Alcohol isn’t for everyone, but most people who’ve dabbled in the social lubricant have experienced their share of rough mornings. The morning after a night on the town can often have some consequences, such as nausea, queasiness, headache, dry mouth, and fuzzy memory. Although there isn’t a foolproof way to make a hangover go away, there are home remedies that can help you feel better.
Aside from the nausea, splitting headache, and other accompanying hangover symptoms, a hangover has other complications. Inflammation is a big problem because it binds to chemical enzymes in the body and changes the way they act. Dehydration is another problem that’s associated with hangovers, and it can negatively affect your sleep quality. The good news is that you can take certain steps to recover from a hangover when it strikes. As a quick tip, though, make sure that you are sufficiently hydrated before an indulgent night. Alcohol causes frequent urination, depleting your body of fluids and increasing the severity of hangover symptoms.
Avoid Drinks With Congeners
Congeners are toxic chemical byproducts that form in small amounts during the process of ethanol fermentation. During this process, sugars are converted into carbon dioxide and ethanol, or alcohol. Different alcoholic beverages contain varying amounts of congeners, and several studies indicate that consuming drinks high in congeners increases the risk and severity of hangovers. Congeners may slow the metabolism of alcohol, prolonging hangover symptoms. Drinks that are low in congeners include rum, vodka, and gin, but whiskey, cognac, and tequila have high amounts. Choosing drinks that are low in congeners may accelerate the metabolism of alcohol, which may reduce the severity and intensity of hangovers.
Boost Your Blood Sugar With Carbohydrates
It’s no secret that alcohol can affect your blood sugar levels. John Hopkins Medicine gathers that that may be a contributing factor to the weakness, fatigue, and irritability that results from intoxication. It may also explain why enjoying honey on toast for breakfast is a popular hangover cure. Having a snack that is high in carbs and sugars (like the fructose in honey) elevates blood sugar to provide immediate energy. Greasy foods, despite what you may think, will not cure your hangover. Grease does not absorb alcohol, even though these types of food sound good at the moment. Interestingly enough, a bowl of chicken noodle soup can be a great meal to get you out of a hangover. Noodles provide the carbs for energy, while the vegetables provide vitamins and minerals, and the chicken provides protein.
Sweat Away Your Hangover
Health experts say that exercise is one of the best ways to kick your hangover to the curb. Exercise ramps up oxygen flow to the brain, increasing mood-boosting hormones that support energy levels. If you can find the will, engage in low- to moderate-intensity exercise the morning after a night out. Activity is great for people that are young and somewhat healthy. Other people may require rest, depending on age and physical health. You don’t need to hit the gym hard; rather, it is more beneficial to engage in low-intensity exercise. Additionally, drink lots of water post-workout, especially since the water is in a state of dehydration after drinking alcohol.
Drink Some Chamomile Tea
For some people, a hangover can be an emotionally taxing experience, with anxiety accompanying other physical hangover symptoms. If this doesn’t sound familiar to you, then you may not experience intense “hangxiety.” One study found that shy people experienced increased anxiety levels the day after drinking alcohol. Although high quality studies on chamomile for hangover recovery are lacking, some anecdotal reports claim that chamomile calms anxious feelings brought on by drinking. Research supports that chamomile can help soothe jitters, but that study used chamomile extract, not tea.
Take Some Vitamins
We aren’t just talking about any vitamins because they may not do the trick. In a study in the Journal of Clinical Medicine, researchers evaluated the diets for 24 hours before and after excessive drinking. The study observers based their results on what the participants said they ate. Researchers noted that people who consumed foods with greater amounts of zinc and B-vitamins experienced less severe hangovers.
