The morning after a night out can mean a rough awakening if you’ve consumed too much alcohol. Hangover cures are a dime a dozen but very few are backed by science. While none of these are actual cures for the alcohol itself, they might help relieve some of the symptoms relating to over-indulging. Hydration is the first step, to replace fluids that alcohol saps from your body. Sleeping can also help with symptoms. Eating a good breakfast, especially carbs, can help relieve symptoms. And finally, coffee or tea might reduce some discomfort as well. While the only thing that can truly cure a hangover is time, hopefully, these remedies can get you back on your feet.
Hangover Cures for the Morning After: Get Back on Track
Hydrate
Drinking water is one of the most well-known hangover cures out there. But why does it work? Dehydration causes many hangover symptoms. Alcohol is a diuretic. This means that it makes you urinate more often, which can lead to dehydration. Vomiting also saps your body of liquid. The headache you’re feeling, along with thirst and dizziness, can all be caused by dehydration. Try to slowly sip water as much as possible to relieve these symptoms. You can also opt for a voluntary IV, which will rehydrate you via injecting saline directly into your body. You can add vitamins and anti-nausea medicines to the IV and possibly get back on your feet quickly.
Sleep
Some people believe that alcohol can make you sleep better. However, studies have shown that long-term effects from heavy alcohol consumption cause sleep issues. Sleep is one of the hangover cures that doesn’t actually affect the alcohol in your body but instead helps the related symptoms. Irritability, nausea, and headaches can all be made worse by lack of sleep. Therefore, getting a night’s rest can help with some of these side effects. It’s also an easy way to pass the time while you wait to feel better.
Eat
As hangover cures go, eating is one of the most difficult. Many people are nauseated after a night out, so the thought of a big breakfast may turn your stomach. However, a hearty meal, especially one loaded with carbs might help you feel better. Eating can level your blood sugar levels which can help with dizziness and nausea. Alcohol doesn’t necessarily cause low blood sugar, but it has been associated with it. Hangovers might be lessened with a carb-heavy meal.
Caffeine
Again, hangover cures aren’t always about addressing the alcohol in your system, but instead the related symptoms. Caffeine can help relieve grogginess and help you be more alert after a night out. This is because it’s a stimulant, which means it will make your body more alert and hyper. It’s also a diuretic, so make sure and balance it with some extra water. However, coffee is not a quick solution to “sober you up” the night of drinking. Some people believe that you can sober up enough to drive home if you have coffee. However, it’s always best just to call a cab, get home safely and let your body recover over time. It will not lower your blood alcohol level but instead might just make your hangover slightly better by counteracting your grogginess.
The bottom line is that all hangover cures have their pros and cons. The only tried and true solution to over-indulging is to give your body time to recover. However, drinking fluids might relieve some unpleasant symptoms. In addition, getting a night’s rest might make you feel better. Eating a hearty breakfast with a cup of coffee might also help you get back on your feet quickly. Hopefully, you’ll be able to power through your hangover and start feeling better.