The morning after
Waking up the morning after the night before with a thumping head and feeling sick is often a common result of too much alcohol.
What’s behind a hangover – the obvious answer is alcohol, but the main reason for feeling so bad the next day is because you’re dehydrated. Alcohol is a diuretic which means it speeds up the loss of water, making you feel thirsty and dizzy. Alcohol can also irritate the stomach lining which is why you sometimes need to rush to the bathroom to be sick. A long night followed by only a few hours sleep leaves you feeling tired the next day. This is made worse as your body’s organs try to repair the damage caused the night before, using up energy.
How to avoid a hangover
Number one on the list has got to be avoid alcohol. But, if you're over 18 and you chose to have a drink, the following tips should help.
Before you go:
Eat a good dinner – a fatty one is best because it’s digested slowly and will protect your stomach lining from irritation.
Drinking a glass of milk will also help to protect your stomach and will slow the absorption of alcohol.
While you’re out:
Have a glass of water after every couple of alcoholic drinks to avoid dehydration
Avoid dark colour drinks – these contain congeners which tend to cause the worst hangovers
Avoid fizzy drinks – they can speed up the amount of alcohol going into your system
Don’t mix your drinks
Before you go to bed:
Drink at least three pints of water to re-hydrate your body
Eat something sweet – a lack of sugar leaves you trembling and wobbly
How to cure a hangover - If you do wake up to the room spinning and the toilet becomes you’re best friend then try one of the following tried and tested hangover cures. Ok, so they may not cure a hangover, but they will get you back on track so you can get on with your day.
Have a fry-up, this fatty breakfast is full of calories which will give you a much needed energy boost to set you up for the day.
If you can’t face a whole fry-up at least have an egg for breakfast. Eggs contain cysteine which soak up the chemicals which your liver creates while getting rid of the alcohol.
‘Hair of the dog’ – having another alcoholic drink. This isn’t a good idea, it will just prolong it all. While your body deals with the new intake of alcohol it delays the hangover symptoms until you have finished drinking. So you won’t avoid a hangover, in fact you’ll more than likely make it worse, when it eventually does come along!
Caffeine is also not a good idea – it will give you an energy boost for the short term but the reason you feel so bad in the first place is because you’re dehydrated and caffeine causes dehydration so you’re heading for trouble!
Water is an obvious way to get you through your hangover as it will re-hydrate you.
Fruit juice will give you vitamins and the sugar will give you energy
Once you’ve refuelled, go back to bed. A few more hours sleep will make you feel a lot better.
Hangovers can last up to 24 hours, so think twice before you go out drinking.