Blog · Published 9 November 2026 · By Sober Counter · How we write these posts

Blood pressure after quitting alcohol: how much and how fast it drops

Does quitting alcohol lower blood pressure? How much it can drop, how fast, why it can rise in the first days, and when dizziness means a check.

Quick answer

Yes, in people who drank more than about two drinks a day. A review of 36 trials found that cutting down lowered blood pressure, most in heavy drinkers who cut by about half. In a small study of men with high blood pressure, it fell within 4 alcohol-free days, and after a month without alcohol, moderate to heavy drinkers had systolic blood pressure 6.6% lower. In the first days it can briefly go up as part of withdrawal. If you take blood pressure medicine and feel dizzy, see a GP.

The NHS lists drinking too much alcohol as one of the things that raise your chance of high blood pressure. Here is what happens to it when you stop, how much it can drop, and why it can briefly go the other way first.

If you drink heavily every day, speak to a doctor or a local alcohol service before you stop. Stopping suddenly when you are dependent on alcohol can be dangerous.

Does quitting alcohol lower blood pressure?

Yes, if you were drinking more than a little. A 2017 review pulled together 36 trials with 2,865 people and found:

More than two drinks a day: cutting down lowered blood pressure, and the more people had been drinking, the bigger the drop. A drink in the review was 12 g of alcohol, so two drinks is about 3 UK units.
Six or more drinks a day: in people who cut down by about half, the top number (systolic) fell by 5.5 mmHg and the bottom number (diastolic) by about 4.
Two drinks a day or fewer: the change was too small to be sure of.

The researchers concluded that "reducing alcohol intake lowers blood pressure in a dose-dependent manner". Those trials were about cutting down. Stopping completely takes away all of the alcohol, but the review does not say how much more that lowers it.

How fast does it drop?

Quickly, in the studies that measured it:

Within days: in a 1984 study, 16 men with high blood pressure who drank up to 80 g of alcohol a day (about 10 UK units) were looked after in hospital. When they stopped drinking, their blood pressure fell significantly within 4 days, and it went back up when alcohol was given again. Our page on one week without alcohol covers the rest of the first week.
After a month: in a study of 94 moderate to heavy drinkers who stopped for a month, systolic blood pressure was 6.6% lower and diastolic 6.3% lower. Our page on 30 days without alcohol has the other results.
Longer term: no study here follows blood pressure for a whole year after quitting. Our page on 1 year without alcohol covers what longer studies found for the heart.

These were small or specific groups, so they show how quickly it can happen, not exactly what will happen to you.

Why it can go up in the first days

Some people notice their blood pressure is higher, not lower, right after they stop. That can be withdrawal. A review of alcohol withdrawal lists raised blood pressure among its physical signs, next to a fast heartbeat, and the NHS lists a racing heartbeat as a withdrawal symptom. The NHS says withdrawal symptoms usually last 3 to 7 days.

So a high reading in the first days does not mean quitting is not working. If it stays high after withdrawal has passed, get it checked. Our guide to shaking after quitting alcohol explains which withdrawal signs need urgent help.

Feeling dizzy or lightheaded after quitting

If you take medicine for high blood pressure and your blood pressure falls after you stop drinking, the same dose may now be more than you need. The NHS lists some medicines as a cause of low blood pressure, with symptoms such as lightheadedness, dizziness, blurred vision, feeling weak or fainting, and says a GP may change your medicine or the dose. So if you take blood pressure medicine and feel dizzy or faint after quitting, see a GP. Do not stop or change your medicine on your own.

Check your blood pressure

High blood pressure usually has no symptoms, so the only way to know is to measure it. The NHS says you are usually considered to have high blood pressure if your reading is 140/90 or higher when checked by a healthcare professional, or 135/85 or higher at home. Many pharmacies in the UK offer free checks for people aged 40 or over.

Checking before you stop and again after a few weeks shows you what quitting has done. Our timeline of what happens when you stop drinking shows the other changes to expect.

When to get help

See a GP if your blood pressure stays high after the first week, or if you take blood pressure medicine and keep feeling dizzy or lightheaded.

Get urgent medical help if you often have headaches or blurred vision, or chest pain that comes and goes. In the UK you can call NHS 111.

Call 999 or go to A&E (or your local emergency number) if you have:

sudden pain or pressure in your chest that does not go away
pain that spreads to your arm, neck, jaw, stomach or back
chest pain and you feel sweaty, sick, lightheaded or short of breath
shaking you can see, you are seeing or hearing things that are not there, or you have a seizure

Questions

Does quitting alcohol lower blood pressure?

Yes, in people who drank more than about two drinks a day. A review of 36 trials found the drop was biggest in heavy drinkers: 5.5 mmHg off the top number in people who drank six or more a day and cut down by about half.

How long after quitting alcohol does blood pressure go down?

It can start within days. In a small study of men with high blood pressure, it fell within 4 alcohol-free days. After a month without alcohol, moderate to heavy drinkers had systolic blood pressure 6.6% lower.

Why is my blood pressure high after I stopped drinking?

In the first days it can be withdrawal, which can raise blood pressure and speed up your heart. Withdrawal usually lasts 3 to 7 days. If your blood pressure stays high after that, see a GP.

Can blood pressure drop too low after quitting alcohol?

It is possible if you take blood pressure medicine: the NHS lists some medicines as a cause of low blood pressure, and a GP may change the dose. If you feel dizzy, lightheaded or faint, see a GP. Do not change your medicine on your own.

Sources

Need support right now?

In the UK, the NHS lists free alcohol support services: NHS alcohol support. In the US, the SAMHSA National Helpline is free, confidential and open all day, every day. Elsewhere, your local health service can point you to help near you.

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