The longest hangover on record lasted four weeks: a 37 year old man was admitted to hospital in Scotland after drinking 60 pints of beer over a four day period. Six months of blood-thinning treatment was necessary before he had fully recovered. While this is an extreme case, the effects of a hangover are all too familiar to many of us after a night in the bar: headaches, nausea, dry mouth and shakiness are just a few of the unpleasant symptoms left by a heavy night. So how can we manage our hangovers to enjoy a few beers without paying the price the next morning?
On The Night
Perhaps the most effective tricks for dealing with a hangover are the preventative ones. Hangovers are essentially the result of the combination of dehydration and inflammation that occurs when we drink alcohol: drinking makes us urinate more, becoming dehydrated in the process, and an inflammatory response is triggered by the immune system. If you drink water alongside your alcoholic drinks, you can avoid becoming dehydrated, which will reduce your chances of waking up with a headache. Try to match each alcoholic drink with a glass of water, either by alternating, or by drinking them side by side. You can also speed up your body’s metabolism of alcohol by taking a supplement, either while you’re drinking or after your last drink. One such supplement, Dihydreomyricetin, clears alcohol from your system much more quickly than your body can manage on its own, meaning that taking it while you’re still drinking can not only decrease the risk of a hangover, but also potentially make you feel less drunk before you go to bed. This is also likely to improve your sleep quality, which further reduces your chance of a hangover.
In The Morning
The last thing you might feel like doing the morning after the night before is eating a big breakfast. However, because low blood sugar levels are often associated with a hangover, symptoms like nausea and fatigue can be reduced by a good meal. If you’ve been drinking heavily, it’s likely that your body will be depleted in vitamins too, so refuelling will help replenish your stores. Any healthy, balanced breakfast will help you feel more human, but good things to include are eggs (which help your body to produce glutathione to help you break down the toxins from the alcohol); water-rich fruits like watermelon to help with hydration; complex carbohydrates like oats to help restore your blood sugar; and protein-rich foods like lean meats. If you’re really not up to a big breakfast, a smoothie will provide you with lots of vitamins and minerals, while hydrating you and helping to tackle your hangover. Continue to pay attention to hydration in the morning, and if you’re feeling really nauseous, a tea made from fresh ginger should help soothe your stomach.
When It’s Too Late
If it was a really heavy night and you didn’t take preventative measures, it may be that your hangover’s tempted to stick around. As our bodies heal when we’re sleeping, going back to bed for a few hours could be a good call. Make sure you take a glass of water with you, and rehydrate regularly. If you don’t feel up to eating, try to sip some soup throughout the day. Your body needs to replenish its vitamins and minerals, and the more vitamin-rich food you can consume – particularly if it also provides hydration – the better. For a pounding headache, over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen will help.
A great night in the bar can be followed by a tough morning if you’re not careful. To minimize the risk of losing your weekend to a hangover, take preventative measures throughout the night, and treat your body kindly the next day. Maybe you’ll even be up for another beer by the time evening rolls around!