With Freshers’ Week rapidly approaching, Her Campus Exeter has decided to lend a helping hand with our guide to hangover remedies. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but there is in fact no cure for hangovers… However, there are many preventative measures we can take and also ways of easing the symptoms of them. Of course we all want to celebrate the beginning of a new academic year, and what better way than to go out with a big group of friends and let loose a little? Whilst this is all in the name of Fun, it is important to drink responsibly and nourish our bodies from the many and unpleasant effects that alcohol can have.
First things first, what is a hangover and what are the symptoms of it? Well, whilst we are sipping our drinks and throwing some ambitious shapes on the dance floor, our bodies are working extra hard to metabolise the ethanol in alcoholic beverages. As a result, our bodies can’t perform its normal activities as well as it should and we are left with some rather unpleasant symptoms the next morning. The symptoms of a hangover change from person to person, but a hangover takes the form of a headache, nausea, fatigue, dehydration, loss of appetite, anxiety and diarrhoea, to name but a few. More often than not, these side effects won’t stop us from drinking alcohol but this guide will give our bodies what they need to recover from them.
1. “Hair of the dog” – MYTH
Whilst some people want to continue the party on to the next day, the “hair of the dog” is not a hangover remedy. In fact, it only delays and worsens your hangover.
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2. Water
Drinking alcohol seriously dehydrates the body so it is vital to replenish the body’s water supply. Symptoms of this dehydration include dizziness, headaches, nausea and fatigue. Drinking water the morning after a night of drinking will help to ease these symptoms and also helps to dilute the leftover toxins in the stomach. Not only does water help with a hangover but it can also help prevent them. Drinking a few glasses of water before going to bed helps to prevent dehydration in the morning. Another helpful tip is to alternate your alcoholic drinks with a glass of water to help slow down the drinking process and give your body the chance to deal with the alcohol it is absorbing. (howstuffworks.com)
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3. Eggs
How do you like your eggs in the morning? It doesn’t really matter as long as you have some. Eggs contain large amounts of cysteine (which is the fancy word for the substance that breaks downs the toxins in the liver) and so help to speed up the recovery process. Eggs will also provide you with much needed energy to help combat the fatigue a hangover can cause.
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4. Vitamin C
Getting your vitamin C when you have a hangover is important in helping to soothe your symptoms. Alcohol attacks our immune system but vitamin C counteracts this process, which can help to prevent any colds we contract if our immune system is low. Vitamin C is also an antioxidant and so will help to combat the toxins floating around our bodies after alcohol consumption.
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5. Sleep
Your body thrives when you are asleep, so one of the best ways to fight off the symptoms of a hangover is to sleep them off. Alcohol often disrupts sleeping patterns, but once the alcohol wears off, sleeping is a great way to get rid of your headache and soothe your achy limbs.
6. Exercise
…to counteract the importance of sleep when you’re hungover. Exercise is another great way to ease the symptoms – that’s if you’re feeling up to it. Now, we aren’t talking a huge gym session, but light, gentle exercise could be exactly what your body needs. Exercise helps the body to get rid of the toxins caused by alcohol, through the process of breathing and sweating. However, it is extremely important to remember to keep hydrated and drink lots of water if you are thinking of exercising on a hangover.
By following Her Campus’ guide, especially throughout Freshers Week next week, your hangover will be remedied before you even know you’ve got one!
Picture Credits: www.pinterest.com