How to feel better after a night of drinking. 8 Effective Natural Remedies to Alleviate Hangover Symptoms
How does alcohol affect the body. What causes hangover symptoms. Which natural remedies can help relieve a hangover. How to prevent hangovers in the future. What foods and drinks are best for hangover recovery. Why hydration is crucial for hangover relief. When to seek medical help for severe hangover symptoms.
The Science Behind Hangovers: Understanding Alcohol’s Effects on Your Body
Hangovers are an unpleasant consequence of excessive alcohol consumption. To understand how to alleviate hangover symptoms, it’s crucial to first grasp how alcohol affects the body. When you consume alcohol, it rapidly enters your bloodstream and is absorbed by your digestive tract. The liver then works to break down the alcohol through a process called alcohol metabolism.
During this metabolic process, a toxic byproduct called acetaldehyde is produced. Your body then works to eliminate this substance, which is largely responsible for many hangover symptoms. Dr. Peter Malamet, an emergency medicine physician, explains that the severity of a hangover often depends on how quickly your body can metabolize and eliminate acetaldehyde.
What causes hangover symptoms?
Hangover symptoms are primarily caused by three factors:
- Dehydration due to alcohol’s diuretic effect
- Electrolyte imbalance from fluid loss
- The toxic effects of acetaldehyde
Additionally, impurities in alcoholic beverages can contribute to hangover severity. Generally, purer forms of alcohol tend to result in less severe hangovers.
Hydration: The Key to Hangover Prevention and Recovery
Proper hydration is crucial both for preventing and alleviating hangover symptoms. Alcohol acts as a diuretic, causing increased urination and leading to dehydration. This dehydration is a major contributor to hangover symptoms such as thirst, headache, and fatigue.
How can you stay hydrated while drinking?
To minimize the risk of dehydration and subsequent hangover symptoms:
- Drink water throughout the day before consuming alcohol
- Alternate alcoholic drinks with water or non-alcoholic beverages
- Consume a large glass of water before going to bed
- Keep water by your bedside to sip if you wake up during the night
If you do wake up with a hangover, focus on replenishing lost fluids by drinking water consistently throughout the day. Even small sips taken frequently can help combat dehydration and alleviate symptoms.
Electrolyte Restoration: Combating Mineral Imbalances
Excessive alcohol consumption not only leads to dehydration but also causes an electrolyte imbalance in the body. This imbalance can result in symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, and muscle cramps. To address this issue, it’s important to consume drinks that can help restore these essential minerals.
Which drinks are best for restoring electrolytes?
Several beverages can help replenish lost electrolytes and aid in hangover recovery:
- Sports drinks: Rich in electrolytes like sodium and potassium
- Coconut water: A natural source of electrolytes and hydration
- Bone broth: Provides minerals and can be soothing for the stomach
- Kombucha: Offers minerals, antioxidants, and beneficial gut bacteria
Research has shown that consuming electrolyte-rich drinks after periods of dehydration can significantly help restore important minerals like sodium, potassium, and calcium, aiding in faster recovery from hangover symptoms.
Nutritional Strategies: Eating to Ease Hangover Symptoms
The foods you consume before, during, and after drinking alcohol can play a significant role in how your body processes alcohol and recovers from its effects. Proper nutrition can help mitigate hangover symptoms and support your body’s recovery process.
What should you eat before drinking alcohol?
Consuming food before or while drinking alcohol can help your body metabolize alcohol more efficiently. This is because eating increases:
- Anti-diuretic hormone (ADH) levels
- Blood sugar levels
- Blood flow to the liver
These factors collectively assist your body in breaking down alcohol more quickly and effectively. Opt for meals that include complex carbohydrates, lean proteins, and healthy fats to provide a stable foundation for alcohol consumption.
Which foods are best for hangover recovery?
Contrary to popular belief, greasy foods are not the best choice for hangover recovery. Instead, focus on nutrient-rich options that can replenish your body and stabilize blood sugar levels:
- Bananas: High in potassium and magnesium, which alcohol can deplete
- Eggs: Rich in cysteine, which helps break down acetaldehyde
- Whole grains: Provide complex carbohydrates for sustained energy
- Leafy greens: Offer vitamins and minerals to support liver function
- Berries: Packed with antioxidants to combat oxidative stress
A nutrient-dense smoothie combining ingredients like coconut water, banana, peanut butter, and protein powder can be an excellent option for those struggling with nausea or lack of appetite.
Natural Remedies: Herbal and Supplement Solutions for Hangover Relief
While there’s no miracle cure for hangovers, certain natural remedies and supplements may help alleviate symptoms and support your body’s recovery process. It’s important to note that these remedies should be used in conjunction with proper hydration and nutrition for the best results.
Which herbs and supplements can help with hangover symptoms?
Several natural ingredients have shown promise in addressing various aspects of hangover symptoms:
- Ginger: May help reduce nausea and vomiting
- Peppermint: Can soothe digestive discomfort and headaches
- Milk thistle: Supports liver function and detoxification
- B-complex vitamins: Help replenish vitamins depleted by alcohol consumption
- N-acetyl cysteine (NAC): May aid in breaking down acetaldehyde
- Glutathione: A powerful antioxidant that supports liver function
While these natural remedies may offer some relief, it’s crucial to remember that the most effective way to prevent hangovers is to drink responsibly and in moderation.
Sleep and Rest: The Importance of Recovery Time
Adequate sleep and rest are crucial components of hangover recovery. Alcohol can significantly disrupt your sleep patterns, leading to poor quality sleep and exacerbating hangover symptoms. Prioritizing rest can help your body recover more efficiently.
How can you improve sleep quality after drinking?
To enhance your sleep quality and support hangover recovery:
- Create a cool, dark, and quiet sleeping environment
- Avoid screens for at least an hour before bed
- Try relaxation techniques like deep breathing or meditation
- Consider using a sleep mask and earplugs to block out disturbances
- Allow yourself extra time to sleep if possible
Remember that while sleeping off a hangover can help, it’s not a substitute for proper hydration and nutrition. Ensure you’re still consuming water and nutrient-rich foods when you’re awake.
Exercise and Fresh Air: Boosting Recovery Through Movement
While intense exercise is not recommended when dealing with a hangover, light physical activity and fresh air can help boost your recovery process. Gentle movement can increase circulation, promote the release of endorphins, and help clear your mind.
What types of exercise are suitable for hangover recovery?
Consider these low-impact activities to support your hangover recovery:
- A leisurely walk in nature
- Gentle yoga or stretching
- Light swimming or water aerobics
- Tai chi or qigong
Remember to listen to your body and not push yourself too hard. The goal is to promote gentle movement and fresh air intake, not to engage in strenuous activity that could further dehydrate you or exacerbate symptoms.
Preventive Measures: Strategies to Minimize Hangover Risk
While knowing how to treat a hangover is valuable, preventing one in the first place is even better. By implementing certain strategies before and during alcohol consumption, you can significantly reduce your risk of experiencing severe hangover symptoms.
How can you drink responsibly to prevent hangovers?
Follow these tips to minimize your hangover risk:
- Set a drink limit and stick to it
- Choose lighter colored alcohols, which tend to have fewer congeners (impurities that contribute to hangovers)
- Eat a nutritious meal before drinking
- Pace yourself and avoid drinking games or shots
- Stay hydrated by alternating alcoholic drinks with water
- Avoid mixing different types of alcohol
- Know your personal limits and respect them
Remember, the most effective way to prevent a hangover is to drink in moderation or abstain from alcohol altogether. If you choose to drink, doing so responsibly can help you enjoy social occasions without suffering the next day.
In conclusion, while there’s no foolproof cure for hangovers, understanding how alcohol affects your body and implementing these natural remedies and preventive strategies can help you manage and minimize hangover symptoms. Always prioritize your health and well-being, and if you find yourself frequently experiencing severe hangovers or struggling with alcohol consumption, don’t hesitate to seek professional help.
8 Natural Hangover Remedies | Everyday Health
According to Dr. Coupet, alcohol enters the bloodstream within minutes of your first sip and is then absorbed by the digestive tract — starting in the stomach before it is processed by the liver — as your body works to break it down, also known as alcohol metabolism.
During alcohol metabolism, a toxic byproduct called acetaldehyde is created, which your body works to eliminate, explains Peter Malamet, DO, an emergency medicine physician at Mike O’Callaghan Military Medical Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“How you feel can often depend on how fast you metabolize acetaldehyde and how fast you can get rid of it,” says Dr. Malamet. “Some people don’t break down acetaldehyde as well as others.”
RELATED: 5 Things Drinking Too Much Alcohol May Be Doing to Your Body
Although the bulk of alcohol metabolism occurs in the liver, it is believed that some alcohol metabolism can occur in the pancreas and brain, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
So what exactly causes that extreme thirst, horrible headache and feelings of nausea?
“The impurities in alcohol (which vary from one type of alcohol to another) can also contribute to the severity of the hangover. In other words, the more pure the alcohol, the less severe the hangover,” says Kelly Kennedy, RD, Everyday Health staff nutritionist.
Kennedy advises drinking in moderation and emphasizes that there’s no real cure for a hangover except not to get one in the first place.
But what if you want to enjoy a few cocktails and not feel terrible the following day? There are a few things you can do to ease the pain.
1. Drink Water to Avoid Dehydration
“The alcohol in your drink acts as a diuretic, which can make you urinate more,” explains Kennedy. “This can lead to dehydration, which is one of the major causes of hangover symptoms.”
In other words, that desert-level thirst that wakes you up in the wee hours of the morning is a signal that you’re well on the way to hungover. The amount of water that you take in should equal that amount you lose, and alcohol can upset this balance.
“If you know you’ll be drinking that night, stay well-hydrated throughout the day and have plenty to drink before heading to bed,” she says. And if you do wake up with a hangover, do your best to drink as much water as you can. “Even having little sips every so often will help.”
RELATED: Are You Drinking Enough Water? These Are the Health Risks of Dehydration
2. Drink Other Fluids to Restore Electrolytes
“Because alcohol is a diuretic and you’re urinating a lot, you’re also losing electrolytes, and you can experience dizziness, nausea, and cramping as a result” says Malamet, who credits an electrolyte imbalance as one of the leading causes of feeling fatigued from a hangover.
Research published in February 2015 in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research showed that drinking electrolytes after long periods of dehydration can significantly help restore important minerals, like sodium, potassium, and calcium.
What electrolyte-rich drinks should you reach for? Kennedy recommends sports drinks and broth to help restore and replace lost electrolytes and to get you back on the mend faster.
Fermented drinks like kombucha can also be beneficial to drink when feeling nutrient-depleted because they’re rich in minerals, antioxidants, and good-for-you-gut bacteria.
RELATED: Everything You Need to Home-Brew Your Own Kombucha
3. Eat Nutrient-Rich Food Before and After Drinking
To prevent a hangover, past research has shown pairing alcohol with food can help your body more efficiently metabolize the alcohol. The digestion of food before or during alcohol consumption can help increase anti-diuretic hormone levels (ADH), sugar fructose, and blood flow to the liver, all which work to help your body more quickly break down alcohol.
What do you eat if you’re already hungover? Contrary to popular belief, greasy foods will not help you to absorb a hangover. “Craving a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich the morning after a night out drinking is your body’s response to low blood sugar and dehydration,” explains Maggie Michalczyk, RDN, a dietitian and food blogger based in Chicago.
But it’s not going to absorb the alcohol — that’s already made its way through your liver. Instead, complex carbohydrates like fruits and vegetables are your best bet, says Michalczyk.
Experts recommend reaching for fruits like bananas, because they are chock full of minerals like potassium that alcohol can deplete. A roughly 7-inch-long banana has 422 milligrams (mg) of potassium and 32 mg of magnesium, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). If you can handle the sound of a blender, a smoothie of coconut water and banana, two tablespoons of peanut butter, and your favorite protein powder is what Michalczyk orders.
RELATED: 8 Foods High in Magnesium
4. Try Ginger to Ease Nausea
Doctors and nutritionists alike agree that ginger is one of the best natural remedies for soothing an upset stomach, which is often a common symptom of a hangover.
“Ginger can aid digestion and in this way can ease stomach upset,” explains Kennedy, who credits alcohol irritating the lining of the stomach as one of the reasons for hangover-related nausea.
The chemical compounds in ginger are believed to help ease stomach pain and aid digestion. A meta-analysis published in December 2019 in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found that ginger reduced vomiting in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy treatment by 60 percent and fatigue by 80 percent.
You can enjoy this superfood in many different ways. For soothing an upset stomach, try brewing some ginger tea or mixing fresh ginger into a smoothie.
RELATED: 9 Foods That Help Relieve Nausea
5. Have Chamomile to Reduce Anxiety (or Hangxiety)
For some, hangover-induced anxiety, or hangxiety, can be as taxing emotionally as some of the physical symptoms of a hangover.
If this doesn’t sound familiar, it might be because hangxiety affects us all differently. In a study published March 2019 in the journal Personality and Individual Differences, researchers discovered that shy people had greater anxiety levels the day after drinking alcohol.
Michalczyk suggests chamomile tea to calm any emotionally overwhelming feelings brought on by drinking, and research supports using this flowering plant to soothe anxiety. Double bonus: Chamomile can help you sleep more soundly and relieve an upset stomach, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH).
RELATED: 5 Calming Herbs to Soothe Anxiety
6. Restore Energy With Vitamin B and Protect Immunity With Vitamin C
Many hangover symptoms result from nutrient deficiencies, and vitamin B is particularly affected by alcohol use, according to a study in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Vitamin B is responsible for energy, brain function, and keeping the immune system and nervous system acting properly. A depletion of vitamin B can be associated with feelings of fatigue and low energy levels. If you still can’t get your mind off breakfast sandwiches, Michalczyk suggests eating eggs — which are a great source of the energy-producing B vitamins that alcohol flushes out — with lean protein like turkey bacon and a whole-grain English muffin.
According to experts, another vitamin to be mindful of when recovering from a hangover is vitamin C. Research published in 2015 in Alcohol Research Current Reviews showed a connection between alcohol use and a weakened immune system, impairing the body’s ability to defend itself. To avoid opening yourself up to colds, viruses, and potential alcohol-related illness, load up on vitamin C with fruits and vegetables like broccoli, which has 135 percent of the daily value per cup, according to the USDA. Also reach for oranges, red bell peppers, kiwis, and strawberries.
RELATED: 7 Common Nutrient Deficiencies: Know the Signs
7.
Avoid Medication That Can Cause Adverse Effects With Alcohol
There are certain drugs that can interact with alcohol and cause severe hangover-like symptoms, explains Malamet. One in particular to be mindful of is Flagyl (metronidazole), which is often used to treat bacterial infections of the skin, stomach, vagina, joints, or respiratory tract.
Other common medication, when consumed with alcohol, can cause dizziness, drowsiness, impaired concentration, and an increased risk of overdose, according to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. These include antidepressants, like Effexor, Lexapro, Wellbutrin, and Zoloft; stimulants, such as Adderall (Adderall XR) or Ritalin (methylphenidaten); and benzodiazepines that treat anxiety, including Xanax (Alprazolam) and Clonazepam (Klonopin). Allergy medication can negatively interact with alcohol, as well.
Malamet recommends always speaking with your doctor about possible medication interactions. “Some medications interact with the body’s ability to break down the alcohol, which can increase the severity of the hangover,” he says.
8. Go Back to Bed to Restore Circadian Rhythm
One of the most restorative remedies you can try when hungover is simply to get more sleep. In fact, delayed cognitive function during a hangover is likely linked to the poor sleep associated with alcohol use, according to Harvard Health. In fact, a study published in December 2018 in the journal Addiction found that a hangover may impair sustained attention and negatively impact everyday tasks like driving.
The National Sleep Foundation notes that alcohol disrupts your circadian rhythm and prevents REM sleep; it’s unlikely you’ll fall into a deep, restful sleep after drinking more than a glass of wine or two. Poor sleep, according to Harvard, is linked to anxiety, irritability, and depressed mood, and alcohol, as a depressant, exacerbates these effects.
“It’s been shown that you’re unable to achieve the usual REM sleep cycle when drinking alcohol, so even if you’re getting a couple hours of sleep, you’re probably not getting good sleep,” says Malamet.
The best way to feel better sooner? Hydrate and hit the snooze button.
Additional reporting by Brianna Majsiak.
18 of the best hangover cures that actually work
A wise man once said drinking alcohol is like borrowing fun from tomorrow. He might’ve been right, but here are a few ways to help you through the hangover!
So you got utterly debauched last night, didn’t you? Now it’s time to wade through the motions of regret, self-pity and a heavy head.
Alcohol can take up to 11 hours to leave your system, but these tried and tested tips will help you to recover faster!
We can’t promise an instant miracle cure for hangovers, but we can offer the next best thing. It depends on what poison you chose and how well your body can cope with seeing it off. We can, however, offer some very effective tips on becoming human once again. 🙂
This article contains tips on how to prevent a hangover and how to cure one too. We’ll walk you through what to do before you embark on your night out and finish up with how to handle the morning after!
Line your stomach with carbohydrates before you go out
If you take steps to prevent a monster hangover, you might not need a cure at all!
You’ve probably heard people waffling on about how dangerous it is to go out on an empty stomach – and it turns out there’s truth to that.
Devour a nice greasy meal before drinking, as the fat will help to line the walls of your stomach. This slows down the rate of alcohol absorption which means you’ll be less likely to wake up with a splitting headache. Pasta is a great option, as are bangers and mash or a hearty portion of beans on toast!
Drinking a pint of milk will also have the same effect, and a shot of olive oil helps too. Yum.
Drink water in between pints and before bed
Drinking alcohol blocks the creation of a chemical called vasopressin. This means that your kidneys will send water straight to the bladder instead of retaining it in the body – and is the reason you need so many toilet trips once you ‘break the seal’.
Drinking booze can expel up to four times as much water, quickly leading to dehydration: the main cause of those dreaded hangover headaches and dry mouths.
Want to wake up feeling fresh (and amazed)? Simply have a glass of water between each bev and make sure you have a few when you get back too.
Stick to drinks that are light in colour
Credit: BBC
As you’ve probably already figured from trial and error/being a pro pub connoisseur, different types of alcohol produce different types of hangover.
This is down to the congeners in the drink – something which is produced when the alcohol is fermented. Basically, the more congeners there are the more rotten your hangover is likely to be.
As a rule, there are more congeners in darker drinks such as red wine, whiskey or dark rum. White wine, vodka and gin, on the other hand, contain much less, so are a better choice (but may still leave you feeling rough!).
Don’t overdo it on the dance moves
Now we all love a good dance, but don’t overdo it or you’ll feel like a zombie in the morning.
Science tells us that if you totally exhaust yourself, you’ll end up getting even more dehydrated and depleting your energy levels much faster.
No need to be a party pooper, just don’t twerk too hard.
Pace yourself
It’s our duty here to remind you that the NHS recommends that guys should not drink more than three to four units of booze a day, or two to three if you’re a girl. To put this in perspective, a small glass of wine is about 1.5 units and a pint of beer somewhere between two and three.
It takes your body around one hour to break down one unit of alcohol (basically a shot). Cross this line and your hangover is cooking.
We know that students will probably go over these limits, but it is worth thinking about how much you’re drinking and how to pace yourself.
If you leave a gap between finishing your first drink and starting your next drink, you’ll give your body a chance to process the alcohol you’re drinking and lessen the hangover effect.
Keep off fizzy mixers
It’s no secret that pacing yourself and drinking some soft drinks is a smart idea, but be careful what you choose, kids. Drinking fizzy drinks will actually speed up the rate at which alcohol is absorbed into your system and so rather defeat the point of introducing non-alcoholic drinks into the equation.
And, before you ask, this also applies if the alcoholic drink your glugging is fizzy too. So, a vodka orange or apple juice would be a better choice than a vodka coke mixer, for example.
Avoid mixing drinks
You probably knew this anyway, but mixing different types of alcohol never really ends well in the hangover stakes.
Because different types of alcohol have different levels of congeners as well as other chemicals, they’ll all have a slightly different effect on you.
Add it all together and the result is a mixed-up mess and a banging headache. Pick your poison of choice and stick to it!
Walk home
Credit: 20th Television
First off, it’s best not to walk home alone drunk, so find your buddy first. And don’t attempt to walk in heels.
This aside, walking home can help you to sober up and clear your head, making for a much less painful morning. And the walk home is also the perfect time to pick up a few snacks to help you sober up!
Take the right painkillers
Your first thought will probably be to reach for some painkillers, and it’s not a bad shout as they will help with your headache – just make sure to pick the right ones.
The most effective is ibuprofen, but only the recommended dose.
Aspirin will do the trick in relieving a headache, but it can soon wreak havoc if you’ve got a sensitive stomach and potentially make you feel even worse.
Ideally, if you’re still functioning before you slump into bed after a big night, knock back an ibuprofen with a cup of water to help you along.
Replace lost salts
Dehydration is the biggest reason you feel so crap. Water will help, but isotonic drinks like Lucozade Sport and Powerade go another step. These can work wonders on hangovers, as they’re designed to replace sugars and salts quickly. They’ll give you energy and rehydrate you.
If you’re really in a bad way, take a Dioralyte sachet. Yes, we know them for treating diarrhoea (which you may well have) but being hungover puts your body in a similar position with depleted salts and minerals.
Try borage capsules
Borage capsules have been proven to be one of the best hangover cures.
There are all sorts of products claiming to be ‘hangover cures’. Things like Berocca can help but they can also be a little pricey and scientists aren’t all that convinced. Some suggest you benefit more from the water you drink with them than the tablets themselves.
That said, some of you swear by them, so don’t write anything off if it works for you!
Eat well the next day
Credit: Warner Bros.
Eating, even if it seems like the worst idea in the world, is really important for getting you on the road to recovery. You can’t eat just any old food, but there are a few options.
Depending on how bad you feel, the trusty fry-up is always a great option as it helps replace fatty acids and break down the alcohol in your liver. Eggs are particular savours here as they contain something called taurine, which has been shown to even reverse the liver damage caused by alcohol.
If you’re feeling a bit too delicate to face a fry-up, a safer option to get you going would be some mild flavoured carbohydrates such as wholemeal toast or crackers, which should give you a boost without upsetting your fragile stomach too much.
Drinking too much can also deplete your potassium levels, so eating some bananas in the morning will also help (a swift banana before bed is also a great shout if you can remember!).
Drink tea and fruit juice
A glass of fruit juice helps by giving you a sugary kick and energy, as well as getting rid of the toxins in your body while replacing some of the essential minerals you’ve lost.
Milk will work well to replace the calcium you’ve lost, while ginger tea (or even just ginger on its own) can help with nausea.
Another option is drinking milk thistle tea, which is said to be a hangover godsend. Boiled water with honey and lemon will also help boost your blood sugar and vitamins.
Coffee may be the obvious port-of-call for most sufferers, but it’s actually a diuretic and causes your body to lose water quickly. Coffee is also a big cause of those horrible sweats and heart palpitations we’re all prone to when we’ve had a night on the sauce – our advice is to avoid coffee like the plague.
Exercise the toxins out of your system
Okay, this one might seem like the last thing you want to do when you feel like your brain might roll right out of your skull, but hear us out.
Some fresh air and light exercise will release endorphins and give you that mental kick you need to get you back to your normal state. Accompanied by lots and lots of water, of course, to stay hydrated!
Don’t be fooled by the hair of the dog method
Hair of the dog? Forget it!
Drinking more might ease your pain for a few hours but it will only make the crash even worse when you get to that point. In short, you’re perpetuating the cycle, not dealing with the problem (i.e. your banging head)!
It’s also a slippery slope to constant drinking, which is by no means healthy or desirable.
Have a long shower
Credit: Channel 4
Freshening up can do wonders for your mind. If you’re not already late for lectures then jump right on in there with your rubber duck.
Be careful not to make it too hot, otherwise, the heat can go to your head and make you nauseous. A great option is to shower with the window open for a bit of fresh air too – bliss!
Sleep it off
Credit: Warner Bros.
One of the other side effects of drinking is the disruption of your sleep cycle, which is one of the reasons you still feel a bit pants even if you did get a decent amount of sleep.
Combat this the only way you know how – just sleep some more! If you’re not going to be productive anyway, you might as well just admit defeat, and instead, focus on getting the sleep you need to get back on form.
If you’re finding it difficult to get some shut-eye, distract yourself with something enjoyable but not too taxing, like watching a film or series! Planet Earth is our go-to hangover comfort telly.
Wear some sunglasses
Credit: Javier Brosch – Shutterstock
Along with all the other joys of a hangover, you might also find yourself prey to hypersensitivity with things like bright lights or loud music.
Make sure everyone turns it down a notch for the day (or grab some earplugs if you’re worried about this making you unpopular) and if you need to leave the house, put on your best sunnies. No one will even question it (unless it’s raining).
You might even want to take them with you on your night out if you’re planning on staying out until the early hours of the morning and have a long walk home!
Need some inspo for fun things to do to distract yourself from your hangover? Check out our fave activities for under £20!
6 ways to ease your symptoms
Ask a dozen people how to cure a hangover and you’ll get a dozen different answers. Eat greasy grub. Drink coffee. Pop over-the-counter pain relievers.
Do any of them work?
“There’s no magic potion that gets rid of a hangover,” says George Koob, MD, director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). The only way you can avoid that tired-headachy-nauseated feeling is to drink less.
But if you think you might overdo it, these steps could help tone down your morning-after symptoms.
Prepare With Prickly Pear
While most over-the-counter hangover remedies won’t help much, there’s one supplement that may do you some good — but you’ll have to plan ahead. If you take prickly pear extract several hours before you drink, it might lower your day-after symptoms by about half.
Experts don’t know how it works, but the extract has a protein that curbs the inflammation you can get from drinking too much. That may help hold off a hangover.
Eat Up and Drink Water
Don’t wait until the end of the night to polish off a pizza. It might be too late.
“The alcohol is already in your body, so eating food or drinking water won’t affect how it’s absorbed,” says Aaron White, PhD, senior advisor to the director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
But if you eat a meal and have water while you’re throwing back those cocktails, your hangover may not be as bad. “Having food in your stomach while drinking reduces how high your peak blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) gets by about a third,” White says.
The less drunk you get, the less crummy you’ll feel the next day. And fluid from water slows the rate at which your body absorbs alcohol. This will also lower your overall BAC.
“It’s a good idea to alternate alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks,” White says.
Along with drinking water throughout the night, be sure to down even more before you go to sleep.
“Alcohol is a diuretic,” Koob says. This means it makes you pee a lot, which causes you to lose a lot of liquid. “Hangover symptoms are partly due to dehydration, so replacing that fluid loss can help.”
It’s also smart to keep a bottle of water by your bedside so you can hydrate as soon as you wake up in the morning.
Chose Clear Booze
The color of the spirits you drink may affect how you feel tomorrow. You may be better off sticking to a clear booze like vodka and gin, or the clear versions of rum and tequila.
The reason has to do with chemical compounds called congeners. Those are “anything in alcohol besides alcohol and water,” Koob says. Darker drinks like bourbon, scotch, and tequila tend to have higher levels. Those compounds can bring on the inflammation that makes your hangover worse.
Don’t Light Up And Drink
For some people, the two go together. But you may pay the price.
“Smoking cigarettes while drinking results in worse hangovers,” says Damaris Rosenhow, PhD, associate director of the Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies at Brown University.
One theory is that both alcohol and smokes affect your sleep, and poor shut-eye may make you feel even crummier.
Have a Drink the Next Day
If you’re looking for a short-term fix, this may help — but not for long. There’s a scientific explanation for why the “hair of the dog that bit you” works.
When you drink, alcohol holds back a brain chemical called glutamate. That causes your brain to make more and more of it, Koob says. When the alcohol wears off, you have a bunch of it floating around in your brain. It may be to blame for hangover symptoms like irritability, headaches, nausea, and fatigue.
Down another drink or two the next morning, and you’ll hold off the glutamate all over again. Your hangover symptoms may improve. But it won’t last. “Once you stop drinking you’ll still have to deal with a hangover,” Koob says.
Treat Your Symptoms
Although there’s no cure for a hangover, there are ways to treat what ails you.
If you have a headache, reach for an anti-inflammatory medication like ibuprofen. Upset stomach? Pepto-Bismol might help. If you’re tired, have some coffee.
One thing you shouldn’t take is any other medication that has the ingredient acetaminophen. It can cause serious liver problems when it mixes with alcohol.
While ibuprofen is a better option, you still need to be careful. “Taking too much ibuprofen can upset your stomach, and it may already be queasy from your hangover,” Koob says.
6 Best Ways To Feel Like A Person Again, Backed By Research
A few of us have, at one point or another, shamelessly downed one too many drinks in a single night out on the town. Unforgettable memories (or lack of) usually follow that night of drinking beer, wine, or spirits — along with the dreaded hangover the morning after. While the only way to cure a hangover is to drink in moderation, or avoid getting one altogether, there are a few hangover remedies to ease the head-pounding, body-aching regret we feel the next day.
Read: How To Stop A Hangover Before It Starts
Since more than 75 percent of people who’ve had alcohol have experienced a hangover and missed work due to one, it is essential to know how to tackle the alcohol-induced pain. To avoid hangover-related poor job performance and to ace your board room meeting the next morning, it’s best to sober up the smart way. To separate fact from fiction when it comes to folk wisdom of hangovers, add these scientifically-proven cures that have helped some of us get through college and will hopefully continue to help us get through life:
Filled with head-pounding and body-aching regret the morning after drinking? Try these research-based hangover cures — from drinking Sprite to eating asparagus — to alleviate symptoms. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock
1. Water
During or after a night of excessive drinking, most of us will turn to water to quench our thirst, since our body is absolutely parched. While the thought of putting more liquid into your body may sound revolting, water can actually help. Typically, the negative symptoms of alcohol derive from the dehydration of the body.
Aicacia Young, a Registered Dietitian in Austin, Texas, and founder at Climb Healthy, believes water can lessen the severity of headaches, fatigue, nausea, and confusion. “Rehydrating before you go to sleep can help lessen the blow the next morning,” Young told Medical Daily in an email. Rehydrating will allow us to be more equipped to tackle the symptoms.
Read More: Does Drinking More Alcohol Actually Cure A Hangover?
2. Sprite
Ironically, chugging on sweet, caffeine-free soda, may provide much solace during a hangover. In a 2013 study published in the journal Food and Function, Chinese researchers found the drink helps the body better metabolize alcohol by speeding up our ability to process aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), believed to be the culprit for hangover symptoms. Contrary to popular belief, the study also found herbal and other supplements actually have pharmacological activities that both harm and benefit our health. Sipping on herbal tea may slow down the ALDH process and could possibly prolong the hangover.
3. Ginger or Peppermint Tea
Although the previous study found Sprite may be more effective than herbal teas, other studies suggest sipping on ginger or peppermint tea is the perfect soothing brew for hangover-related nausea and stomachaches. A 2003 study published in the American Journal of Physiology and a 2008 study published in Prescrire International both found the teas can reduce nausea and motion sickness when used appropriately. Green tea is also known to be helpful to the liver, as EGCG (Epigallocatechin galate) has been shown to stimulate key detoxification pathways.
4. Asparagus
While the spring vegetable may not be the food craving we have after a few drinks, asparagus may actually protect our body from booze. A 2009 study published in the Journal of Food Science found the amino acids in asparagus improves the speed of how human cells break down alcohol, which can prevent some of the long-term damage from alcohol’s toxic byproducts, such as hydrogen peroxide. It is the biological functions of asparagus that can help alleviate alcohol hangover, while protecting liver cells.
5. Bananas and Pretzels
This may seem like a peculiar combination but eating pretzels and bananas can cure a hangover. These foods high in salt and potassium content, respectively, are the way to go. Alyssa Cellini, nutritionist in Bridgewater, N.J., suggests eating these two foods because they are good sources to prevent further dehydration. “[B]oth salt and potassium are electrolytes, that hold onto water to decrease dehydration,” she told Medical Daily in an email. “[A]dding in natural electrolytes that ALSO come with carbohydrates (which are depleted during the liver-detoxing) will make for one less step to feeling better.” Cellini reminds us alternative sources of electrolytes are anything that contains salt and potassium.
Read More: 12 Healthy Foods And Drinks To Cure A Hangover
6. Coffee and an Aspirin
The most predictable and simple combination has actually been proven to work. A 2010 study published in the journal PlOS ONE found caffeine in coffee and the anti-inflammatory ingredients of aspirin and other painkillers, reacted against the chemical compounds of ethanol, or pure alcohol. Ethanol is know to bring on headaches due to the chemical acetate. Cellini cautions, “coffee further dehydrates you and is acidic, but it will force adrenaline up which will give you a false energy boost.” It’s best to take precaution when it comes to drinking coffee and painkillers together.
Bonus tip:
Cellini’s recommended hangover cure, the “pH Shot,” contains: kale(1 cup) + lemon (1/2 without rind) + ginger root(thumb size) + 1/4 cucumber + 1/4 cup pineapple + 3oz water. She then recommends to blend that up for antioxidant and gastrointestinal inflammation.
These six scientifically-proven hangover cures will help alleviate the negative symptoms of alcohol for the morning after, so you’ll be on your way to feeling like a person again.
See Also:
What Causes A Hangover?
How To Stop A Hangover Before It Starts
* Recommended hangover prevention product
AfterDrink
(photo from afterdrink)
Hangover Anxiety: Why You Get ‘Hangxiety’ After a Night of Drinking
For some drinkers, hangxiety—that’s hangover anxiety, for the uninitiated—is almost as reliable as the pounding headache and queasy stomach. It’s the feeling of dread that follows a night of heavy imbibing. That chill, fun vibe that accompanies having a few (or a bunch) of drinks is gone. Now you just feel anxious. Your mind races, maybe your palms sweat, maybe you get a stomachache. Maybe you’re replaying everything you said last night and frantically scrolling through your texts to make sure you didn’t send a message you super wish you hadn’t. Or maybe you just feel really worried and full of dread, even if you can’t think of a specific thing to be worried about.
For some people, these doubts and worries are fleeting—run-of-the-mill nerves from letting their guard down after drinking alcohol the night before. But for others, the anxiety is overwhelming, and it’s not just regret from drinking too much or your mind’s effort to piece together a hazy night. The overwhelming feeling of worry and anxiety after drinking too much is an experience common enough that Reddit has devoted threads to the term: “hangxiety.”
It turns out that hangxiety might in fact be a thing that has both physiological and psychological explanations. One thing to keep in mind: Alcohol affects various neurotransmitter systems in the brain and trying to nail down how it affects any individual aspect is difficult because they interact with one another. That said, we did talk to experts who helped us understand the big picture.
Why does hangxiety happen?
Not everyone experiences hangover anxiety—some people just feel achy or have an upset stomach—but it’s a relatively common symptom of a hangover. The symptoms you experience after a night of heavy drinking tend to be milder versions of what clinical alcohol withdrawal looks like, explains Michael Bogenschutz, M.D., a professor in the Department of Psychiatry at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. So, the morning after a night of hard partying, you may feel sick to your stomach, nauseated, irritable, and anxious. Someone who drinks heavily often—and then stopped suddenly—would experience more severe versions of those symptoms—vomiting, diarrhea, maybe even a panic attack. In other words, hangover anxiety can be one of these subclinical (not severe enough to be diagnosed) symptoms of withdrawal. George F. Koob, Ph.D., director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) agrees: “I think of a hangover as, more or less, a mini-withdrawal from alcohol, and anxiety is one of the components,” he tells SELF.
When you drink alcohol, dopamine neurons in areas of the brain associated with reward start firing more and more, explains Aparna Iyer, M.D., a psychiatrist and assistant professor at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. The problem is that dopamine rush is short-lived with alcohol, Dr. Iyer says. That’s part of why your mood and anxiety levels might be impacted for the worse later on.
Alcohol also interrupts the activity of other neurotransmitters, including serotonin and endorphins, which can affect your mood, Dr. Iver explains. The feelings that you have after you drink alcohol, or even the day after, can result in a whole range of feelings and moods and anxiety symptoms,” she says. “It can range from panic to feeling depressed to feeling impulsive to feeling agitated and irritable.”
Alcohol actually has effects on multiple neurological pathways. But when it comes to hangxiety, perhaps the most significant one is the gamma aminobutyric acid, or GABA, pathway. Alcohol increases GABA activity in the brain. GABA is involved in several brain functions—motor control, memory, anxiety—and it’s also the principal inhibitory neurotransmitter, says David Kareken, Ph.D., a neuropsychologist at Indiana University Health. A number of medications used to treat anxiety, including benzodiazepines, also target GABA.
How to Quickly Recover After an Alcohol Binge
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), binge drinking is a common but avoidable public health issue. It is common across the U.S. for a night out with friends to turn into a binge drinking session.
What Constitutes Binge Drinking?
Binge drinking means drinking an amount of alcohol that raises blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) levels to 0.08 percent or higher in two hours.
For men, it takes about five or more drinks to get to this level. For women, it takes about four or more drinks.
Everyone is different, however. Some people may be able to handle more or less than this amount. How fast you drink will also affect the severity of your binge drinking session. People who drink the same number of drinks more quickly will raise their BAC faster.
The good news is most people who binge drink are not dependent on alcohol. Adults between the ages of 18 and 34 years old are the most likely to binge drink. Still, half of the binge drinking occurs with people age 35 or older. Most underage drinkers report consuming their alcohol in binge drinking sessions.
In the United States, men are more likely to binge drink than women.
Risks of Binge Drinking
There are many risks and problems linked to binge drinking and problem drinking such as:
- Dependence on alcohol
- Accidents and injuries
- Falls
- Burns
- Crashes
- Alcohol poisoning
- Memory issues
- Sudden infant death syndrome
- Unwanted pregnancy
- Sexually transmitted infections
Binge drinking also has a role in social problems, such as domestic violence, child abuse, homicide, and even suicide.
The University of Rochester Medical Center states that alcohol is a depressant that affects the central nervous system (CNS). It does so by affecting two types of neurotransmitters in the brain.
- Excitatory neurotransmitters. These make many reactions and functions in the body possible. They make your body react quickly to certain events.
- Inhibitory neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters provide your body with a calming effect. This makes your body react to things more slowly.
Alcohol works by interrupting the normal balance in your nervous system. It causes your inhibitory neurotransmitters to increase while decreasing the effect of the excitatory neurotransmitters in your body. This means that while you are drinking, your brain will release extra dopamine, the chemical that makes you feel good.
Side Effects of Alcohol
The side effects of alcohol can be felt by anyone who drinks even a moderate amount, but people who binge drink are more likely to experience some of the following:
- Mood swings
- Problems with memory
- Slurred speech
- Difficulty focusing
- Drowsiness
- Reduced heart rate
- Slowed breathing
- Blackouts
Consistent binge drinking could make you more tolerant of alcohol and its effects. You might need to drink more to achieve the same effects as before. This compounds the risks of binge drinking. Since it takes more alcohol to get drunk, you are more likely to consume increasingly larger amounts. This makes alcohol poisoning more likely.
These effects go away after your liver removes alcohol from your body. However, you may wake up with a hangover after a night of binge drinking. The medical name for a hangover is veisalgia.
What Happens in Your Body After You Binge Drink
Binge drinking results in next-day hangovers in the best of cases. After you have consumed excess alcohol, your body metabolizes it as a chemical called acetaldehyde.
This metabolite is known for its toxic effects. It contributes to nausea, headaches, and could worsen depression in some people. Drinking too many causes the blood vessels to expand. This process has been linked to migraines, as the blood vessels contract to their normal size. Your body will hurt whenever your blood vessels expand or decrease in size.
Alcohol interrupts your regular sleep cycle. The interruptions to your brain’s natural chemicals also make you more sensitive to sound and light. Ultimately, you are also suffering from a lack of sleep when you are dealing with a hangover.
Along with being a depressant, alcohol is a diuretic. The night before your hangover you probably made a lot of trips to the bathroom because alcohol blocks the antidiuretic hormone. This can leave you dehydrated.
According to VICE, you may become nauseous because alcohol causes your stomach to become inflamed.
In addition, alcohol passes more quickly through the intestines and colon, and water is not effectively squeezed out of the stool. This combination of reactions contributes to vomiting and diarrhea. In some instances, a binge drinking session may have the opposite reaction and lead to constipation.
Maintaining focus while hungover is often difficult.
Because of everything else happening in the body, your electrolyte levels are not optimal.
This imbalance may affect your heart, and you may even have an irregular heartbeat as a result of binge drinking. In addition, you may find yourself more emotional during a hangover.
The imbalances in your electrolytes, dehydration and the rebalancing of your hormones may cause you to feel more volatile as the body tries to heal itself.
Steps To Take After Binge Drinking
According to Harvard Medical School, there are no official cures for a hangover. Still, there are some things you can do to feel better as you try to recover from a night out.
Try coffee or tea
These do not make a hangover go away any faster, but they may help you stay more alert as your body is rebalancing itself. You can overdo it with caffeinated drinks, so be careful with how much you have.
Drink liquids
Nausea might make just about everything unappetizing, but drinking enough water is important to rehydrate as you get over your hangover. Diarrhea and vomiting might dehydrate you even more, so you must stay as hydrated as you can.
Eat carbohydrates
Alcohol reduces the levels of sugar in your blood. Eating foods rich in carbohydrates could help you feel better. Fruit, toast, or pasta might help.
Take over-the-counter medication that does not contain acetaminophen (Tylenol)
Ibuprofen and aspirin could help you with any pain or headaches as a result of binge drinking, and they aren’t as harsh on the stomach as acetaminophen.
Consider taking vitamin B6
This vitamin could help to prevent and alleviate hangover symptoms. Since you have to take the vitamin before, during, and after drinking, it requires a lot of effort. People aren’t likely to stick to the schedule on this during a binge drinking session.
Prevention is key to avoiding negative consequences due to binge drinking. According to NHS, you can reduce the risk of a hangover by learning what your limits are. Avoid drinking on an empty stomach, as this can escalate intoxication and is harder on your body. Drink some water in between alcoholic drinks; this will help you to drink more slowly and stay hydrated.
Ultimately, avoid binge drinking. Keep drinking levels moderate, and avoid the associated risks of binge drinking, including hangovers.
6 Myths About How to Feel Better After Drinking – ZBiotics
Ask 100 different people, “how do you feel better after a night of drinking?”, and you’re likely to hear 100 different answers. That “wisdom” you got from your friend Sandra – whose research was largely via Google University and significant “field testing” at the local bar – is memorable, but chances are that it’s more myth than truth. Our PhD scientists take a minute here to shine an objective, evidence-based light on 6 drinking fables we’ve encountered, and follow up with 6 best practices for your night out that can seriously help you have a better next day.
Myth #1: Order matters
We’ve all heard some variation of the classic rhyme: “Beer before liquor, never been sicker / Liquor before beer, you’re in the clear.” This catchy couplet simply isn’t true, or at the very least it’s misleading. A 12-ounce beer, 5-ounce glass of wine or 1.5 ounces of liquor (the average size of a shot) all contain roughly the same amount of alcohol, and overindulging in any of these drinks will likely result in a rough morning.
The myth likely arose from the fact that you can drink liquor much faster than beer, so while a 12oz beer contains the same amount of alcohol as a 1.5oz shot, you’ll likely consume the shot a lot more quickly. Your body can metabolize alcohol at a defined rate, so drinking more slowly allows your body to keep up. Therefore, if a drunk person decides to start taking shots at the end of the night, they may end up drinking several in quick succession, putting additional strain on their body when it’s already in hyperdrive trying to deal with the previously ingested alcohol.
However, if the same drunk person decides to have a beer, it’ll likely take them a long time to even get the one down, thus slowing down their drinking. But there is no biochemical reason why the order you ingest the drinks should matter, if you drink the same number of drinks in the same period of time.
The saying should really be, “don’t start taking shots at the end of the night, regardless of what you drank earlier,” but that just doesn’t really have the same ring to it. In short, it’s not what order you drink alcohol in, but the overall quantity of alcohol and duration you’re ingesting it in, that’s going to matter most.
Myth #2: Sober up quickly with coffee or a cold shower
This is a dangerous myth surrounding alcohol: that drinking a cup of coffee or taking a cold shower or really anything else will sober someone up enough to allow them to safely drive home that night.
This is unequivocally not true. Drinking coffee after drinking alcohol might make you feel more awake, but it has no effect on how quickly your body processes and/or eliminates alcohol from the bloodstream. A cold shower after drinking has the same nonexistent effect. It may shock your body and make you feel more awake, but your intoxication level and resulting impairment (e.g. slow reaction times, blurred vision, reduced coordination, poor judgement, etc.) will remain the same.
In short, you’ll just feel more awake — or wet — and either way, still drunk.
Myth #3: Eating food will sober you up
If you’re already drunk, it means that the alcohol you drank is already in your bloodstream. Any food you subsequently eat goes into your stomach where it can’t really have any effect whatsoever on the alcohol that made you drunk. Eating food after drinking won’t sober you up.
However, it is important to note that eating BEFORE you drink is a good idea! If you already have food in your stomach, when you drink alcohol it will not be absorbed as readily, basically because the food you ate is in the way. You will eventually absorb all the alcohol you drink (food doesn’t “sop up” alcohol), but you will absorb it slower, which means your BAC won’t spike quite as high, and your liver will have more time to deal with the alcohol as it enters the bloodstream gradually, rather than all at once.
So basically, eat food before or during drinking. It’s a good idea and a responsible drinking behavior; not because it will sober you up, but because it can at least slow down your body’s absorption of alcohol you drink after eating.
Myth #4: Drinking a significant amount of water before bed will prevent a rough morning
This myth is really based on another myth: that your rough morning is due to dehydration. While it is true that alcohol does cause you to pee more, this only results in – at most – very mild dehydration the next day. Studies demonstrate that the biochemical markers of dehydration do not correlate with hangover severity (citation), so preventing dehydration likely has little to do with how you feel the next day. In addition, assuming there is still alcohol in your system when you go to bed, then the alcohol is still suppressing your vasopressin, meaning your kidneys will continue to just send all that water you drank to your bladder anyway!
So pounding a bunch of water before bed won’t do anything to help any mild dehydration you might experience the next day, and even if it did, it wouldn’t have an appreciable effect on the quality of your morning anyway. It is more likely to make you wake up in the middle of the night to pee, meaning you’ll probably just get a worse night’s sleep!
Myth #5: Alcohol helps you sleep
While it’s true that alcohol can help you fall asleep initially, it causes all kinds of mayhem in your brain that continually causes your sleep cycle to be interrupted throughout the night (citation). So even if you get a full 8 hours, you’ll very likely wake up feeling groggy and unrested.
In addition, that crazy mayhem that’s happening in your brain while you sleep results in a bunch of rebound effects the next day. Think of it as a pendulum swinging back and forth. You won’t just be dealing with the effects of poor sleep the next day. You could also be experiencing cognitive defects throughout the day as your brain chemistry re-normalizes. A good example of this is a study that showed people were actually significantly worse drivers when hungover (citation).
Myth #6: A little “hair of the dog” will cure what ails you
So you’ve decided to have your fun at night and pay the piper in the morning. However, nothing seems to make the morning bearable. Your headache is pounding, every little noise is like a cannon shot ricocheting inside your head, and the sunlight streaming through your curtains is blinding. Some friends may recommend a steady diet of water, sports drinks, greasy food, or aspirin/ibuprofen. Still others suggest turning to the “hair of the dog,” or drinking more alcohol to feel better.
None of these substances are much help, and some, like the “hair of the dog” method, will most likely make your symptoms worse by inhibiting your body’s natural recovery from alcohol consumption the night before. While the effects of alcohol may mask some of the symptoms, you’re really just kicking the can down the road, because once you sober up from your hair of the dog, you’ll be feeling everything you drank the night before PLUS whatever you drank in the morning. This will not do you or your body any favors, and it will likely exacerbate the problem.
6 Practices That Actually Work
While the above myths (and many others) continue to pervade the public consciousness, there are some tried and true methods based on sound science that are always good to keep in mind when drinking:
- Drink plenty of water while drinking. This is not to combat dehydration, but more to help you pace yourself as well as support your organs (such as your liver and kidneys) that are working overtime to deal with the alcohol you’re ingesting.
- Don’t drink on an empty stomach. See Myth #3. It won’t sober you up, but having food in your stomach will slow down the rate of alcohol absorption from drinks you drink after you eat. It can also help minimize stomach and gut irritation caused by alcohol (and its unwanted byproduct, acetaldehyde).
- Pace yourself. You break down alcohol at a given rate. The slower you drink, the better chance your body has of keeping up. 4 drinks in one hour will hit you harder than 4 drinks in 4 hours.
- Make important decisions before you start drinking. Decisions like how much you’re going to drink, when you’re going to stop drinking, and how you’re going to get home. Don’t rely on drunk-you to make good decisions; drunk-you has much worse judgement than sober-you. Trust sober-you.
- Get plenty of sleep and stop drinking earlier. Alcohol causes poor quality sleep, so even if you get a full 8 hours, it won’t feel as good as if you slept sober. In addition, since often we stay out late drinking, 6 hours of drunk sleep is obviously much worse than 8 hours of sober sleep. And if you can, stop drinking a couple of hours before going to bed to give your body time to metabolize the alcohol before you sleep. The less alcohol in your body while you sleep, the better. For example, if you plan to stay out with your friends until the bar closes at 2am, cut yourself off at midnight and spend the last two hours of the night riding the wave of your previous drinks. You don’t need those 1:39am last-call shots; they won’t hit you until after the bar is closed and you’re headed home anyway. Instead, you can go to bed significantly more sober and get better quality sleep, rather than just getting more drunk while you lie in bed.
- The next morning, go about your normal routines or follow through on plans you’ve made. Anxiety and depression from drinking the previous night are real (citation), and they can be compounded by flaking out on your plans. Best to suck it up and get on with your life!
One Final Note
Human beings were never meant to drink alcohol. For tens of thousands of years, our ancestors were only exposed to alcohol when they happened to eat fruit that was a few days too old. But then, a few thousand years ago, we discovered controlled fermentation…. And a trillion-plus casks of mead, beer, wine, and liquor later, alcohol is now an integral part of global life.
The problem is that our bodies never caught up. We evolved to that pre-fermentation reality, which means we’re just not well-adapted to processing alcohol in anything above incidental quantities. And if the proliferation of drinking myths is any indication, people have been suffering the consequences for thousands of years.
The tips we’ve outlined above are some of the best practices humanity has been able to come up with without the benefit of technology. They are largely based around the idea that if given enough time, our bodies can deal with the alcohol. However, if our bodies are not perfect at dealing with alcohol, they are even less equipped to deal with one of the byproducts of alcohol: acetaldehyde.
Acetaldehyde is even worse for us (citation), and until we started fermenting and drinking alcohol intentionally, we rarely ran into this molecule at all. As such, until quite recently our bodies had little need to evolve to deal with acetaldehyde. But acetaldehyde is actually the root cause of some of the worst next-day misery after drinking (citation). So while you could use the tips above to deal with alcohol’s direct effects, there really wasn’t much you could do about the acetaldehyde… until now. We looked at that problem and thought science should step in.
We used bioengineering to create a probiotic that targets and breaks down acetaldehyde. It’s the world’s first bioengineered probiotic, and the first ingredient that can actively break down acetaldehyde. With this new technology, we hope to provide one more tool to the responsible alcohol behaviors outlined above, so we can deal with both alcohol and acetaldehyde, helping make sure you land on your feet the next morning. Find out more about the product, how it fits into a responsible drinking regime, and the underlying science here.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice.
90,000 10 ways to recover after the holiday. Column Evgeny Melchenko
There is wisdom in wine, freedom in beer, only bacteria in water.
Benjamin Franklin
New Year’s Eve is over. 2016 is in the past, all the problems and worries are taken over by the golden rooster. But what does he have to do first? And this is in the morning (lunchtime or evening) on January 1st. Of course, to make it feel good. And not only in the soul, but also in the mortal body weighed down with alcohol and abundant snacks.In principle, based on the advice below, no matter how strange or crazy they may seem at first glance, you can come to your senses faster, and even get behind the wheel, without fear of the harsh traffic police inspector who is on duty from December 31 to January 1 evening. Can you imagine how much goodness and joy accumulates in him in the process of such a shift? That’s the same. But first of all, we are interested in how to quickly put ourselves in order and fully enjoy the long January weekend.
So, what can be done so that the head is clear and light as quickly as possible, and the breath does not resemble Gorynych’s exhalation? And at once from three heads, because to interfere with drinks at moments of uncontrolled libation is our national tradition.Let us recall the folk methods and evaluate on a 5-point scale their significance for the hangover case. Let’s start in order.
1. Broths. The first, most proven and effective way is a rich, rich broth after waking up. Chicken, beef or pork broth is not so important, although, of course, there is a difference. The most important thing here is the processes and the effect.
After heavy consumption of alcohol, a large amount of toxins is formed in the body. After all, the state of alcoholic intoxication is, as you know, one of the varieties of toxic poisoning of the human body.And the fume is a decay product of these very toxins that our body is trying to remove from itself by any available means. Our task is to help him in this difficult task.
So, to remove toxins from the body, you need to eat abundantly food containing more fat. This is undoubtedly the broth. For better assimilation – hot broth. So, for example, lovers of jellied meat can warm up this yummy and use it in liquid form. In the evening – in a cold thick, in the morning – in a hot liquid.A universal product, one might say. It is highly recommended to consume with a head of garlic or horseradish.
Ideally, good Armenian khash can become such a product. But here, as you know, it takes a lot of time, patience. And this is a scarce product at the time of the holiday.
Hangover effect – 5 points.
From fumes – 3 points.
2. Brine. It is he, natural cucumber or cabbage pickle.The main word here is natural. For which one from the store and in a beautiful jar is completely different. It is correct, of course, to ferment cabbage a couple of weeks before the New Year, and cucumbers at least three months before. Who is looking so far? Nevertheless, there are people in our villages.
The miraculous effect of this product has been confirmed, perhaps, by everything that is possible: from time to British scientists. Cucumber drink has an extremely positive effect on the microflora of the stomach, and cabbage drink also affects the work of the pancreas and heart due to the record content of potassium and sodium.But precisely because of this, cabbage pickle is not recommended for hypertensive patients.
Hangover effect – 5 points.
From fumes – 0 points.
3. Nuts. Butter. As mentioned above, to raise vitality, you need to eat more fatty foods. Nuts are exactly the same food, except for broths.
Old-timers advise to crush and eat a few walnuts, chewing thoroughly. You can mix it with sour cream, but with a very small amount.To bring down the fumes for a long time, you can chew a piece of nutmeg. The method is proven and reliable.
Hangover effect – 2 points.
From fumes – 4 points.
4. Cossack way. One of the best ways to make your life easier is cow’s milk. A glass of this drink in the Kuban villages in the morning saved more than one hundred thousand Cossacks from headaches and the desire to chop everything that came to hand with a saber. The problem is that fresh milk is the right one.Pasteurized – not very good. But there is another way from the Kuban villages: mix the grated cucumber, parsley and mint leaf, season with vegetable oil and use on an empty stomach. It removes muck from the body very quickly.
Experienced Cossacks report that to reduce the hangover effect after drinking a fair amount of alcohol before going to bed, you need to drink at least half a liter … of plain water. This will facilitate the work of the kidneys while the Cossack is asleep.
Hangover effect – 4 points.
From fumes – 2 points.
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5. Healthy lifestyle. A method that will definitely increase your tone is exercise and a contrast shower in the morning. First, it is guaranteed to invigorate. Secondly, it will wash away from your “tired” body all that excess that you had to transfer from last year to the new one. In particular, the decay products of those very toxins that fell out in the form of sweat precipitation.
Hangover effect – 3 points.
From fumes – 0 points.
This is about the well-known methods, which I just wanted to remind you of.But there are also exotic ones. These include “invigorating” cocktails, for example. Or the effect of individual products.
6. Cocktails. Lemon Exhale Cocktail. Cut the lemon with the peel into small pieces, add a glass of orange juice and a spoonful of honey. It is also advisable to add a sprig of parsley. Mix all this with a mixer and use. Invigorates, relieves fumes.
Relieves the hangover syndrome “Vigor” cocktail. Add two teaspoons of brandy or rum to freshly brewed coffee, squeeze half a lemon into a cup.Stir and drink very hot.
The simplest hangover cocktail is Mojito Light. Squeeze half of the lime into a glass and pour over salted mineral water. Put the squeezed lime in the same place. Let it brew for at least half an hour and drink in small sips.
The effect of a hangover – 2-3 points.
From fumes – 0-1 points.
7. Vinegar. A product consumed by normal people only as an additive to something.So in the case of the post-holiday state, they use it in conjunction with other ingredients. So, for example, if you rinse your mouth with a glass of water with a few drops of vinegar several times within 2-3 hours, you can get rid of the fumes.
Hangover effect – 1 point.
From fumes – 3 points.
8. Spices. Spices are an excellent remedy for hangover ailments. This method is widespread in Asian countries. Hindus prefer to chew cinnamon or bay leaves in the morning after drinking.The fact is that this not only almost instantly removes the fumes, but also through the oral mucosa delivers the substances necessary for the breakdown of toxins into the body. Cloves and dill seeds, which are also widespread in our country, are considered no less effective.
Also, experts from Central Asia note the extremely favorable softening effect of rosehip decoction, drunk on an empty stomach.
Hangover effect – 2 points.
From fumes – 5 points.
9.Coffee. If everything is in order with the heart, then such a method as drinking plenty of coffee will do. In addition to drinking a brewed natural drink, you can chew several grains, which will eliminate the smell of fumes for a long time.
Hangover effect – 2 points.
From fumes – 4 points.
10. Watermelon. Few people know that normal watermelon helps speed up the kidney function and, naturally, the elimination of alcohol breakdown products from the body. More precisely, many have heard about the properties of this berry, but by the end of December, the memory of summer products somehow disappears.And by this time it ceases to be an “ordinary” watermelon. Finding it in stores is quite difficult. In this case, those who know how to “spin” and marinate watermelons are in an advantageous position. In the morning after the holiday, the thing is simply magical. In every sense of the word.
There is also a substitute for this magic. As the saying goes, “no watermelon – take kiwi.” Yes, the effect is slightly less, but the overseas fruit also acts in almost the same direction in terms of accelerating the work of the kidneys.
Hangover effect – 4 points.
From fumes – 1 point.
It is also impossible not to remember at last what should not be done. For example, you shouldn’t use peppermint gum, cigarettes, or toothpaste to control the fume smell. These products will not only not hide the smell, but will also enhance. No, of course, you need to brush your teeth in the morning. But only for reasons of hygiene. From the rest – does not save. Also, do not rely on all of the above as a panacea for possible deprivation of driving license.It is possible to remove alcohol from the body much faster than the natural process, but this period is purely individual for each person. For reliability, it is better to have a portable breathalyzer on hand. Checked – let’s go.
All of the above methods, each in its own way, are good and interesting for a sick post-holiday soul. But do not forget that the key to a relatively light morning is the culture of drinking alcohol. This does not mean that it costs less to drink or in any particular dose. This means that you should drink with your head.That is, a high-quality “potion” and with the right plentiful snack. As Mikhail Zhvanetsky said: “Alcohol in small doses is useful in any quantity” .
Happy holidays, friends. Drink correctly, “heal” with your head.
90,000 How cool to look (and feel) if you have a hangover
Their principle of action seems to be simple enough – sorbents absorb alcoholic toxins, so we start to feel better after taking them.In fact, the situation looks different. Activated carbon binds well and removes the components of narcotic and sleeping pills from the body, but it is completely ineffective when it comes to alcohol. There is currently no evidence that activated charcoal removes ethanol, and the American Academy of Clinical Toxicology strongly discourages drinking it in case of poisoning with various alcohols, including ethanol. The advertised Enterosgel, which is so strongly recommended by friends for a hangover, also raises doubts, since its evidence base looks very conditional, and the active ingredient (Polymethylsiloxane) is not mentioned in any authoritative guide.
Experts who adhere to evidence-based medicine also do not recommend drinking paracetamol to relieve a hangover, it is better to replace it with ibuprofen. There is another common misconception that coffee and strong tea are the best remedies for a hangover headache. They contain caffeine, which can relieve discomfort, but at the same time have a strong diuretic effect. As a result, dehydration after alcohol is aggravated by tea and coffee, which only makes the situation worse, but does not save you in any way.
We all love to have fun, even if sometimes things get out of hand and it can be easy to get lost on cocktails. It is important to understand that there is nothing terrible in your evening celebration of life, and you should not reproach yourself for the party in the morning, drowning in hangover shame. The most important thing for you in difficult post-alcoholic times is to treat yourself and your body with attention, take care of yourself. Do you want to stay at home? Stay! Spend the entire day in bed, get some sleep to recharge, drink plenty of water and take care of your skin.In a hangover, she needs your care more than ever.
5 tips to quickly recover from a hangover – Rambler / female
It happens that at various celebrations in the form of name days, corporate parties and so on, alcohol is not complete. After its excessive use in the morning comes the so-called “payback” in the form of a hangover. To get rid of the problem on your own, you need to know both the reasons provoking this problem and the effective means. For this, both medications and homemade recipes are used.MedicForum has collected tips to help get rid of a hangover.
Causes of occurrence
Basically, a hangover occurs due to the fact that excessive drinking leads to the breakdown of alcohol components in the body, and in this regard, poisoning occurs, the person is sick. The latter leads to severe dehydration, fluid in the body is distributed in the wrong way. Disruptions occur in alkaline, acid and electrolyte balances. The cellular connections of the nervous system are damaged.And weakening and fatigue occurs due to the fact that the body loses a huge amount of vitamins and mineral components. Every person should know what to do when a severe hangover occurs. Otherwise, the painful condition can drag on over time, which will lead to new failures in the body’s systems.
When a person is under alcohol poisoning, his body is more at risk of “catching” a viral or infectious disease. Exacerbation of existing pathologies of the chronic type is possible.
Each ailment has its own symptoms, which make it clear what exactly happens to the body. With a hangover, the following symptoms most often occur:
severe headaches;
increased dryness in the oral cavity;
trembling of the whole body;
irritable state;
redness of the eyeballs;
increase in sensitivity to sounds and light;
loss of appetite;
nausea and vomiting.
The amount of alcohol consumed that causes a hangover can vary.Since each person is individual in terms of their psychological and physiological characteristics.
First aid for a hangover
If you find a strong hangover syndrome, the first step is to correct the process of dehydration. To do this, you need to drink mineral water without gas, use diluted cucumber pickle (you can also use cabbage) or a warm tea drink. Such drinks, in addition to eliminating dehydration, also saturate the body with missing microelements.The next step is to consume activated carbon. Before use, it must be ground to a powdery state (there are 2 tablets of activated carbon per 10 kg of a person’s weight), then it must be diluted with water and drunk. After that, it is supposed to accept contrasting water procedures. Hot water first, then cold water. Excellent helpers in getting rid of a strong hangover are special pills (Alka – Seltzer, Antipohmelin and others). If there are no symptoms of an upset stomach, then a laxative can be used.This will help flush out toxins from the liver.
Help is needed if there is blood in the vomit and stool. If all the actions required for a hangover have been carried out, but there has not been any improvement, in this case it is necessary to call a doctor at home.
Alka-Seltzer
This preparation consists of aspirin, regular baking soda and citric acid. Aspirin helps to reduce headache that occurs the day after excessive alcohol consumption. Again, it is worth understanding that this only reduces pain, and does not completely eliminate it.Soda helps to normalize acid-base balance and hydrochloric acid. The latter eliminates the alleged side effect of aspirin. Citric acid eliminates not the causes of the hangover syndrome, but its concomitant factors. That is, the process of decay and removal of toxins from the body is much faster.
This preparation consists of several acids: succinic, ascorbic, fumaric and glutamic. The composition also includes glucose. The drug promotes the transformation of alcohol into a hangover syndrome.If other means help to eliminate toxins, then this one begins its work by slowing down the process of alcohol oxidation. That is, Antipochmelin makes it so that toxins and other substances remaining after the breakdown of alcohol do not accumulate in the body.
It is quite possible to get rid of an alcoholic hangover at home. To do this, you just need to perform certain actions. They look like this: Elimination of toxins – an enema setting or gastric lavage are excellent for this.If this is not possible, then you can use a sorbent (activated carbon). Recovery of fluid and salt balance – a large amount of fluid is consumed. Mineral water without gases, juices from citrus fruits, green tea with lemon, cucumber or cabbage pickles, etc. are excellent for this. Normalization of the nervous system – Glycine helps a lot in this. The tablets are absorbed in the amount of one piece and several times a day. Replenishment of missing vitamins and minerals – healthy food that does not burden the stomach is excellent for this.This can be meat broths, fish, vegetables or fruits. Saturating the body with oxygen and increasing tone – exercise in the form of physical labor is excellent. But this should not lead to overwork, so all movements should be measured. And they should be done half-heartedly. Restoration of vital energy – contrasting water procedures will help perfectly, which will also improve the emotional state, and the body will begin to “wake up”.
Can you have a hangover?
Some people use alcohol as a hangover remedy.And the next day they try to treat the ailment with vodka or beer. It is contraindicated to do this, as it will lead to binge drinking. If after a strong “alcoholic binge” there is no aversion to alcohol, then this should be the first step to reassess your relationship with relaxing drinks. Alcohol reduces the so-called “withdrawal” after a hangover for a while. The hangover syndrome itself will not be eliminated, the symptoms will remain in place, and the person will again fall into an intoxicated state.Treatment of ailment with vodka or other alcoholic beverages is best excluded. And in their place, one should prefer means and preparations that are tested, natural and give at least some guarantee of a positive result.
How to get rid of a hangover as quickly as possible
If a hangover syndrome occurs, then you should adhere to the following algorithm of actions in order to save yourself from unpleasant sensations as quickly as possible:
Cold shower – if an ailment occurs, you must immediately visit a cold shower.This will invigorate the body and set it up to fight toxic substances and poisons resulting from the breakdown of alcohol. But it is worth exercising caution in carrying out this procedure so as not to catch an acute respiratory infection. A cool compress is applied to relieve pain in the head area. Several ice cubes are wrapped in a light cloth and applied to the head. Sauna – you can visit the steam room several times, which will lead to the complete elimination of alcohol from the body. Contrast shower – acceptance begins with a warm temperature regime (5 sec), then it rises (3 sec).And to finish the procedure is under the pressure of cold water. All of the above recommendations and tips for getting rid of a severe hangover at home should give a positive result. The illness will pass, the bad condition will noticeably improve. Previously, six foods were named that should not be used for a hangover.
How Alcohol Affects Sleep
According to the US National Sleep Foundation , one in five American adults occasionally drinks before bed to help them fall asleep. There are no statistics for Russia, but it can be assumed that it is at least close to foreign ones.
But this, admittedly, an effective way to fall into the kingdom of Morpheus has at least one side effect.
Why you want to sleep after alcohol
First of all, alcohol affects the brain and disrupts the normal production of chemicals on which many processes in the body depend.
So, it is known that a glass or two increases the production of adenosine. This substance tells the brain that the cells of the body are tired, they lack energy and it is time to rest.The more adenosine, the more sleepy you get.
But falling asleep in this case does not mean getting enough sleep.
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How alcohol affects sleep
If the level of adenosine rises, then melatonin, a hormone that is responsible for the quality of sleep, regulates the change of its phases and the circadian rhythms of the body as a whole, on the contrary, becomes less. Moreover, it is essential. 50 grams of vodka (200 g of weak wine or 400 ml of beer) is enough to reduce the level of melatonin by almost 20%.
For the body, this means the following. The biological clock, which is directly dependent on melatonin, begins to malfunction. The architecture of sleep, that is, the alternation of its main phases, is disrupted.
Sleep normally consists of two phases.
- Slow sleep phase. Comes on immediately after falling asleep and lasts about 90 minutes. Slow sleep is similar to anesthesia: the body is as relaxed as possible, the brain is inactive. No dreams, no movements, complete relaxation necessary for physical recovery.
- REM sleep. Follows a slow one and lasts 5–20 minutes. During this period, the brain is actively working, we have dreams. If slow sleep is necessary rather for the physical recovery of the body, then fast sleep helps the nervous system: relieves mental stress and fatigue, refreshes memory, improves concentration.
They follow each other, two phases – one sleep cycle. On average, we go through five cycles per night. This is enough to feel vigorous and rested in the morning.
But alcoholic sleep is different from normal. After drinking due to a malfunction in the production of melatonin, we fall into deep NREM sleep without dreams. It lasts longer than usual. REM sleep, on the other hand, shrinks or disappears altogether.
As a result, we feel overwhelmed when we wake up after drinking. Reactions are inhibited, it is difficult to concentrate on something, memory fails, nerves go to hell. The reasons are clear: the nervous system simply did not have time to recover.
These are not all sleep disorders that alcohol leads to. Here are a few more.
- Morning insomnia. You wake up at or before dawn and can no longer fall asleep, although you have obviously not gotten enough sleep. This is due to the same dropped melatonin levels.
- Sleep apnea. This is the name for stopping breathing during sleep. It most often occurs during slow wave sleep, when the muscles relax. And slow sleep, flavored with alcohol, is especially deep.
- Frequent awakenings in the second half of the night.By this time, the body begins to actively get rid of processed alcohol through the kidneys and bladder.
How to drink to get enough sleep
The best way to get enough sleep is to avoid drinking alcohol at night. If for some reason you cannot refuse alcohol, follow the safety rules.
1. Do not drink in excess of the norm
The doctors define the norm quite clearly: no more than one drink a day for women and men over 65 and no more than two drinks for men younger.
“One drink” in this case is:
- 355 ml of beer with a strength of about 5%;
- 237-266 ml malt liqueur, about 7% ABV;
- 148 ml of wine with a strength of about 12%;
- 44 ml of alcohol 40% alcohol.
2. Drink slowly
This is necessary so that the liver has time to neutralize and remove alcohol before it seriously affects the biochemical processes in the body.
3. Snack
Food in the stomach slows down the absorption of alcohol and thus makes it easier for the liver.
4. Drink no later than 3-4 hours before bedtime
During this time, your melatonin level will return to normal, which means your sleep will be healthy.
5. Do not mix alcohol with sleeping pills
Alcohol inhibits breathing , like most sleeping pills. This combination is extremely dangerous, as it can lead to respiratory arrest.
This material was first published in July 2017. In July 2020, we updated the text.
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How to drink alcohol correctly to avoid a hangover
If you are 20 years old, you can skip this article.Most likely, the defenses of your body will be enough to drink until the morning, and then go to work-to the university after an hour of sleep, without bruises under the eyes and a throbbing headache.
If you are not that young anymore, this article will help you drink safely and feel good after a great party.
How to drink without a hangover
Good food
Before drinking alcohol, you should eat something thicker and fatter – then alcohol will be absorbed more slowly.
Drink slowly and alternate alcohol with water
For example, you drink one glass of wine and one glass of water. This way you are more likely to drink less and prevent dehydration.
Drink lighter drinks
There is scientific suggestion that lighter beverages are worth drinking. The dark ones contain impurities that are thought to be more likely to lead to a hangover.
Drink less champagne
Carbon dioxide, which is contained in carbonated drinks, accelerates the absorption of alcohol.Because of this, the blood alcohol content rises faster.
Drink one type of beverage
Each new type of alcohol makes the body work harder and adds toxins. This then leads to a much more severe hangover.
Dangers of weak drinks:
– Beer. It contains the smallest percentage of alcohol – from 4 to 6 percent. But this is a carbonated drink, so the alcohol is absorbed faster, which means the hangover can be worse.
– Wine.It has a higher percentage of alcohol than beer – from 7 to 15 percent. But it is not a carbonated drink, so the side effects are lower.
White wine is safer than red wine because it has fewer impurities.
Dangers of hard liquor:
– They have the highest percentage of alcohol content – from 40% and above. This increases the likelihood of a hangover.
– Pure spirits like vodka, gin and rum are better than dark or sugary drinks like bourbon, whiskey or tequila.Again: because they have less impurities.
Do not go to bed right away
After the alcoholic party, the drinker will not sleep as soundly as usual. This is because the body needs to recover from the depressive effects of alcohol.
When a person drinks, alcohol inhibits the production of glutamine. Glutamine is one of the body’s natural stimulants. When a person stops drinking, the body tries to make up for the glutamine deficiency by producing more of it than it needs.
An increase in glutamine levels stimulates the brain while a person tries to sleep. Due to the increased production of the substance, a person cannot plunge into deep sleep. Basically, it is because of the lack of deep sleep that you do not feel well in the morning.
Therefore, in order not to wake up in the middle of the night due to the increased production of glutamine, wait an hour or two before going to bed. This way you will avoid waking up at night and sleeping poorly. It doesn’t stop you from having a hangover, but you’ll still feel better.
How to get over a hangover if it does come
Wait
The main medicine is time. Unfortunately, there are no drugs or products that have been proven to prevent or treat hangovers. But you can make it easier.
Take pain reliever
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen, can be taken to relieve headaches.
Do not take paracetamol: it cannot be combined with alcohol. Paracetamol in combination with alcohol is very stressful for the liver and can cause serious side effects: fever, chills, pain or swelling of the joints, weakness, rash.
Drink more water and heartburn pills
Water will help to cope with dehydration – the eternal side effect of alcohol.
If you have heartburn, you can take an antacid to relieve it.
Rest
Hangovers, like being drunk, are dangerous. You should not plan important events in the morning or, for example, drive a car.
Alcohol poisoning affects how the brain functions and how we assess risks and make decisions.It also negatively affects mindfulness and memory. According to one study, alcohol’s negative effects on memory and alertness may persist while hungover.
In another study, drivers indicated that they drove worse when hungover. In tests using simulators, they deviated more from the trajectory of movement and were less attentive. The effect of a hangover in the event of driving is not fully understood – until there was large-scale research
But in any case, it is better to take care and not drive the car in the morning after a party, for example.
There are products that neutralize the effect of alcohol
The American Chemists’ Society recommends eating eggs as they contain L-cysteine. This substance helps break down the remaining alcohol metabolites, acetaldehydes.
It is also recommended to eat bananas, which compensate for the magnesium deficiency.
Fresh juices or smoothies add sugar and vitamins to the body.
You can also drink a sports drink to replenish electrolyte deficiencies. If you don’t want to spend money on sports food, replace it with cucumber juice.
Safe Drinking Cheat Sheet
At and after the party :
- Drink slowly and alternate between alcohol and water.
- Drink light drinks.
- Drink the same type of alcoholic beverages.
- Drink less carbonated drinks
- Do not go to bed right away
If there is a hangover :
- Please wait. Time is the best medicine.
- Drinking pain reliever – not paracetamol.
- Rest.
- Drink more water.
- Eat eggs, bananas, drink smoothies and cucumber juice
Sources : Wet Mantu Telegram, Medusa, Washington Post, The Strategist, The Conversation, Mayo Clinic.
Hangover – Alkoinfo.ee
One of the causes of a hangover, that is, alcohol withdrawal syndrome, is the substance acetaldehyde, which is formed in the body as a result of the conversion of ethanol.
A hangover signals that the body is fighting the poison – it is, in fact, a mild form of alcohol poisoning.
Symptoms of a hangover appear when the blood alcohol content begins to decrease to a natural level for the body, close to zero.
Why does a hangover occur?
- Drinking alcohol increases urine output and causes fluid loss. Drinking alcohol is often associated with sweating, vomiting and diarrhea, which in turn removes water and electrolytes from the body.Loss of fluid leads to thirst, weakness, and dizziness.
- Alcohol irritates the stomach and intestines. The resulting inflammation can lead to abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting.
- Alcohol also depletes the body’s reserves of vitamins and minerals and lowers blood sugar levels, which in turn causes fatigue, weakness and mood swings.
- Acetaldehyde from the breakdown of alcohol as an intermediate product can accelerate heart rate and heart palpitations, as well as sweating, nausea and vomiting.
- Alcohol can, of course, induce deep sleep, although in fact, excessive use eliminates the first phases of sleep, which should precede deep sleep. In addition, REM sleep is shortened. In the phase of REM sleep, among other things, there is a consolidation of the learned, the ordering of thoughts and memories, and if it is present, a person feels fresh and rested upon awakening. Therefore, a person with a hangover feels tired, not slept.
- Although no definitive explanation has been found for hangover headaches, it has been linked to abnormalities in brain chemistry and hormone function, as well as vasodilation.
How to prevent a hangover?
The less you drink, the less likely you are to have a hangover. The best way to completely avoid a hangover is to not drink at all. Other methods do not give any guarantees that there will be no torment the next day.
When drinking, never overstep low-risk boundaries. Alcocalculator will help you keep track of what you have drunk. Check out tips on how to keep in moderation while drinking alcohol at home or outside.
Be sure to eat your fill before drinking.Then alcohol will be absorbed more slowly and you will become less drunk.
In order to feel better the next day, it is important to drink enough water in addition to alcohol. Drinking water will help you drink less alcohol and will help reduce fluid loss. Drink several large glasses of water before bed.
Drinks with more impurities, usually dark in color – such as red wine, brandy and port – cause more severe hangovers.
Do not mix different types of drinks. This irritates the stomach and guarantees future torment.
How to relieve a hangover?
- To compensate for lost fluids, drink plenty of fluids, preferably still drinks. Fresh juice will help replace lost vitamins.
- If you really need it, you can take a pain reliever, and in case of digestive problems – drugs that lower the acidity of the stomach. Over-the-counter pharmacies have a powder that is taken dissolved in water to restore electrolytes and body fluids.
- Eat something: For example, bananas and kiwi can help fight the loss of potassium that accompanies fluid loss.
- Don’t get drunk – it will only delay the problems. Take a vacation from alcohol. Craving a drink in the morning to ease a hangover means that you have withdrawal symptoms, which may indicate excessive drinking or an alcohol-related disorder (abuse or dependence).
- Take a multivitamin to compensate for the substances that the body needs lost through alcohol consumption.
Ten Hangover Myths
1. The cause of the hangover is dehydration
Dehydration is one of the causes of a hangover, but far from the only one. In fact, with each unit of alcohol from the body, in addition to the amount drunk, an additional 100 ml of liquid is excreted. For example, if you drink five beers, your body loses another liter of fluid.
However, will two liters of water save you from a hangover? Obviously not. Overlapping symptoms of dehydration and hangover are thirst, weakness, and headache.Have you ever had such a hangover that you couldn’t eat and spent all day kneeling in front of the toilet? Daylight is deadly harsh, and it is almost impossible to express at least one thought coherently? These symptoms are not associated with dehydration, but with the toxic effects of alcohol.
2. Coffee or a cold shower helps with hangovers
You went over a bit last night. In the morning, you put coffee on the brew and jump into a cold shower to cheer up. Both may cheer you up a little, but they won’t cure a hangover.In fact, coffee can increase it because it also removes fluid from the body. So replace your coffee with water – and especially if you’ve been vomiting, causing you to lose even more fluid.
3. Helps with a dry drink
Morning drinkers are believed to ease hangovers. But this is not true. The hangover begins to form as the blood alcohol level decreases, and the symptoms are greatest when the blood alcohol level approaches zero.By getting drunk you are simply delaying the hangover. At some point, willy-nilly, you will have to sober up, and the hangover will still come. Instead of alcohol, drink water or a sports drink to restore fluid, electrolyte and vitamin levels.
Morning drink is often a signal of serious danger that you may have problems due to excessive alcohol consumption. It is also one of the symptoms of alcohol addiction.
4. Eating at the end of the party relieves hangovers
If only it were! It would be great if, after a rampant booze, you could eat a couple of large hamburgers and a bowl of French fries – and wake up the next morning perfectly fine. In fact, this is not the case.
Food can undoubtedly help prevent a hangover, but you need to eat before drinking alcohol. Fatty foods that are slow to digest are the best choices. If you drink alcohol on a full stomach, it will be absorbed more slowly into the bloodstream, and your hangover will be a little easier the next day.
5. Hangovers only come if you drink a lot
Binge drinking means drinking a lot of alcohol at one time for the purpose of intoxication and guarantees a morning hangover. At the same time, in order to earn a hangover, it is not necessary to get drunk every time, for some, just one portion is enough for this. Your weight and gender, among other things, affect the occurrence of a hangover. In addition, hangovers are more likely to occur in people, such as those with migraines or those taking medications that affect liver enzymes.
6. Beer and wine are better than spirits
Some people literally swear that beer and wine do not cause such severe hangovers as hard liquor. In reality, you will get drunk and get a hangover from any alcoholic beverage, as they all contain ethanol. And it doesn’t matter in what order you drink them.
In addition, it is useful to remember that:
- Red wine contains tannins, which cause headaches in some;
- Highly contaminated drinks, usually dark in color – such as red wine, brandy and port – cause more severe hangovers;
- If you start the evening with strong alcohol, you often quickly lose moderation and end up drinking more than you intend to.
90 026 Mixing different drinks irritates the stomach and may aggravate hangovers;
7. Training helps
While exercising the next morning can relieve remorse, no research has yet confirmed that it can help alleviate the physical effects of alcohol consumption. You can only burn the calories from alcohol. In addition, after drinking alcohol, a lack of fluids and nutrients reigns in your body. When you play sports, you again lose fluids and essential substances, so that the end result can be an additional deterioration in well-being, and in severe cases, even a health hazard.With a lack of fluid, the body’s thermoregulation is disrupted, so that when playing sports in hot weather, you can easily overheat.
During a hangover, both reaction speed and eye-hand coordination and balance are impaired, which will affect your athletic performance, which requires quick and accurate action.
8. Pain relievers before bedtime
Acetaminophen (known as Tylenol / Tylenol) when taken with alcohol can damage the liver.Other pain relievers, such as aspirin, paracetamol, and ibuprofen, can irritate the stomach and cause bleeding when they interact with alcohol.
In addition, taking the pain reliever in the evening will not be beneficial: it will provide pain relief for only a few hours, but in your sleep you do not feel pain anyway. Take a pain reliever in the morning if needed.
9. Women and men have the same hangover
In fact, hangovers are easier for women.Even if a woman is exactly the same weight as a man, she needs less alcohol to get drunk. The male body contains more water, which dilutes alcohol and helps to weaken its effects. The male body also produces more of the enzyme that breaks down alcohol.
10. Hangovers are not a big problem
A hangover shows that the body is poisoned by an excess of alcohol. Heavy alcohol consumption affects the nervous system and brain chemistry, which is why headaches, drowsiness and nausea occur.Your intestines are irritated and inflamed. Yes, in fact, you will recover quickly and may not be affected by the suffering after a good party. But overdoing it with alcohol is always a risk. With an excess of alcohol, alcohol poisoning can form, you can lose consciousness, and difficulty breathing can occur. You may even die. No party is worth it.
Plus, while you’re hungover, you are wasting a lot of precious time that could have been better spent. Perhaps you will not be able to get to work in time or will not get there at all, perhaps precious hours of communication with your family and loved ones will be lost.We need to weigh whether it’s worth it.
90,000 Severe hangover: what to do? | Polysorb MP
How to feel alive the next morning after a fun night with alcohol and what to do to prevent a hangover? To begin with, there is only one 100% working method – do not drink, but this article is open and we are late. Let’s figure out what helps with a hangover urgently and what are the tips.
You need to drink in moderation, but if it already happened that you managed to lose your guard and go over the amount of alcohol, then in the morning you will have to pay for “all good things.”A hangover, in essence, is a state of the body when it is poisoned by decaying particles of ethanol, namely acetaldehyde. Decay products go straight into the bloodstream, so the whole body suffers, not just the head or stomach. Feeling unwell suggests that the body is struggling with toxic substances, this can be considered mild alcohol poisoning. The liver does not produce enough glucose, which is the main source of energy for cells, which affects the general condition.
The symptoms of a hangover syndrome, as a rule, are the same for most:
pain throughout the body;
severe dehydration and dry mouth, probably the first thing you did was drink a lot of water;
headache, sometimes accompanied by dizziness;
fever, the temperature rises;
nausea and may vomit.
How to get rid of a hangover quickly?
We have already found out that a hangover is a serious condition due to the action of toxins that are in the body. The correct solution would be to remove all alcohol breakdown products as quickly as possible. In this case, sorbents are irreplaceable. Enterosorbent “Polysorb” delicately cleanses the body, it “absorbs” toxins and removes them without harm. The drug is available in powder form and is diluted in water, you need to take Polysorb according to the instructions on the package.
A modern drug works more efficiently than activated carbon, and drinking 20-30 tablets during intoxication is a very dubious pleasure. No other tablets need to be taken with the sorbent, they will be absorbed and excreted from the body.
Hangover includes dehydration. Drinking alcohol contributes to the accelerated production of urine, ethanol acts as a diuretic. A drunk person loses a large amount of water, along with glucose and electrolytes.Excessive alcohol consumption is often accompanied not only by dry mouth, but also by diarrhea, vomiting, and excessive sweating. Therefore, it is extremely important to restore the water-salt balance; you need to drink water in large quantities. First, a large amount of liquid reduces the amount and concentration of alcohol breakdown products in the blood. Secondly, a large amount of water causes copious urination, thereby excreting poisons.
Drink fruit juices. Vitamins will not be superfluous, and fructose accelerates the elimination of harmful substances and gives energy.
Sweet tea with honey will help improve the condition. Honey is very useful in any case, if you are not allergic to it, it contains fructose, magnesium and potassium, so it is an excellent hangover remedy. It is not necessary to add it to tea, you can eat it with a bite. A decoction of mint and chamomile has a beneficial effect on the stomach, soothing it.
A terrible state is not forever, you can wait it out and you can do it in a dream. It’s trite, but sleep is a great hangover cure.Close the curtains, make yourself comfortable, ask loved ones to be quiet, and try to get some sleep.
Fresh air is sobering, try going for a short walk, or at least ventilate the room you are in. Toxins are more easily eliminated from the blood by breathing.
One of the worst ideas is to get drunk. The body does not need extra stress with a new dose of alcohol. Now there are so many toxins in the body, and other alcohol will only add to the problems.At first it may seem to you that it is getting easier, but the intoxication will intensify. It is much better to boil and drink broth instead of alcohol. Any meat broth relieves headaches well, soothes and restores the stomach.
How can you prevent a severe hangover?
Next time, be more responsible about what and how much you drink. Every year people are poisoned with ethyl alcohol, which leads to death.
Choose the right alcohol:
Pay attention to the place of purchase. Do not buy anything handheld and in questionable stalls near the house.
Decent drinks don’t cost like a bottle of soda. It is better to spend more than pay with your health later.
Examine the excise stamp. The check can be carried out through a specially created service.
Take a look at the packaging, it should be intact, the lid is tightly closed. You can first look at the packaging from the manufacturer’s website to distinguish it from a fake.
Go to the pharmacy in advance. Sorbents help relieve and prevent intoxication. “Polysorb” should be taken three times: the first time before drinking alcohol, the second time before going to bed, the third – in the morning after waking up.The method and dosage of administration are indicated in the instructions on the package.
Eat a good meal before drinking. Alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream more slowly, and you will get drunk less. Don’t forget to take snacks between drinks.
Do not mix different drinks or drink too quickly, this can guarantee you future misery. Try to control the amount you drink.
Drink water or other non-alcoholic and non-carbonated drinks between alcoholic drinks.A hangover brings with it dehydration, don’t let the cells dry out. Don’t forget to drink a glass of water before bed.
You need to initially set yourself a limit on the amount you drink. It’s great if you know the boundaries of your body and do not exceed your norm. The best way to prevent feeling unwell is to stop drinking. Other methods do not give 100% guarantees that the next day you will not face the familiar painful sensations.
Why is Polysorb right for you?
Recommended for use by people of all ages.
Begins to act in 1-4 minutes after ingestion.
Contains no preservatives, colors or sweeteners.