So you want to go day drinking Las Vegas.
You see yourself guzzling a 2-foot boozy slushie or partying at one of the many day clubs in the city. I’ve done this whole thing a lifetime long ago, and I have some advice.
Yep, that was your’s truly back in… I don’t even remember what year, but it was a long time ago when I thought the same thing you’re thinking about getting drunk during the day. That it’s a totally different vibe; that it’s way more fun because you don’t have to get all dressed up for the club; that you can be super efficient and multitask by getting a tan at the same time as getting sh*t-faced.
The reality is that there’s a whole new set of things to worry about when you’re getting KrunK in “Vegas baby!!!”. It’s hot! The oppressive and God-awful heat that roasts your skim in the summer season also makes it more dangerous to get drunk. You might think you’re alright in the winter, but daytime temperatures can still be pretty warm. And even if it’s cold, you have to think about the sun’s relentless rays.
Let’s get the number one offender out of the way- dehydration. Being a diuretic, alcohol increases your production of urine, meaning it rids the body of more fluid than it takes in. When you mix in other elements like the hot weather (which alone already will amp up your perspiration), consuming alcohol will also amp up your risk of getting dehydrated, which then will make you more prone to suffering from heat-related illnesses.
Next up, we have heat stroke. Heat stroke occurs when the body is unable to regulate its temperature. If the body lacks enough fluids to make this process work (due to earlier consumption of copious amounts of alcohol), you can’t sweat enough to cool your body down. If you’re wondering what this particular threat looks like, symptoms of heat stroke include headache, dizziness, disorientation, confusion, loss of consciousness, hallucinations, seizures, and several other severe symptoms similar to those of dehydration. Immediate cooling and PLENTY, and I mean PLENTY of fluids, are necessary to help relieve symptoms and prevent permanent damage.
And number three is sort of an extraneous variable that can be deadly when combined with the first two. I’m talking about accelerated effects. In other words, in hot weather, the effects of alcohol can be felt more quickly and, more importantly, more intensely due to increased blood flow. The alcohol will go to your head immediately, leading to further risky behaviors like staying out in the sun too long without remembering to add a glass of water to the cocktail onslaught and barrage of oven-like sun you’re putting yourself through.
Now that I’ve properly scared you and have you thinking twice about that “turn-up time” you’re planning at your day club cabana, don’t worry: it’s possible to party hardy, stay safe, and go home with nothing worse than a hangover. Trust me: I’ve done the research.
Mikey’s advice: Party hard, but stay responsible. Treat the sun like a deadly enemy.
-Mikey
