Hangovers are often our body’s way of reminding us about what overindulgence can lead to. It is a combined effect of diarrhea, fatigue, headache, nausea, and shaking. Besides these classic symptoms, your blood pressure may go up and the heart may beat faster than normal, leading to over-secretion from sweat glands. Some people experience heightened sensitivity to light and sound, while some others may suffer from temporary vertigo.
Unknown to many, a hangover happens once the alcohol levels in your blood start to fall. In fact, experts suggest the symptoms are worse when the level reaches zero. Is it a regular weekend thing for you? Well, we have some handy tips for you that will help you deal with a hangover like a pro!
Ensure Adequate Carbohydrate Intake Before Consuming Alcohol
As they say, prevention is better than a cure! You have heard that drinking on an empty stomach is dangerous. However, if you have a nice carb-rich meal before drinking, the rate of alcohol absorption is slowed down as the fat helps line the walls of your stomach. Try pasta, beans, toast, or any such food with a considerable carb content to avoid waking up with a nasty headache.
Drink Enough Water Between Drinks and Before Going to Bed
Since alcohol blocks your body from creating a vasopressin chemical, your kidneys send water straight to the bladder instead of retaining it in the body. No wonder booze makes you expel a lot of water, often leading to dehydration. This is responsible for headaches and dry mouths. If you want to wake up fresh, even after a night of drunkenness, have a glass of water between each pint and be sure to say hydrated when you get back home.
Stick to the Light-Colored Drinks
If you are a regular drinker, we don’t need to tell you that different types of alcohol produce different types of hangovers. This is basically due to the diverse nature of congeners present in the drinks. Usually, darker liquors such as red wine, whiskey, dark rum, etc. contain more congeners, leading to a rotten hangover. On the other hand, white wine, vodka, and gin have low congener content.
Don’t Go Overboard with your Dance Moves
No matter how much you enjoy dancing while you’re tipsy, it’s best to stay away from the dance floor if you don’t want to wake up like a zombie the next morning. According to experts, the more exhausted you are, the more dehydrated you feel, and your energy levels are also depleted much faster.
Have Tea and Fruit Juice
Fruit juice will give a sugary kick to your body while also getting rid of toxins, as it helps to replace some of the minerals you have lost. While milk in the tea will help replace the calcium you’ve lost, ginger tea alleviates nausea. Milk thistle tea is also great in combating hangover. On the contrary, avoid coffee since it is a diuretic and makes your body lose water quickly.
Do Not Mix Your Drinks
Mixing different drinks only worsen the hangover, in case you didn’t know. Each drink comes with its levels of congener and other chemicals, each affecting you differently. It is way safer to choose your drink and stick to it!
SEE ALSO: 9 Easy-to-do Mix Drinks with Vodka That Taste Delicious
Walk Home
You can walk home with a trusted, sober friend, just not if you’re in heels! Walking not only helps you shake off that drunk feeling, but it also ensures a much smoother morning. You can also grab some snacks to absorb some of the alcohol during your walk.
Eat Well the Next Day
This is very crucial for your recovery. However, it’s not a good idea to eat anything you lay your hands on.
Fried eggs are a great option since this helps replace fatty acids and bring about alcohol breakdown in your liver. You can also go for wholesale toast or crackers, or other foods with mild carbohydrates. Since alcohol also depletes your potassium levels, try some bananas in the morning to restore potassium content in your body.
Alcohol usually takes about 11 hours to leave your body, but with these tips, you’ll have a milder hangover, if one at all. While none of these are instant solutions or miraculous cures, these will be of significant help, depending on how well your body copes with the effects.