Hangovers are defined by the Mayo Clinic website as “a group of unpleasant signs and symptoms that can develop after drinking too much alcohol.” What this really means is that all hangovers are different, because alcohol affects everyone differently.
The most common symptoms of a hangover include headache, nausea, fatigue, thirst and dehydration. Alcohol also has direct toxic effects on the body that can change blood sugar levels, according to the Mayo Clinic site.
It has also been found that an ingredient called congeners can contribute to hangovers. Congeners are found more in dark liquors than in light liquors, though that should not be the deciding factor in trying to choose drinks to prevent a hangover.
The only true way to prevent a hangover is to not drink, but to help ward it off, you can balance drinking alcohol with other non-alcoholic beverages to prevent dehydration.
The Mayo Clinic recommends drinking one glass of water or juice after every glass of alcohol. It also helps if you eat something first, since alcohol is absorbed quicker on an empty stomach, and it upsets your stomach lining, causing the nausea in the morning.
If you do find yourself feeling less than great the morning after a night out, the only thing that will truly make it go away is time. However, to ease the discomfort there are many “cures” to hangovers you can test, ranging from seemingly logical to inexplicably effective.
The tried and true
• Drink water or Gatorade. While you were winning at beer pong, you were losing electrolytes. Those need to be replaced so you can feel better.
• Eat a neutral snack. Toast, crackers, and bananas can help settle your stomach and put your blood sugar back to normal.
• Take a pain reliever. Take an anti-inflammatory pain reliever, such as ibuprofen or naproxen (Advil), to help ease a headache. Don’t take acetaminophen (Tylenol), because this can damage your liver while it’s working overtime to metabolize all that alcohol.
• Go back to sleep. You won’t feel like you got hit by a truck when you’re sleeping, and hopefully the hangover will be gone by the time you wake up.
• Go exercise. A good workout can help sweat out toxins and release endorphins to improve your mood.
The myths and rumors
• Caffeine can help a headache in both men and women, but it can worsen dehydration so continue drinking fluids if you take it.
• Greasy foods. People swear by everything from a Baconator sandwich from Wendy’s to a big plate of biscuits and gravy. Unfortunately, what you eat after drinking doesn’t matter, but the carbohydrates will give you energy and that can make you feel better.
• Coffee. The caffeine issue is the same as Midol, but if you are used to waking up with a cup of coffee, then your body will appreciate the sense of routine.
• Sex. There has been no scientific evidence proving that sex can help hangovers, but it could distract you and make the time pass faster.
• More alcohol. While drinking again might numb the discomfort of a hangover, what you’re really doing is just delaying the effects and worsening the outcome by adding more toxins to your body.
Source: Mayo Clinic
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