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Five Ways To Handle A Hangover

By Chidirim Ndeche
12 August 2017   |   3:27 pm
From headaches to nausea and stomachaches, hangovers are a terrible post-drinking phase nobody likes. Hangovers make you wish you never drank, and promise yourself never to drink again, even though you may soon pick up another bottle. The causes of hangovers are still poorly understood, and because of this, many of the cures for it…

From headaches to nausea and stomachaches, hangovers are a terrible post-drinking phase nobody likes. Hangovers make you wish you never drank, and promise yourself never to drink again, even though you may soon pick up another bottle.

The causes of hangovers are still poorly understood, and because of this, many of the cures for it have not been scientifically confirmed. Some say that drinking alcohol, which is a diuretic, causes dehydration when it makes the body pass out fluid through urine. That dehydration is what makes one wake up with a hangover. It could also be as a result of several factors including changes in the immune system, glucose metabolism, dehydration, sleep deprivation and malnutrition. It always happens when the intoxicating effect of alcohol begins to wear off, mostly the morning after a night of heavy drinking.

However, here are a few tips that will help you handle horrid hangovers:

1. Don’t drink.
Sure, the number one sure way to avoid a hangover is to not drink, or to only drink sparingly. If you don’t drink, you can be guaranteed that you will not wake up the morning after with a headache. But you would not be here if you didn’t drink.

2. Drink more.

Man with wine glass. Photo: Huffpost

Some people believe that drinking more alcohol after the hangover has begun will relieve the symptoms, because a hangover is a form of alcohol withdrawal, and by providing the body with more alcohol, that need (and the symptoms that come with it) will die. Think of it as a drug addict in rehabilitation. They will be sure to fall ill. However, according to research, using alcohol ass a hangover cure may make one develop a physical dependence and a future problem drinking.

3. Drink fluids.
Staying hydrated while drinking alcohol is very important. Drink water between shots and cocktails. Try matching each alcoholic drink with one glass of water. Forget to do this and you will be sure to wake up feeling terribly hungover. You will also need to take other fluids to replace the electrolytes lost. Take sports drinks or coconut water. Drinking alcohol to stay drunk is not preventing the hangover, it’s prolonging it.

4. Eat breakfast.
The morning after drinking, eat a healthy breakfast. Things like toast, scrambled eggs and cereal that are easy to digest will help replenish a dehydrated system. Take it easy on the food though.

5. Sugar helps.
Since alcohol makes glucose in the body metabolise even more quickly than normal, try taking sugar. Have a little orange juice between drinks, not before because sugar metabolises quickly.

Taking nuts, garlic, ginger and dark chocolate can also help cure your hangover.

Are there extra tips that work for you after a night of heavy drinking? Do share below in the comments section.

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