Becoming an adult leads us to take part in adult activities, and we all know what one of the most important adult activities is: Drinking.
No, I don’t mean drinking water, I mean drinking alcohol, but most of you probably already knew that. And boy have I ‘pounded down’ my fair share of beers and Jack and Cokes, as I’m sure you have, too. What happens the day after you drink that much, though?
Hangover
A hangover, and you and I both know that hangovers are AWFUL. You wake up feeling sick to your stomach, you can’t bear the thought of looking at food, you force yourself to drink a few sips of water, and you contemplate making yourself throw up so that you can feel better. That’s just the basic hangover, never mind if you have a crazy night and end up throwing up the second you get home. You know, the nights where you’re sprawled on the bathroom floor, hugging the toilet, praying the pain goes away. That hangover sucks, too.
Basically, what I’m trying to say is that all hangovers suck. What’s worse is that we try our hardest to get the hangover to go away, and sometimes it just doesn’t work.
That’s what this article is going to help you out with. I’m going to mention and describe a few hangover cures that we typically turn to when we feel the consequences of alcohol consumption kicking in. I’ll also tell you if the so-called cure will work, and how well it will work, so that you can choose the best method to get over your hangover.
If you don’t want to have a hangover in general, just limit your alcohol consumption. Ha! We both know that’s hard to do on certain nights, and plus, who doesn’t like getting a little drunk every once in a while?
ANYWAYS, let’s get started.
Hangover Cure: Water
Does it work? Yes.
Does it work well? Yes.
Water is an absolute must when you’re drinking a lot of alcohol. It’s actually one of the keys to avoiding a hangover, mainly because of the effect that alcohol has on the body. If you drink too much alcohol, your body will become dehydrated, therefore bringing on hangover symptoms like nausea, vomiting, headaches, etc. Keep up with your water intake to avoid these nasty consequences.
Tip: Drink two full glasses of water before you go to bed. Medical professionals highly recommend it. Try to drink a glass of water for every drink you have throughout the night, too.
Hangover Cure: Sleep
Does it work? Yes.
Does it work well? Kind of.
Though sleep is not technically the #1 way to get rid of a hangover, it is a necessity to limit your hangover symptoms. The only thing with sleep is that alcohol is not really associated with good sleep quality. In other words, if you’ve drunk a lot on a given night, you’re not necessarily likely to sleep well that night. It is essential to try and get as much sleep as physically possible after a night of partying, though.
Tip: If you don’t sleep well the night you go out drinking, or even if you do sleep well, try to stay in the next day and get approximately 7 to 9 hours of sleep the next night. It will improve your immune response to all of the alcohol and it will rid your body of all those nasty hangover symptoms.
Hangover Cure: IV Bags
Does it work? Not really.
Does it work well? Not at all.
The suggestion to visit a hospital and get an IV bag in your system is not logical, especially considering it hardly ever works. Though it has become popular in recent years, and though it’s been marketed as an easy and fast way to get rid of a hangover, it’s not necessarily true. Doctors highly recommend that people don’t take this measure of action, especially considering it does not work as fast as it’s said to and it’s highly expensive for the treatment.
Hangover Cure: Sports Drinks
Does it work? Not really.
Does it work well? Not at all.
Even though alcohol does cause the body to lose electrolytes, it doesn’t drastically decrease the electrolytes in your body so much that you have to immediately replace them.
Tip: Research has shown that Gatorade is no better for your hangover than water is, so save your money and drink some water.
Hangover Cure: Coffee
Does it work? Kind of.
Does it work well? Kind of.
Many of us drink a coffee in the morning whether we have a hangover or not, it’s just a natural thing to do. Grabbing that coffee before heading into work doesn’t always do the trick when trying to avoid a hangover, though. Sometimes, it may even promote the headache symptoms you’re feeling.
Tip: If you’re going to grab a coffee to wake up and be more alert on the day of your hangover, be sure to drink water along with it. Keep in mind, caffeine can cause dehydration, so be sure to stay hydrated from both your hangover and caffeine consumption.
Hangover Cure: Toast or Crackers
Does it work? Yes.
Does it work well? Yes.
Remember when you were a little kid and your mom used to give you dry toast when you didn’t feel good? Well, the same rule applies here. Keep in mind that though the toast will not completely take away all of those roller coaster rides going on in your stomach, it will bring your blood sugar levels back up, in turn helping you overcome your hangover.
Additional Hangover Cures
We all know that these hangover cures need little to no explanation:
- More alcohol
- Greasy food
- Pain medication
- Exercise
Let’s take it one by one.
More alcohol is a horrible idea. It’ll just make you feel weak and dizzy. Get over your hangover first before you start drinking again.
Greasy food tends to soak a lot of the alcohol consumption up, so start heading to McDonalds.
Pain medication may not help with all of the symptoms, but it sure will help with some of them. Take a few ibuprofens.
Exercising may not sound like the best idea, but it will do the trick. Sweat it out and keep a water bottle handy if you’re up for it.
By Jenny Lyn
