If you’ve ever had too much alcohol, you are aware that some of the after-effects can be unpleasant, including nausea, fatigue, a splitting headache, dry mouth, upset stomach, and hazy memories.
According to Deep Bhatt, MD, an internist at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City, “there are three main complications to a hangover: inflammation, because it binds to different chemical enzymes in the body and changes the way they act; dehydration, because it makes you urinate a lot; and sleep deprivation, because it disrupts your sleep architecture so you’re not really getting a good night’s rest.”
The good news is that if you plan to drink, you may take certain precautions to avoid such symptoms.
First, bear in mind that drinking in moderation is key to avoiding a hangover. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, this equates to one drink for women and two for men per day. 12 ounces of ordinary beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of liquor or spirits make up one drink. Drink in moderation to reduce alcohol’s harmful health consequences and hangover symptoms. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) mentions that they can result in both immediate and long-term damage. (It is questionable if consuming any alcohol at all is beneficial to your health.)
1. Be Sure to Drink Plenty of Water to Replace Fluids Lost
Among the simplest at-home treatments for a hangover? ingest water. As a diuretic, alcohol makes you urinate more, according to Shilpi Agarwal, MD, a family medicine doctor in Washington, DC. You are losing fluids through urination because the condition achieves this by blocking particular hormones that aid in the body’s ability to retain fluid. The Cleveland Clinic reports that up to a quart of urine can be lost in the hours following four alcoholic drinks.
Hydrating with water or other fluids, even if you can only manage a few sips at a time, will assist, though it won’t entirely prevent the side effects. The American Council on Exercise (ACE) has certified Pete McCall as a personal trainer and exercise physiologist in Carlsbad, California. “Drinking water helps restore necessary fluids and can help the bloodstream and circulatory system carry nutrients and oxygen to the tissues and remove the wastes from a night of excessive consumption,” he says.
Some publications claim that fermented beverages like kombucha can be a hangover cure, although this idea is just hypothetical. According to Colorado State University, kombucha is high in minerals, antioxidants, and beneficial gut bacteria. Research also suggests that it may be invigorating and help a weak immune system. A examination of the literature revealed that your immune system may already be less robust than usual if you drink excessively.
What shouldn’t I drink? more alcohol One of the most common hangover remedies, the “hair of the dog,” or taking a big drink the next morning, has been disproven by scientists. Because you experience that ecstasy, the hair of the dog will momentarily improve your mood, according to Dr. Bhatt. You’ll essentially forget you’re drunk, but over time, this will have the opposite impact and make you feel worse.
2. Sip sports beverages to expedite rehydration
Want to improve upon drinking plain water to cure your hangover? Pick up some Gatorade, Pedialyte, Powerade, or a comparable non-fizzy sports beverage. Kelly Kennedy, RDN, an employee nutritionist at Everyday Health, provided this advice.
According to Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, these sports beverages are made to help you replace lost nutrients and quickly rehydrate. They contain minerals known as electrolytes, including sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium. Sports drinks can increase sodium levels and blood sugar levels, which helps muscle cells absorb and utilise water and speeds up rehydration, according to McCall. This is supported by certain research, which demonstrates that consuming electrolytes can considerably restore vital minerals like sodium, potassium, and calcium after prolonged durations of dehydration.
No sports drink to be found? Rely on plain water and foods that are naturally rich in electrolytes, such as medium bananas (422 mg of potassium), cooked spinach (157 mg of magnesium per cup), and almonds (385 mg of calcium per cup), advises the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Pretzels also contain 488 milligrams (mg) of sodium per ounce (USDA). You can also choose foods high in water. Kennedy suggests watermelon and cucumbers, both of which have a high water content, saying that they “may undoubtedly restore fluids and lessen the dehydration that contributes to a hangover.” If someone has vomited, adding a little salt to either can help them rehydrate.
3. Use vitamin B to regain energy and vitamin C to boost immunity.
According to a study, vitamin B12 is significantly impacted by alcohol usage, and some hangover symptoms are caused by dietary shortages.
According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, B vitamins are essential for maintaining healthy nerve and immunological systems as well as energy levels. B vitamin deficiency has been linked to exhaustion and poor energy levels, however there may also or instead be other variables at work. If you can’t stop thinking about breakfast sandwiches, Chicago-based food writer Maggie Michalczyk, RDN, suggests having eggs with a lean protein like turkey bacon and a whole-grain English muffin. Eggs are a fantastic source of the energy-producing B vitamins that alcohol washes away.
Vitamin C is an additional vitamin that you might want to include in your hangover self-care regimen. Research links drinking to immune system deterioration, which reduces the body’s capacity to defend itself. According to the USDA, broccoli is a good source of vitamin C and can help prevent colds, viruses, and other alcohol-related illnesses. According to the National Institutes of Health, other foods to consider include that are high in vitamin C include oranges, red bell peppers, kiwis, and strawberries.
4. Use Carbohydrates to Raise Blood Sugar
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, alcohol can affect your blood sugar levels, which may help explain why you feel weak, tired, and irritable after drinking. It might also explain why eating toast and honey for morning has long been recommended as a natural hangover remedy. Having a snack like this that is high in carbohydrates and sugars (the fructose in the honey) might boost blood sugar and provide some immediate energy, according to McCall. Excessive alcohol consumption can have a deleterious impact on the metabolism of glucose.
Contrary to popular perception, eating greasy food won’t make you feel better after drinking. The alcohol won’t be absorbed by that grease because it has already passed through your liver. It might feel nice right now, but it won’t improve how your body feels, Michalczyk continues.
Michalczyk recommends a bowl of chicken noodle soup in its place. The moisturizing and salty qualities of chicken noodle soup will help sate your hunger. Additionally, you’ll get some protein to help you feel full, and the vitamins and minerals in celery and carrots will make up for any that you lose while drinking, according to Michalczyk. Not to mention that the noodles contain the same energy-boosting carbohydrates.
5. Consume chamomile to lessen “hangry”
Some people may find that the emotional toll of anxiety brought on by a hangover is equal to or greater than some of the physical ones.
If this sounds unfamiliar, it could be because hangxiety has varied effects on everyone of us. Researchers found in one study that shy people experienced higher levels of anxiety the day after consuming alcohol.
Although there aren’t many high-quality research on the benefits of chamomile for recovering from hangovers, Michalczyk notes that some people claim chamomile soothes overpowering emotions brought on by drinking. After all, as the nonprofit organization Drinking Change UK points out, alcohol can make you feel awful mentally due to dehydration, low blood sugar, and unbalanced hormone production. Although study participants were given chamomile extract rather than tea, research supports the use of this flowering herb to calm the jitters.
As an added bonus, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health suggests that chamomile may promote sleep and soothe an upset stomach.
6. Make Use of an Anti-Inflammatory Drug to Calm Your Immune System
After a night of drinking, are you hurt? Most likely, that is your immune system at work. According to research, drinking causes an obvious immunological reaction that releases cytokines, which are proteins meant to aid in your body’s recovery but also contribute to the symptoms you experience after drinking. Harvard Health Publishing advises using a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) such ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), naproxen sodium (Aleve), or aspirin to treat headaches and general aches and pains temporarily. If you have stomach pain, avoid using NSAIDs as they may irritate your stomach. NSAIDs should also be avoided if your doctor has recommended it.
But, advises Bhatt, avoid acetaminophen (Tylenol). It is processed in the liver like alcohol and, in rare cases, could have toxic effects if you take a high amount while there is enough alcohol still present in your body.
7. Ginger can help with nausea.
Not sure how to treat nausea from a hangover? Ginger is one of the finest natural cures for calming an upset stomach, which is frequently a common sign of a hangover, according to many doctors and nutritionists.
According to Kennedy, who attributes hangover-related nausea to alcohol irritating the stomach lining, ginger can improve digestion and hence reduce stomach trouble.
Ginger is thought to contain chemical components that alleviate stomach discomfort and promote digestion. According to a meta-analysis, ginger significantly decreased nausea by 60% and exhaustion by 80% in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Ginger may provide antioxidant and liver-protective benefits, according to another review.
There are numerous ways to consume this superfood. The Cleveland Clinic advises making ginger tea or simply eating raw ginger to settle an upset stomach.
