’t a party trick—but if you choose to party, make it as POTS-friendly as possible.

Stay safe. Stay hydrated. Stay empowered.