St. Patrick’s Day has been and gone but due to its after-effects everyone is still feeling green. Despite the vast majority of UEA students having no links to Ireland, the LCR event last night was one of the most popular nights out of the academic year, with students selling their tickets to desperate buyers for up to £50.
After watching the UEA student body stumble out of the LCR in a sea of green last night, our team have compiled a list of the most effective hangover cures to help you all to get out of bed and to make your lectures today.
1) Fresh air
Never underestimate the healing powers of fresh air. Whether you simply open a window or spend the whole day in the square, the cold breeze can soothe a pounding headache, clear your head and rid you of nausea.
2) Shower
Showers are ideal for a hangover as they can refresh you, increase circulation and improve blood flow throughout your body. A cold shower will wake you up and a hot shower will relax and soothe your aching muscles so try a combination of the two to really maximise a shower’s benefits.
3) Sleep
Sleep is considered one of the very best hangover cures and there is always hope that if you sleep for long enough, you might skip your hangover altogether. Being able to sleep all day is a luxury that we can only enjoy whilst we’re students so make the most of it and test out this theory.
4) Hydration
A headache the morning after a night out is almost certainly due to dehydration and can therefore be treated in one way: fluids. Water is essential to rehydrate you and to flush toxins from your body as well as being free. There are also other beneficial alternatives including ginger ale with ingredients that ease nausea and sports drinks that are rich in electrolytes.
5) Exercise
Exercise of any form can do a multitude of good. Many turn to exercise after a heavy night in order to sweat out their hangover and to increase their circulation. If you’re not the kind of girl who would turn to a 5k run to help you feel better, you’re in good company: We at HC UEA can barely manage a slow stroll without waves of nausea. Exercise can rev up your metabolism, clear your head and wake you up for a day of lectures.
6) Food
Food is key to restoring your body and giving you enough energy to last throughout the day. Plain carbohydrates are ideal for soaking up alcohol and for easing nausea, but salt is a natural craving after any dehydrating experience, often leading us to greasy, salty foods such as bacon.
An ideal option would be a combination of your cravings and your needs, luckily one exists: the classic Full English Breakfast. Head down to your nearest greasy spoon in your PJs and get yourself a fry up. Wash it down with a healthy glass of orange juice or a caffeine packed cup of tea or coffee to maximise your chances of feeling better.
7) Caffeine
Caffeine is a risky option as it can make or break a hangover. Some people rely on a tea or a coffee to wake them up and get them through the day, whereas others find that it has the opposite effect, worsening their pounding headache. HC UEA recommends a cup of tea or coffee in the morning if it is a regular part of your daily routine anyway, but if not it is probably best to stick to a glass of water!
Whatever your hangover cure is (my personal fail safe choice is a bacon sandwich and an orange lucosade), be organised and buy the ingredients that you need the night before. There is nothing worse than waking up to the world’s worst hangover and realising that the only thing that you feel like is more than a metre away. Before you go on your night out, arrange a water bottle, a lucosade and whatever you need by your bed so you can ease your pain instantly in the morning!
If you’re still feeling below average today or in the future, follow these tips and restore yourself!
Disclaimer: Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t look like Blair Warldorf on a hangover, she’s the exception.