We’ve all been there. Waking up with the spins or just feeling gross the day after the “the best night ever!” Why does this have to happen?
Liquors such as brandy, wine, tequila, whiskey, and other dark liquors contain congeners. They tend to produce severe hangovers, whereas clear liquors, such as white rum, vodka, and gin cause hangovers less frequently. The darker a liquor’s color, the more congeners it contains. Drinking quickly, without food, or without diluting it with nonalcoholic beverages makes you more prone to developing a hangover.
If you do experience a hangover, here is why it happens and ways to treat some common symptoms:
Headache:
Why? Alcohol expands blood vessels in the brain.
Fix it! Take a pain reliever, such as ibuprofen (Advil) or acetaminophen (Tylenol) and B Vitamins to help metabolize alcohol, dilate blood vessels, and restore energy.
Dehydration:
Why? Ethanol increases urine production, depleting bodily fluids.
Fix it! Drink water. And lots of it. Drink sports drinks to replenish depleted sodium, potassium, and chloride levels in the body.
Nausea:
Why? Alcohol irriates the stomach lining and increases stomach acid production.
Fix it! Take deep breaths. Oxygen increases metabolic rates, breaking down toxins. Take alka-seltzer to neutralize stomach and replenish bicarbonates.
Ways to prevent a hangover:
- Eat before drinking. Fat slows your body’s absorption of alcohol. Carbohydrate-filled foods, such as pizza and pasta, are best for preventing hangovers. If you are trying to be healthier, fish and meat are other alternatives.
- 1:1 ratio – one drink, then one cup of water.
- Stick to one type of alcohol for the night.
- Know your limit and keep to that.
- Drink a lot of water before going to bed.