Most people who drink never get hangovers, but the rest of us often wake up feeling like garbage the morning after a night out. The hangover is not caused by the alcohol itself but rather by the toxic byproducts created as the liver breaks down and metabolizes alcohol and the dehydration caused by vomiting. What to do, then?
- Drink Water
Hangovers are just as common today as they’ve ever been, with research showing almost 80 percent of people will have some hangover at least once a month. There’s nothing worse than waking up hungover from the night before, feeling dizzy and nauseous. But there are ways to bounce back from hangovers, and drinking water is one of the most effective.
- Drink Sports Drink
Sports drinks are pre-made beverages packed with electrolytes, which can improve your energy level and help replace fluids lost from vomiting or sweating. Sports drinks can also help replace the sodium, potassium, and chloride that you lose during vomiting or diarrhea.
- Avoid Caffein
The first thing you need to do is avoid caffeinated drinks. Caffeine is an appetite suppressant, so if you are eating less, your hangover will be worse. Also, caffeine has diuretic properties, which means your body works harder to get rid of it. The more you pee, the more water you lose, so you end up dehydrated and unable to rehydrate properly.
- Have a Healthy Soup
The last thing most hangover sufferers want to think about is soup, but according to experts, the ingredients in soup may help fight dehydration and aid recovery. A study found that carrots, turnips, cabbage, and celery, all rich in potassium, may help reduce hangover symptoms. And according to a study in the Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology, soup with chili peppers can relieve nausea and stomach upset and protect against dehydration. There is also evidence to suggest that canker sores and stomach ulcers may be caused by alcohol consumption and that hot liquids can relieve symptoms.
- Food with potassium can help.
A hangover may make you sick to your stomach, but the right foods and drinks can ease the aches, pains, and nausea. When you’re hungover, the first thing you want to do is crawl into a bed and get some rest, but unless you drink plenty of water and eat foods rich in potassium, you might not get much rest. Several foods, including bananas, coconut water, and saltine crackers, can help replenish electrolytes in your system.
- Take a Walk
A hungover morning is never fun, but you don’t have to suffer through it. A good way to ease yourself back into your day is to walk. A brisk 20-minute walk can help relieve nausea, headache, and lethargy associated with a hangover.
- Take a Rest
Take a rest. As soon as you wake up the next day, take a rest. Don’t do anything strenuous. You don’t want to push yourself, but your body needs to rest. Your muscles are still sore, and you don’t want to make it worse.