Ultimate Guide: How To Get Rid Of A Hangover
Who doesn’t love going out and having fun? And during these amusing nights, usually a drink or two is involved. However, the real problem occurs when the drinks start becoming more and more. While it feels great at that exact moment, the day after rarely is. We’ve all been there. The morning after a really great party. Your whole world seem to be spinning, everything seems way louder than it typically is, and you wonder why you decided to do so many jello shots. However, there is no point in dwelling over what you should have or shouldn’t have done the bight before. Now what’s important is how to get rid of all these annoying hangover symptoms. With our ultimate guide, you’ll have all the tips and tricks you need to get you feeling back to normal in no time! So, let’s see how to get rid of a hangover.
How to get rid of a hangover
Hangover Symptoms
Hangover symptoms come in hot and heavy. These terrible symptoms occur as a consequence of drinking way too much the night before. Some typical symptoms include feeling fatigue and weak, being really dehydrated, and consequently being thirsty all the time, as well as feeling nausea and experiencing stomach pain. Another great one is the pounding headache, that seems like it will never go away. Not only that but common symptoms also include muscle aches, vertigo, and being super sensitive to light and sound. You may also experience anxiety, irritability, sweating and increased blood pressure. We know, all of these sound like hell. Well, they also feel like that. That’s why it’s important to know how to get rid of a hangover and get feeling, if not great, at least back to normal.
Hangover symptoms come in hot and heavy
How Long Do Hangovers Last?
There really isn’t a straight answer when it comes to how long hangovers last. This is because it all depends on how much was consumed the night before, what you consumed, how dehydrated you became, did you have something to eat beforehand, or were you drinking on an empty stomach? Ethnicity, gender, the state of your liver and certain medication can also have an effect on how bad the hangover can be. While a hangover can last up to 72 hours, most are shorter, especially if help the process along the way.
A hangover can last up to 72 hours
How To Cure A Hangover?
Okay, it’s time to learn how to cure a hangover, or at least help it feel more tolerable. Sometimes we don’t have the whole day to lie down and rehabilitate after a heavy night of drinking cocktails. It often happens that we have to go to work, or have an important meeting we can’t miss. That’s when the following tips and tricks come in handy. Hangovers happen when the alcohol levels in the blood start to fall. The worst of the symptoms actually occur when that level reaches zero. So, here is how you can try to get rid of those pesky symptoms.
Hangovers begin after blood alcohol levels start to fall
Drinking Fluids
Drinking alcohol leads to dehydration in the body in a few different ways. The first way being getting you to pee more, which leads to the loss of fluids and electrolytes that the body needs in order to function properly. Also since consuming too much alcohol can lead to vomiting and diarrhea, this causes further loss of fluids. Dehydration also creates symptoms such as thirst, fatigue, headaches, and dizziness. So, increasing your water intake may alleviate some of them. And while you may be feeling nausea, and it seems difficult to get anything down, even just a few sips of water might help your hangover.
Dehydration creates symptoms such as thirst, fatigue, headaches, and dizziness
Hearty Breakfast
Eating breakfast is one of the most well-known remedies for a hangover. A good, hearty breakfast can help you maintain steady blood sugar levels, which are often associated with hangovers, as low blood sugar could also worsen certain hangover symptoms, including nausea, fatigue, and weakness. Eating a healthy breakfast can also provide important vitamins and minerals that may become depleted with excessive alcohol intake. Though studies are limited, some suggest that L-cysteine — a type of amino acid found in eggs, yogurt, and oats — may be beneficial, as well as other zinc-rich foods such as nuts, seeds, dairy, and whole grain. However, while many believe a greasy breakfast works wonders more than others, there is no particular research to back it up.
A good, hearty breakfast can help you maintain steady blood sugar levels
Sleep It Off
Since there really isn’t a magic pill or method on how to get rid of a hangover, the best method is to let it pass naturally. Time and rest may just be the best medicine. However, alcohol disrupts sleep. Even if you do decide to go to sleep for a few hours after a heavy night of drinking, it won’t be as restful as you hope. However, once you’ve had a glass of water and popped a pain reliever, just get under the covers, catch as much sleep as you can and wait for the symptoms to pass.
The best method is to let it pass naturally
Hair Of The Dog
Ah, the old “hair of the dog” trick. This is what you call when you drink to ease the symptoms of a hangover. The whole thing comes from the fact that hangovers are basically a form of withdrawal from alcohol, so that is why drinking again and getting some alcohol in your system will help. While this may work for a moment it is not a long-term solution. And in some cases even prolongs the hangover symptoms. In some cases it may even lead to alcohol dependency. That is why we do not recommend it. This just perpetuates the cycle and you never fully recover.
Hangovers are a form of alcohol withdrawal
Get Some Fresh Air
We know. The idea of leaving the house sounds terrible and unpleasant. However, getting a bit of fresh air is in theory a good idea. However, we don’t mean just poking your head out through the window, but rather go for a nice relaxing walk. Don’t hit the gym and try to sweat out the alcohol as you can end up losing even more fluids. However, a gentle walk it will help maintain blood flow through the body which is essential for delivering oxygen and nutrients to the muscles.
Go for a nice relaxing walk
Hangover Food
Food is a way of life. Literally. Without food there would be no way to properly nourish our bodies. When you are struggling with a hangover, it’s crucial to feed your body the right foods in order to help it fight off the symptoms. Here are what foods you should be eating in order to get rid of a hangover.
Food is a way of life
Soup
Treat yourself with a pleasant, warm bowl of bouillon soup. This thin, vegetable-based broth is a good source of vitamins and minerals. It will help top-up depleted resources and get some more fluids in your body. It’s also easy for a fragile stomach to digest.
Vegetable-based broth is a good source of vitamins and minerals
Eggs
Ever heard of a compound called glutathione? If not, you’re about to. A tool our bodies uses to help detoxify alcohol is an antioxidant called glutathione. However, this antioxidant becomes depleted after a night of drinking. Our bodies make glutathione from protein building blocks, such as those found in quality sources of protein, like eggs. Other good sources of protein building block include foods such as chicken, salmon, yogurt, lentils and oatmeal, however eggs are the easiest thing to make. Especially when you aren’t feeling well.
A tool our bodies uses to help detoxify alcohol is an antioxidant called glutathione
Carb Up
One of the worst things about alcohol is that it lowers the levels of blood sugar. So, theoretically the headaches and tiredness you get from a hangover may be because the brain is trying to work without it’s main fuel. And since many people do not eat why drinking out, this lowers the levels even more. So, turn to carbs. They are a great way to fuel up. Have some crackers or a slice of bread to help bring the levels up again.
Your brain needs carbs for fuel
Coffee and Tea
Well, this method isn’t really backed up by science, and many people are divided on whether it really works or not. And while coffe doesn’t have any hidden powers to cure a hangover, the fact that it is a stimulant means it can potentialy help with grogginess. Plus, coffee, or tea in the morning is a ritual for most people. So, doing small normal day activities may help you feel a little bit more normal and in control.
Caffeine may not have any special anti-hangover powers
Hangover Medicine
Sometimes, you need to bring out the big guns. In this case that would be painkillers, as well as other types of supplements that may help fight off the symptoms and are generally good on how to get rid of a hangover. And in the best case they may let you get some rest alongside feeling much better.
Use painkillers to help symptoms
Supplements
Though research is limited, some studies suggest that certain supplements could ease a hangover. Try supplements such as red ginseng, prickly pear, ginger, borage oil, eleuthero. While they won’t cure the hangover, when added with other methods, may be quite beneficial.
Certain supplements could ease a hangover
Pain Reliever
Over-the-counter pain medications, including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, could help relieve certain symptoms associated with hangovers, especially that terrible pounding headache. Aspirin, ibuprofen, Motrin, and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may also help with the overall achy feelings. However, be careful how much you take. NSAIDs like ibuprofen and aspirin irritate the stomach, which could make nausea worse. Also make sure to avoid pain relievers containing acetaminophen, such as Tylenol, could increase the risk of liver damage when combined with alcohol.
Avoid pain relievers containing acetaminophen, such as Tylenol
Vitamin C
Vitamin C plays an important role in maintaining our glutathione levels. As we mentioned, glutathione is an antioxidant that helps our body detoxify alcohol. To help re-establish your glutathione levels add foods or supplements rich in vitamin C to your meals. Some sources of vitamin C that are also refreshing and rehydrating include strawberries, red bell peppers, pineapple, mango, tomatoes, clementines, and raspberries.
Vitamin C plays an important role in maintaining our glutathione levels
How To Prevent A Hangover?
The amount of alcohol that causes a hangover will vary from person to person. As a result, determining how much alcohol causes a hangover will involve some trial and error. However, here are some general rules you can follow to try and prevent rather than how to get rid of a hangover.
The amount of alcohol that causes a hangover will vary from person to person
- Moderate drinking. Well, the only foolproof way to avoid a hangover is just by not drinking at all, or if you do decide to drink to do so in moderation.
- Korean pear juice. This is an old-school remedy. However there is a catch. You have to drink it before you’ve had any alcohol. Drinking it afterwards won’t really help you in any way.
- Avoid congeners. If you feel like you have worst hangovers after some types of drinks than others, then you are right. Alcohol with a high content of congener is much more likely to make you get a hangover. These drinks are tequila, whiskey, and cognac for example. Swap them out for rum, gin, or vodka which are much lower in congener.
- Get plenty of sleep. Sleeping may help you with a hangover, but if nothing else at least it will make the time go faster.
- Hydration. Make sure to drink plenty of water alongside the alcoholic drinks. As we know alcohol leads to deydration, which leads to headaches and other painful hangover symptoms.
- Food. Getting some food into your system before drinking can help. This is because it can slow down the time the alcohol gets into the bloodstream.
Korean pears growing on a tree
