How to recover from a hangover

A long night? Alcohol, friends, and partying… No matter how hard you try, you just can’t piece together what happened the night before. Everything’s spinning, and even the smallest move feels like a huge effort. Buddy, hangovers were never fun.

What’s a hangover?

Chances are, you’re looking for a more scientific explanation to understand why you feel this way. A hangover is a bunch of symptoms directly linked to excessive alcohol consumption. The most common signs are headache, dizziness, drowsiness, confusion, thirst, and in severe cases, vomiting. Plus, hangovers can also cause anxiety, depression, and—depending on what you did the night before—regret.

In case you were wondering, no. There’s no exact amount of alcohol you can drink to avoid a hangover. Sorry about that. You’ll have to rely on self-control and knowing your own body. Usually, the max amount you can drink without getting a hangover depends on your body type, the quality of the alcohol, and how many hours of rest you get. But don’t worry. Most hangovers fade away 24 hours after drinking.

How does alcohol affect my body?

Dehydration

One thing about alcohol is that it’s a strong diuretic. That means it makes your body get rid of fluids faster, making you pee more often. In fact, alcohol increases urine production by 10 mg per gram of alcohol consumed. This is risky because it can lead to dehydration, which causes dizziness, general discomfort, and kidney pain.

Immune system response

When you drink too much, your immune system triggers an inflammatory reaction. That means you’ll feel headache and intestinal swelling. Your stomach reacts by producing gastric acids to get rid of the alcohol, which leads to nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain. Also, alcohol contains a chemical called ethanol, which, if consumed excessively, causes gastric erosion.

Drop in blood sugar

Sometimes, too much alcohol can cause a drop in blood sugar levels. When you drink, blood flow shifts to the pancreas, causing blood sugar to drop. Your body might react with fainting and low blood pressure.

Myths and truths about beating a hangover

Myths

1. Exercising

Sweating won’t help you flush out alcohol when you have a hangover. Sorry to burst your bubble. That’s because alcohol metabolizes quickly, and by the time you start sweating, that gin and tonic is already swimming through your body. But what’s undeniable is that exercise can be a great way to fight anxiety and discomfort. Physical activity releases hormones like endorphins, norepinephrine, and often adrenaline. These natural chemicals help boost your well-being naturally.

2. Paracetamol helps

There’s a baseless myth that taking ibuprofen or paracetamol before bed is the best way to fight a hangover. The truth is, medication can actually make things worse. While these anti-inflammatories help reduce headache and physical discomfort caused by inflammation, regularly taking aspirin as a hangover cure can be dangerous. The meds might end up being processed by your liver and increase pain and discomfort.

Truths

1. Sleep more

If the day after the party is a Saturday or Sunday, you’re in luck. The problem is when a hangover hits you during the week and you can’t ignore the 7 a.m. alarm. For every hour of sleep, your body can metabolize one drink. So just do the math to figure out what time you need to get up to feel fresh as a daisy.

2. Remember to drink water

As we said, one of the main causes of a hangover is dehydration. So taking steps to control it and minimize its impact is key to avoiding feeling awful the morning after. Here’s a foolproof—and a bit gross—trick to know when to stop drinking: check your urine color. The darker it is, the more dehydrated you are. Pro tip? Drink a glass of water every time you finish a drink.

5 recipes to fight a hangover

When nothing else works, natural recipes can help you battle a hangover. Some smoothies and drinks can restore your body’s mineral levels and speed up rehydration.

1. Tropical hangover juice

If you don’t feel like eating, this smoothie might be your perfect fix. Toss into the blender a glass of coconut water, half a glass of apple juice, one banana, and two kiwis. If you want it sweeter, add a spoonful of honey. This will give you an amazing dose of potassium and proteins to help restore your body’s balance.

2. The pink solution

This fruit smoothie will make you see everything through rose-colored glasses. Just blend a cup of berries (blueberries, blackberries, or wild strawberries), half a banana, a spoonful of chia seeds, half a Greek yogurt, and half a cup of coconut water. Besides beating the hangover, it’s a fantastic way to start your day.

3. Homemade isotonic drink

Isotonic drinks are always a great hangover fix. They help you recover minerals and hydrate faster. But like with most things, homemade is better quality. Mix one liter of water with the juice of 4 lemons. Add two tablespoons of sugar, half a teaspoon of salt, and a pinch of baking soda. Sip it throughout the day.

4. Temedy before bed

This combo is perfect to drink before hitting the sack. Just make sure you’re steady enough to handle the blender without hurting yourself. Blend half a cup of grapefruit juice, half a cup of honey, and a handful of crushed ice. This will help your liver process all the alcohol and recover more smoothly and quickly.

5. Best juices against hangovers

Sometimes hangovers catch you off guard. For those times when your fridge isn’t ready to help, you can whip up these quick recipes with your blender.

A good glass of watermelon or melon juice mixed with the juice of half a lemon.
Make juice with 6 carrots or, if you prefer, 4 oranges and add the juice of a whole lemon. To sweeten it, add a spoonful of honey.