Let’s set the scene… you go out for drinks with friends, one drink leads to two drinks, leads to four drinks, and before you know it, you wake up the next morning with a raging hangover.
Most of us have been there, and if you haven’t, consider yourself extremely lucky. Hangovers feel endless and like ruthless punishment for simply enjoying yourself the night before.
While many of us swear to never drink again after suffering from a debilitating hangover, the reality we don’t often learn our lesson.
So, if you find yourself in a bad state the morning after a night of having too much fun, here are some tips for getting over that nasty hangover.
Before/During Drinking
Before we get into hangover remedies, it’s important to set yourself up for success (aka no hangover) pre-drinking.
Make sure to have a decently sized meal before a night of drinking or partying, as this will slow down the absorption of alcohol into your bloodstream.
Too many people forget about eating and it never ends well. Also, make sure to hydrate yourself before, during, and after drinking.
A smart tip is to put a giant bottle of water next to your bed so that when you get home it’ll remind you to get hydrated. Try to finish that bottle before bed, you’ll thank yourself in the morning.
Eat Breakfast
Often times when we wake up with a hangover the last thing we want to do is eat, but it’s so important for our bodies to have fuel in order to recover.
Your liver has to work extra hard after a night of heavy drinking to create an amino acid called I-cysteine, which is actually found in foods like eggs.
Bananas are also a great option as they’re high in electrolyte potassium, which helps fight nausea.
Get in Electrolytes
While water is very important, the thing your body really needs after drinking is electrolytes.
Pedialyte, which is a drink that helps dehydration, is actually a great option because it’s full of electrolytes. Gatorade or any other sports drink is also a solid beverage to have on hand.
Take a Pain Reliever
Aspirin and ibuprofen will help with a headache, so take one when you wake up in the morning.
Take another one later in the day if your hangover symptoms are still present. However, don’t take acetaminophen (Tylenol), as it may not be good for your liver.
Take a Shower
This step is not necessarily proven to cure you of your hangover, but it will subconsciously make you feel better.
Usually, after a night of drinking, we forget to do our nighttime routine and we wake up feeling pretty grimy. Because we usually feel so gross, try to get up and get in the shower as quickly as possible.
Even if you have to just stand in the shower and let the hot water wash over you for a few minutes, you will more than likely get out of the shower feeling better than you did when you walked in.
