Just One Drink Can Make Your Next Workout Feel Harder. Experts Outline a Simple Strategy to Help You Plan Ahead.

When you have a big workout or long run coming up, you probably think through your usual checklist, like your fueling and hydration plan, what you’re going to wear, and the route you’ll take. But if you have a drink in the days leading up to that effort, it’s worth considering how it might disrupt your preparation, too.Alcohol can affect your sleep and your hydration—two things your body relies on to recover from training and prepare for the miles ahead. And while the severity of its effects varies from person to person, even one drink can negatively affect an upcoming workout.Now, this doesn’t mean you have to give up every happy hour or celebration during a training cycle. But if you want to feel your best for every workout on your plan, it helps to think ahead.When You Should Stop Drinking Before Your RunsSports dietitian Pam Nisevich Bede, RD, CSSD, previously told Runner’s World she recommends avoiding alcohol for at least two days—ideally three—before a key workout, long run, or race. Without that buffer, you may find yourself feeling sluggish and under-recovered when it’s time to tackle your important effort, even if you prepared well in every other way.Even if you think a drink might help you fall asleep faster, Bede explains alcohol actually disrupts your sleep quality. This is a concern for runners because sleeping well gives your body valuable time to recover from the training you’ve already done so you’re prepared for what’s next. According to research, just one drink within an hour of bedtime could reduce rapid eye movement (or REM) sleep, which supports functions including memory and focus. If your sleep is disrupted, you may wake up feeling tired and less ready to take on the workout you planned.Alcohol will also affect your hydration status before a run as it increases urine production, explains Ron Maughan, PhD, an honorary professor at the University of St. Andrews whose research includes alcohol’s effects on athletic performance and recovery.Going into a long run or workout dehydrated can make it harder to perform your best, and therefore lessen the effectiveness of a workout.These effects of alcohol don’t look the same for everyone, though. Maughan previously told Runner’s World that a small amount may have little effect on one person and a much bigger effect on another, so giving yourself more of a buffer is always a safer bet.Bede’s recommendation is a practical way to make sure you fully recover before a key effort. Not every runner will feel fully recovered after a set number of hours post-drink, but adhering to the two-day rule can help you avoid stacking a night of drinking too close to a run you want to prioritize.Plan Backward From Your Most Important RunsIf you’re training for an upcoming race, you’ve probably already got a calendar with all of your workouts planned out day by day. You can use that same calendar to make decisions about drinking.Start by identifying the efforts that matter most in the coming week. Maybe it’s a long run, an advanced tempo workout you’ve been building toward, or the race you’ve had circled on your calendar for months. Then work backward, aiming for at least two alcohol-free days before that effort—and three if you can.The idea is to make the choice before you’re staring at the menu and trying to calculate whether a drink will affect tomorrow or the next day’s workout. And if you’re in a particularly heavy training block and hoping to perform at your absolute peak, Bede suggests considering a longer break from alcohol altogether.If you do choose to have an adult beverage, Bede also recommends taking in additional fluids and electrolytes alongside the alcohol. Proper hydration won’t cancel out alcohol’s effects, but it will help support your recovery. And when an important run is approaching, that two-day buffer after a drink gives you one more way to show up ready to perform your best.Matt Rudisill is an Associate Service Editor who has been with Runner's World since 2025. A Nittany Lion through-and-through, Matt graduated from Penn State in 2022 with a degree in journalism and worked in communications for the university's athletic department for three years as the main contact and photographer for its nationally-ranked cross country and track & field teams. Matt was also heavily involved in communications efforts for Penn State football, men's basketball, and women's gymnastics. In his role with Runner's World, Matt has interviewed Olympians, world champions, and countless experts in the field to create service content that helps runners of all ages and experience levels train smarter and race faster. When he’s not out jogging, Matt can be found tweeting bad takes about the Phillies or watching movies.