That dreaded feeling experienced during the morning after the night before… it can’t be matched by too many feelings. You wake up in a sweat, you haven’t slept enough, your head is pounding and your mouth feels a little like the Sahara Desert.
Then you ask yourself, “Was it really worth it?” Followed by, “I’m never drinking again.” Yeah, you know you’ve muttered those words to yourself once or twice… but then another weekend comes around, with it another party invite, and yep more alcohol consumption.
So everyone has their own trick for curing (a term I use loosely) a hangover but do any of them really work? Well they certainly won’t cure that throbbing headache or sorry feeling but they may alleviate the effects.
Next time you wake up feeling like someone from the Walking Dead, give one of these tips a go. We’re sure you’ll experience 10 more hangovers in your time so give them all a shot, one-by-one, until you find one that works for you.
10. REHYDRATE
Despite being a liquid, alcohol is a diuretic which explains why you need to rush to the toilet every five minutes while drinking. The problem is, you release more liquid than you take in, hence the reason why you feel so incredibly dehydrated the next day. The best way to replace all of the lost fluid is to drink plenty of fluid. Water is the best choice but it also pays to have a sports drink to replace electrolytes and even a dry ginger ale if your guts aren’t feeling great. Another good option is Hydralyte (available at chemists) which replaces electrolytes at a faster rate than sports drinks.
9. GREASY FOOD
This one is a classic and we’ve all done a Macca’s run at 5am. We’ve all woken up craving greasy bacon and eggs too. The truth is though, there are no hangover benefits. So while the fatty food may provide you with some emotional comfort, your stomach is only going to hate you even more than it already does. The trick is to eating a fatty meal before drinking as the grease lines the stomach and slows the absorption of alcohol. In saying that, it definitely doesn’t stop the absorption so it’s not a completely preventative measure. With that in mind, eat your junk food before drinking rather than afterwards… it’s worth a shot.
8. MORE ALCOHOL (HAIR OF THE DOG)
It takes a brave person to have another drink after waking up feeling like death from drinking too much the night before. While many experts claim that it only delays the feeling of being hungover, others suggest it’s the best way to avoid that dreaded feeling. A Bloody Mary has become the go-to drink for those game enough to drink again and while we don’t encourage this method, it is an option if nothing else has worked.
7. DO SOME EXERCISE
Bringing yourself to do any form of exercise while hungover will take a lot of effort but it will be rewarded if you can manage to build up a sweat. Releasing endorphins as well as taking in some fresh air is always good for the body and mind. Sweating will also help to rid your body of some of the nasty toxins you introduced to your body the night before. Pull yourself out of bed, strap some runners on and at the very least, go for a walk.
6. SLEEP
It cures many ails and it certainly works for a hangover. It’s stupidly hard to do after drinking though. The body overheats, the head thumps and you end up lying in bed overly frustrated and angry. Remain calm and try to relax. You’ll feel heaps better if you get a few hours of shut-eye in. Just remember to hydrate once you wake up.
5. TAKE VITAMINS
Alcohol depletes the body of important vitamins such as vitamin B and C so it pays to top up on both before and after drinking. While it won’t be a quick hangover solution, it will help your body return ‘back to normal’. If you’re a regular drinker, be sure to eat a diet of foods that contain good amounts of vitamins C and D to ensure your body isn’t totally depleted of either.
4. SAUNA
If sweat makes for a great way to rid your body of toxins, perhaps taking a trip to a sauna will do you the world of good. Just remember to stay hydrated while you’re in there though. The Russians swear by this method, so you know, it must be good…
3. PARACETEMOL
Paracetemol won’t cure your hangover altogether but they will make your head feel better, for an hour or so at least. Don’t keep taking them in the hope that your hangover will disappear though.
2. HANGOVER TABLETS
Plenty of hangover tablets are sold on the market and some people swear by one or another. One that we’ve come across is HeadsUp which assists the body in clearing the toxins created as a result of a night of overindulgence. It is the toxic by-product (metabolite), which results from the metabolism of alcohol (acetaldehyde) and dehydration that is often responsible for hangovers and most of the negative effects associated with alcohol use. If these toxins are naturally assisted from the body, the cause of most symptoms associated with hangovers should, in theory, be reduced. The tablets can be taken before a big night on the booze or prior to going to sleep. What have you got to lose right?
1. DON’T DRINK
Yep, we can’t believe we said that either. Shame on us.
