Treat a Hangover

It's the morning after the wildest party you've ever been to. Sadly, your stomach still feels like it's performing the crazy dance moves you did on top of the table last night, and your head might possibly implode or explode at any moment--you can't tell which. The dreaded hangover has hit. Hang in there and follow these guidelines to survive the day.

Steps

Finding Immediate Relief

1. Drink water. While something so simple might seem ridiculous while you’re hugging your toilet, re-hydrating yourself is key to overcoming any hangover. Drink 8 to 10 glasses of water slowly over the course of the morning after you have been drinking. Alcohol causes your body to lose water by stimulating your kidneys to excrete more water than you drink, resulting in dehydration. The more alcohol you drink, the more water passes out of your body.
   • Symptoms include dizziness, headache, nausea, dry mouth and fatigue. A hangover is caused by a combination of alcohol metabolism, dehydration, and Vitamin A, B, and C depletion.
2. Take a pain reliever. Your head is throbbing because alcohol widens blood vessels, and the widening of vessels around the brain usually causes pain, much as it does in a migraine headache. While pain relievers do not necessarily make you any healthier, they will take away the pain of your hangover for a short period of time.
   • Painkillers such as Advil and Ibuprofen work well to kick the pain riddling your brain. Avoid acetaminophens like Tylenol, as they are tough on your liver, which is busy working through the alcohol in your system. Taking acetaminophens while alcohol in your system may cause liver damage.
3. Eat plain, starchy foods. Plain bagels, toast, and crackers are all good carbohydrates or "Carbs" to eat when hungover. While they might not be the tastiest of snacks, chances are you probably don’t feel like eating much anyway. Hangovers cause your blood sugar levels to drop--plain carbs will help increase your blood sugar and settle your stomach.
4. Go back to sleep. When you drink excessively and then pass out in bed, your body generally doesn’t get a chance to enter R.E.M. (rapid eye movement) sleep. R.E.M. state is when your body restores itself and when you are most deeply at rest. Crawl back into bed, wrap yourself in the fuzziest blanket you own, put on some soothing music and catch a few more hours of sleep.
   • You might consider calling in sick to school or work if your hangover is too much to handle. While you shouldn’t make a habit of doing this, taking a ‘sick’ day will allow your body to repair the damages from last night’s wild excesses.

Eating Soothing Food

1. Eat soothing food. Your stomach will probably be rolling like you’re on the high seas throughout the day, but eating foods that replenish your vitamin stores and settle your stomach will do you nothing but good.
2. Eat apples and bananas. Apples and bananas contain nutrients that will eliminate your headache and restore minerals lost during your wild night out. In particular, these two fruits are excellent for regaining potassium.
3. Make eggs. Scramble them, fry them, soft boil them--whatever way you prefer your eggs, they are certain to help with your hangover. Eggs contain an amino acid called cysteine which helps counter the effects of acetaldehyde, a side effect of excessive alcohol consumption.
4. Eat tomatoes. Tomatoes can refresh and revitalize you. Slice them up and add a little salt and pepper, or juice them. Tomatoes contain fructose which helps along the metabolism of alcohol in the body. Add a little lime juice to tomato juice to heighten the results.
5. Eat coconut. Coconuts are packed with potassium--something your hangover-riddled body definitely needs. Alternatively, drink coconut water if you don’t feel like finding a coconut to split open with a rock.
6. Try some Bouillon broth. Bouillon broth is a great food to consume when you have a hangover as it provides water and electrolytes, both of which act against dehydration. Bouillon also replaces salt and potassium lost while drinking all of those whiskey sours.
7. Use cabbage. Cabbage can also act as a wonderful healer of the hangover. Extract juice from a cabbage and mix it with a little tomato juice. Cabbage helps stabilize blood glucose levels.

Drinking Revitalizing Liquids

1. Drink lots of liquids. As mentioned above, re-hydrating yourself is a key player in your battle against the dreaded hangover. Some liquids will help to restore your electrolytes, rehydrate you, and settle your stomach more quickly than others.
2. Drink flat ginger ale. This is a perfect time to clear your fridge of that flat bottle of soda you’ve meaning to throw out. Drink it instead--ginger ale is a great way to soothe your stomach.
3. Drink pedialyte. While you may be thinking, ‘isn’t pedialyte for children?’ your body will be feeling better in no time. Pedialyte contains more sodium and less sugar than sports drinks, so it re-hydrates you quickly. It is also rich in vitamins and tastes pretty darn good (which is why parents give it to their kids). Your inner hungover child will thank you.
4. Drink sports drinks. While you may not have just gone on a 10K run or played a game in the NBA, your body probably feels like you did. Sports drinks like Gatorade are meant to rehydrate and replenish lost nutrients.
5. Munch on some ice pops. If you can’t bring yourself to drink anything, ice pops are a great way to begin the re-hydration process. They will also keep you from feeling bloated (like some people do when they chug a whole lot of sports drink when they first wake up after a night of drinking.)
6. Drink juice. Your body is craving vitamins and juices such as orange, pineapple or mango are a great way of going about restoring your health. Just remember to drink slowly--you don’t want to chug a whole carton of OJ.

Using Herbal Remedies

1. Try some herbal remedies. While you may feel like a witch stirring her brew, herbal remedies can help replenish lost nutrients.
2. Use milk thistle. Milk thistle is recommended for individuals experiencing liver problems. You are currently one of those people. Some people say they that they feel better after consuming milk thistle. You can purchase milk thistle pills or tea.
3. Dive into some honey. Honey, bee’s gift to humankind, can help treat hangovers. Honey helps up your fructose levels. Try boiling some water and adding honey to it for a more diluted (and less sweet) way to consume honey.
4. Try lemon. Lemon helps detoxify your body. Prepare some lemon tea to settle your stomach and start the detoxification process.
5. Chew on some ginger to settle your stomach. You can buy ginger candy at the store that works well. Alternatively, you can boil 10 to 12 pieces of fresh ginger root in four cups of water. You will get a ginger tea that you can add nutrient rich things like lemon juice and honey to.
6. Boil five or six crushed thyme leaves in water. Simmer the mixture for about five minutes and then strain the tea. When warm, drink this tea. Thyme soothes aching muscles (a side effect of the evil hangover) and also helps to settle your stomach.
7. Take activated charcoal pills. Do not just crush up charcoal you have laying around the house. You can find charcoal pills at your local pharmacy. Activated charcoal is an absorbent, which means it attacks bad molecules and then carries them out of the body.

Using Vitamins to Combat a Hangover

1. Take a vitamin B pill. Vitamin B, particularly B12 (also called Cobalamin) plays a large part in the functioning of the nervous system and brain. Give your body a boost by taking a vitamin B supplement.
   • You can also eat vitamin B rich food. Some of the most useful foods include whole grain wheat, cold milk and citrus foods like orange.
2. Take a vitamin C pill. Vitamin C is an antioxidant. Alcohol depresses your immune system, leaving you wide open to colds and other viruses. As alcohol metabolizes and our body detoxifies itself, a substantial number of free radicals are released into our body. Vitamin C's antioxidant qualities help fight free radicals in our body and generally alleviates headaches.
   • Emergen-C and other powered and flavored vitamin C formulas are great ways to up your vitamin C levels while also drinking something that basically tastes like it will kick your hangover’s butt.
3. Take supplements. Supplements like n-acetylcysteine work to replenish your depleted stores. N-acetylcysteine works against acetaldehyde toxicity, which is a major reason hangovers suck as much as they do.

Dealing with Your Hangover

1. Lay still and try to sleep. As noted above, sleep, water, and time are the three things that are a guaranteed cure for a hangover. If you can’t sleep, put on your favorite movie or relaxing music and close your eyes. Though the world might feel like it’s spinning, know that you are on the (long) road to recovery.
2. Get some light exercise. If sleep is not in the cards, try getting a bit of exercise. Go on a brisk walk, a light jog, or to swim a few laps. If nothing else, exercising will boost your endorphins, helping you to get out of the black mood your hangover has thrown you into.
   • Some believe that exercise helps to up your body’s ability to metabolize the alcohol that you’ve consumed. When your body starts metabolizing properly, your hangover will start to go away.
3. Avoid loud noises and bright light. Hangovers increase your sensitivity to light and sound. To minimize your pain, close your blinds, avoid loud music, and place a cool washcloth on your head. If you have to go outside, wear sunglasses or a hat.
4. Take a shower or bath. While this does not necessarily do anything to speed up the expulsion of alcohol from your body, it will make you feel better (and let’s be honest, cleaner.) Breath in the steam to alleviate the pain in your head. Hot water is also known to soothe an upset stomach.

Minimizing Future Hangovers

1. Minimize how much you drink. If you want to let loose a bit, drink until you’re buzzed but then stop. It’s best to quit while you’re ahead in this situation. Your future self will thank you.
2. Eat before, during, and after you drink alcohol. Eating will keep your sugar levels up which is an important part of preventing a hangover. Drinking on an empty stomach is both a ticket to a cheap drunk and a wild hangover. Eat foods that will absorb some of the alcohol you drink.
   • Snacking throughout the night, while sometimes deemed ‘giving in to the drunchies’, will lessen the hangover you feel the next day.
3. Drink water throughout the night. Begin the night with a big glass of water. Staying hydrated is a great way to prevent a hangover. Alternate between one alcoholic beverage and one glass of water. Before you go to bed, drink two or three glasses of water.
   • Drinking two cups of green tea before you begin to drink is also a way to stay hydrated and prevent hangovers.
4. Avoid sugary mixed drinks. Drinking drinks with too much sugar will inevitably lead to a hangover. Avoid drinks that are made with store-bought mixes, like sweet-and-sour mix, that are high in corn syrup. Also be aware that a lot of wines (particularly sparkling wines) are high in sugar.
5. Take Vitamin B before you go to bed. As stated in the vitamins section, vitamin B is a great way to combat hangovers. Get a head start on the battle by taking vitamin B before you go to bed. Take it with a glass of water.

Tips

• To avoid over-drinking, stick with beer or wine. Mixed drinks, especially ones you buy at a bar, can have more alcohol in them than you think.

Warnings

• If you think that a friend has alcohol poisoning, turn them on their side and call for help immediately. Signs of alcohol poisoning include slow or irregular breathing, excessive vomiting, seizures, and a lack of coloration that comes with hypothermia.

Related Articles

• How to Get Rid of a Hangover
• Survive a Hangover
• How to Cure a Hangover
• How to Deal With a Hangover the Day After

Sources and Citations

See also

• Quit Drinking Alcohol
• Stop Drinking Beer
• Prevent a Hangover
• Get Rid of a Hangover
• Stay Sober
• Go Working After a Long Drinking Night
• Heal Liver from Alcoholism
• Deal With Drinking Too Much
• Avoid Alcoholism
• Get Through Your First Alcoholics Anonymous Meeting

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