How To Cure and Prevent a Hangover
While alcohol can initially put you to sleep, it then has a disruptive effect on sleep, lowering both quantity and quality. The results of too little sleep can overlap with the results of too much drinking, leading to worse headaches, weakness, and confusion. While dehydration isn’t the only cause of a hangover, it is a major one. Drinking water or other fluids when you are hungover will help alleviate the symptoms of dehydration, such as dry mouth, dizziness, and fatigue. For as long as there has been alcohol, there have been people searching for a cure to the next day fatigue, nausea, and headaches that can come with a hangover. When considering how to get rid of a hangover, it is important to address all of the underlying issues causing the symptoms.
Don’ts:
That’s because it may help lower your chances of getting kidney stones. Though you are no longer drunk, you won’t be at the top of your game as you recuperate, so take it easy. Drinking too much water too quickly (we’re talking gallons) can lead to lead to swelling of the brain, a serious and potentially deadly situation. The more you drink, the more pronounced these issues become, too. Here are 16 ways to feel better when you’ve got a nasty hangover.
- Congeners are chemicals that are produced during fermentation and are responsible for much of a drink’s flavor and aroma.
- Simply put, drinking more alcohol is believed to affect the metabolism of methanol, a well-known congener found in trace amounts in some drinks.
- Your hydration efforts should actually start before you begin drinking alcohol.
- That’s because heavy drinking throws off the body’s levels of antidiuretic hormone, which typically regulates your water balance.
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- Over-the-counter pain medications can help when you suffer from headaches or nausea.
- “Juice, water, Gatorade, all those things—they’re going to make you feel better,” said Dr. Cutler.
- “Having a drink to alleviate a hangover the next day may help some people but it may also signal a drinking problem and is not recommended,” advises Dr. Brick.
Day-after-drinking symptoms like nausea, headache, fatigue, shaking and dry mouth may leave an adversely alcohol-affected individual desperately seeking some way—any way—to make it stop. But the reality is, hangover cures are iffy propositions, if not downright myths. “For example, the combination of acetaminophen with alcohol may result in liver damage and excess use of aspirin may cause stomach tissue damage,” he says. Eating a good breakfast can help maintain your blood sugar levels, provide important vitamins and minerals, and reduce the symptoms of a hangover.
Avoid caffeinated drinks.
This disturbed sleep pattern may lead to a sleep hangover in addition to the alcohol hangover. “Sleep helps a hangover how long does a hangover last by providing rest and recovery, restoring hydration levels, aiding in detoxification and relieving symptoms such as headache and fatigue,” says Norton. Unfortunately, even the best-intentioned partiers sometimes find themselves suffering after an evening under the influence.
In fact, the FDA has called out makers of so-called hangover cures for marketing unapproved concoctions. Use caution if you experiment with any anti-hangover supplements. Getting food in your belly the morning after a night of imbibing can give blood sugar levels a needed boost, says Dr. Waters. But filling your already stressed stomach with greasy, heavy food isn’t the best option. What you want is a quick-and-easy hangover cure to feel like your normal self. The internet — the helpful place that it is — offers numerous theories on how you can ease the pain after drinking too much beer, wine or liquor.
- You’re also more likely to have memory, concentration and coordination issues when you have a hangover.
- If you have a hangover, it will take time for the headache to completely go away, but there are certain measures you can take to relieve its severity.
- Dehydration, low blood sugar, exhaustion and digestive upset all require different treatments.
- Strategies include staying hydrated, getting plenty of sleep, eating a good breakfast, drinking in moderation, limiting high congener drinks, and taking certain supplements or medications.
- The only way to prevent a hangover is to drink in moderation or stay away from alcohol entirely.
It does so by suppressing the release of a hormone called vasopressin, which helps your body retain water. This is why drinking too much alcohol usually triggers a number of side effects that are collectively termed a hangover. Dehydration occurs because alcohol inhibits the effect of a hormone called antidiuretic hormone (ADH).
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Plus, eggs are loaded with nutrients that can help your body rebound. Resolving a health issue begins with understanding the root cause of the problem. For hangovers, it’s all about your body’s response to alcohol, says Dr. Waters. When your body processes alcohol, one of the byproducts is acetaldehyde. In most people, the body breaks down acetaldehyde before it causes problems. But it can cause inflammation in organs, leading to uncomfortable symptoms.
- It’s important to note that the severity of a hangover can vary depending on several factors, including the amount and type of alcohol consumed, body weight, age, and overall health.
- Dehydration can also worsen if your hangover symptoms include nausea/vomiting or diarrhea.
- The idea behind this popular hangover remedy is that taking another drink will ease the effects of the last few you had.
- An over-the-counter (OTC) pain reliever will calm a pounding headache.
- In this article, we look at the effectiveness of some common methods people use to try to cure hangovers.
- If you or someone you know has symptoms of alcohol poisoning, call 911 or other emergency services immediately.
But the best way to avoid a hangover is to drink in moderation or abstain completely. Give yourself plenty of time to sleep in after a night of celebration. Fortunately, dehydration is easy to avoid — just make sure to drink enough water. Although they won’t completely prevent a hangover, some supplements might help ease your symptoms. Some supplements and extracts may also help treat hangovers, although Mattioli warns that what works for one person may not work for another. Coffee or tea can also help you feel better, especially if your hangover has you feeling fatigue and head pain.