Introduction
It is likely for an individual to have a bad hangover while waking up in the morning with a splitting headache, nausea and excessive thirst.
A hangover is an uncomfortable feeling one experiences the following day after excessive alcohol consumption.
People use home remedies for headaches, nausea and fatigue occurring due to hangover.
Most hangovers disappear on their own in 24 hours. Although there isn't a single treatment for a hangover, managing the symptoms can make an individual feel better.
Causes of Hangover
The severity of the symptoms might vary depending on several circumstances, although binge drinking (drinking too much alcohol in a short period) is the main cause of hangovers.
- Dehydration - The body loses fluids, as drinking alcohol causes a person to urinate frequently. Symptoms such as headache, thirst and tiredness occur as a result of dehydration.
- Inflammation - During a severe hangover, excessive drinking can cause inflammation which results in uneasiness.
- Disturbances in sleep - Too much alcohol consumption results in short and uneven sleep. People frequently experience a reduction in productivity as a result of waking up fatigued and worn out.
- Irritation of the digestive tract - Alcohol irritates the stomach lining, which stimulates acid production. Excessive stomach acid brings about the feeling of nausea and discomfort.
- Mini-withdrawal - The brain of alcoholics quickly adapts to alcohol's calming and pleasurable effects. They usually experience more anxiety and restlessness when the effects of alcohol wear off.
Hangover symptoms
The following are signs of a hangover.
- Thirsty and sweating
- Tired and weak
- Sleep disturbances
- Depression, worry or restlessness
- Red eyes and headache
- Light and sound sensitive
- Vertigo, or the feeling of moving while being still
- Rapid heartbeat and elevated blood pressure
- Weakness and muscular pain
- Stomach pain, nausea and vomiting
- Tremor (shaking).
Also, while a person is drunk, they are more prone to experience memory, concentration and coordination issues.
How to prevent a hangover?
Before drinking
Consume fatty foods
All foods, especially fat-rich ones, slow down the body's absorption of alcohol.
Moreover, delaying alcohol absorption is the best way to prevent a hangover. Avocados are a simple food to eat before heading out and are rich in healthy fats.
Consume fibre-rich meals.
High-fibre meals, such as Brussels sprouts, lentils and popcorn, break down and absorb alcohol, slowing down its absorption into the bloodstream.
Include lots of vitamin C
Vitamin C, which is known for its ability to treat colds, may also help prevent hangover symptoms.
During drinking
Consume a single drink
Taking a single drink helps an individual self-monitor their quantity of consumption while also preventing stomach issues.
Use water as an alternative
Drinking water adequately helps maintain hydration and prevent a hangover.
Prevent carbonation
The presence of bubbles, whether in a carbonated beverage like champagne or in a still liquor blended with sparkling or tonic water, has been shown to speed the rate of alcohol absorption.
Increased alcohol absorption results from the carbonation's potential to increase the surface area of the stomach (and a higher likelihood of an unpleasant morning the following day).
What helps with a hangover?
Drink fluids
Alcohol consumption causes people to urinate more frequently, which causes the body to lose fluids. This results in dehydration when a person also experiences sweating, diarrhoea and vomiting. After waking up, try drinking a lot of water to replenish the fluids lost.
Apple and bananas
Apples and bananas are two fruits that can aid with hangovers. Eating apples on an empty stomach will quickly relieve a headache brought on by a hangover. Drinking a banana shake with honey is recommended since the honey will replenish the lost blood sugar levels, and the banana will replenish lost potassium and other vital elements from drinking alcohol.
Ginger
Ginger helps treat nausea and motion sickness associated with hangovers. It is therefore regarded as one of the greatest at-home cures for a hangover for this reason. By helping with alcohol digestion and calming the stomach, ginger provides rapid relief.
Chewing a few small pieces of ginger or consuming a cup of ginger tea provides quick relief. One may also make a brew by cooking 10 to 12 slices of fresh ginger root in 4 cups of water for ten minutes. One may also add an orange, half a lemon and half a cup of honey to it. Blood sugar is normally low after consuming alcohol. However, this mixture helps to stabilise it.
Drink tea or coffee
Caffeine-containing beverages are effective at treating hangovers. Antioxidants found in coffee, green tea and black tea help people feel less tired after a hangover.
Keep in mind that these caffeinated beverages are diuretics, which exacerbate the condition of dehydration. Moreover, caffeine has little effect on lowering the health issues associated with alcohol consumption.
Honey
One of the easy and most readily available natural medicines is honey. Due to the presence of fructose, which inhibits alcohol metabolism, it has strong abilities to counteract the negative effects of alcohol. Moreover, honey aids the digestion of alcohol in the body.
Lemon
Many individuals are aware of the benefits of using lemon juice or lemon tea to reduce hangover symptoms. It instantly relieves discomfort while cleansing the stomach of harmful substances.
Salty foods
The body may lose sodium after consuming large amounts of alcohol, so eating salty foods might help replenish it.
Peppermint
Peppermint is really beneficial. Eat it with tea or chew it, as doing so calms the intestines. As a carminative, peppermint helps to expel bloatedness from the stomach and intestines.
Load up on carbohydrates.
Drinking can cause blood sugar levels to drop, so part of the fatigue and headaches associated with a hangover may be caused when the brain functions without enough of its primary fuel.
Also, a lot of people who drink frequently forget to eat, which further lowers blood sugar levels. A person can gently restore levels to normal with good food.
Rest well
To overcome a hangover, adequate sleep is necessary. Even if the person feels normal the following day, the consequences of drinking can impair the capacity to do activities. Try to obtain as much sleep as possible to combat tiredness.
Use electrolytes
Dehydration and electrolyte imbalances result, and the best way to manage these problems is to consume water or beverages high in electrolytes. Both packed electrolytes and natural ones like coconut water also work effectively. Using natural energy supplements while consuming alcohol can help prevent hangovers by maintaining sufficient hydration.
Eggs
Eggs contain amino acids like cysteine, which can aid in the removal of acetaldehyde from the body.
During the metabolism of alcohol, acetaldehyde is generated. Acetaldehyde cannot be broken down by the body rapidly enough while drinking a lot. Headache, sweating, nausea and vomiting are signs of a high acetaldehyde blood level, which is also associated with a hangover.
Eat healthy breakfast
Eating can help to recover from a hangover by replacing the nutrients lost during too much alcohol. Toast and cereal bowls are easy-to-digest foods that will help us have the energy needed to get going.
Try antacids
Antacids relieve an upset stomach by neutralising stomach acid. It can reduce heartburn, indigestion and nausea.
Remedies to avoid
Any medication that contains acetaminophen is to be avoided. Alcohol with acetaminophen can harm the liver.
It's a common belief that consuming more alcohol will aid in the recovery from a hangover. To cure hangovers, stay away from alcohol. It won't make the symptoms go away and will just increase alcohol toxicity.
Conclusion
A hangover is a group of symptoms that occur after consuming too much alcohol. It frequently occurs the following day after drinking alcohol. Though many people claim to have tried-and-true hangover remedies, no one cure will work for everyone.
Treating the symptoms, which vary from person to person, is often the best method to get better from a hangover. Moderate drinking, staying hydrated and avoiding drinking on an empty stomach will help reduce the intensity of a hangover.
FAQs
Can I take medicine after drinking alcohol to avoid a hangover?
How long do hangovers last?
What is alcohol poisoning?
How do you cure a hangover headache fast?
1. Drinking water
2. Eating food
3. Using a painkiller
4. Getting adequate sleep.
