Why a plunge might seem to help
A sudden immersion in icy water can make a person feel sharply alert. Cold triggers a stress response: breathing speeds up, the heart beats faster, and attention narrows to the immediate task of staying warm and getting out. After a night of drinking, that jolt could feel like a reset—especially when someone needs to appear composed soon afterward.
But feeling more awake is not the same as being recovered. A cold bath does not make the body clear alcohol faster, and it does not replace lost fluids or undo alcohol’s effects on coordination and judgment. The sensation of vigor could therefore mask how impaired or exhausted someone still was.
The danger behind the remedy
In freezing water, the initial gasp and rapid breathing can make it harder to control movement or keep the face above the surface. Alcohol adds another hazard: it can impair judgment and coordination, making it more difficult to get out or recognize danger. What looks in the story like a forceful cure is also a risky test of will and physical control.
That contrast is what makes the tale memorable: the shock might briefly change how a hangover felt, without changing what the body still had to recover from.
