How to "cure" a hangover? Symptoms, treatments and prevention
What is a hangover?
A hangover is when you have unpleasant physical and mental symptoms after drinking too much alcohol.
How long does a hangover last?
Typically, your symptoms are the worst when your blood alcohol level returns to zero. Symptoms can last about a day or possibly longer.
Hangovers seem to be the body's way of reminding us about the hazards of overindulgence. Physiologically, it's a group effort: Diarrhea, fatigue, headache, nausea, and shaking are the classic symptoms. Sometimes, systolic (the upper number) blood pressure goes up, the heart beats faster than normal, and sweat glands overproduce — evidence that the "fight or flight" response is revved up. Some people become sensitive to light or sound. Others suffer a spinning sensation
The causes are as varied as the symptoms. Alcohol is metabolized into acetaldehyde, a substance that's toxic at high levels. However, concentrations rarely get that high, so that's not the complete explanation.
Drinking interferes with brain activity during sleep, so a hangover may be a form of sleep deprivation. Alcohol scrambles the hormones that regulate our biological clocks, which may be why a hangover can feel like jet lag, and vice versa. Alcohol can also trigger migraines, so some people may think they're hung over when it's really an alcohol-induced migraine they're suffering.
Cure your hangover by following these simple steps
Drink less: Symptoms are less likely if you drink small amounts of alcohol. Drink less than the amount it takes to make you feel intoxicated. Even if you do become intoxicated, drinking less can make hangover symptoms less severe.
Drink slowly: If you’re having carbonated beverages containing alcohol such as champagne, drink them slowly. The carbon dioxide bubbles can speed the rate of alcohol absorption in the bloodstream and compete with oxygen absorption.
Choose wisely: Consume drinks with lower amounts of congeners. Lighter-coloured drinks such as vodka, gin, light beer and white wine typically result in less severe hangover symptoms. Darker-coloured drinks with high levels of congeners, such as bourbon, scotch, tequila, brandy, dark beers and red wine, cause more severe symptoms.
Drink water: Alternate beverages containing alcohol with plain water. The water helps prevent dehydration.
Eat: Food helps slow the absorption of alcohol. It’s best to eat before drinking, and a heavier meal can offset alcohol’s effects on your body. Even adding non-diet cola, ginger ale, fruit juice or punch to your drink can help slow absorption. Get some carbohydrates into your system. Drinking may lower blood sugar levels, so theoretically some of the fatigue and headaches of a hangover may be from a brain working without enough of its main fuel. Moreover, many people forget to eat when they drink, further lowering their blood sugar. Toast and juice is a way to gently nudge levels back to normal.
Pace yourself: Limit consumption to one drink per hour. That’s about how much your body can process. You’ll help keep your blood alcohol levels from reaching the point of intoxication.
Take a pain reliever, but not Tylenol. Aspirin, ibuprofen (Motrin, other brands), and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may help with the headache and the overall achy feelings. NSAIDs, though, may irritate a stomach already irritated by alcohol. Don't take acetaminophen (Tylenol). If alcohol is lingering in your system, it may accentuate acetaminophen's toxic effects on the liver.
Drink coffee or tea. Caffeine may not have any special anti-hangover powers, but as a stimulant, it could help with the grogginess.
B vitamins and zinc. A study recently published in The Journal of Clinical Medicine evaluated the diets for 24 hours before and after excessive drinking occurred. It was a small study and results were based on the participants saying what they ate. However, they did find that people whose food and beverage consumption contained greater amounts of zinc and B vitamins had less severe hangovers.
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