Sometimes after a wild night out with friends, you wake up in the morning feeling a little worse for wear. You may have had fun the night before, but the headache and nausea can leave you feeling miserable the following day. Hangovers are the worst. As you get older, the symptoms seem to become even more painful. Long gone are the days of waking up bright up and bushy-tailed – if you throw back a few, you know you will pay the next day.
What if there were simple solutions to make your hangovers a little more manageable? Everyone has tips and tricks: eating a banana and crushing a glass of water before bed, drinking Gatorade or Pedialite for added electrolytes, or even going straight to the source and rehydrating with iv therapy. But what can actually help you recover faster and move forward with your day?
Here is what works to help you crush your hangover and never lose an entire day to a night of partying ever again.
IV therapy
If you have an event coming up like a bachelor or bachelorette party and you just know none of your usual tricks will prevent the impending hangover, let IV therapy come to your rescue. Set yourself up for success by scheduling a session at your local clinic in advance.
Medical providers will hook you up to an iv drip customized with electrolytes and essential vitamins to boost hydration and detoxify your bloodstream. Unlike oral supplements, IV treatments metabolize much faster – meaning after your quick 30-minute session, you can move on with your day, hangover free.
Hair of the dog
Head to brunch and order a bloody mary or mimosa to help ease the symptoms of your hangover. Chugging a beer may help you feel better for an hour or so, but if you want lasting results, you are better off reaching for a tall glass of water. While it is true that having a drink or two will relieve the icky feelings of alcohol withdrawal, doctors argue that you are just putting the hangover on hold. No matter what you do, eventually, the party will have to stop, and you’ll have to get back to everyday life.
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!
Alcohol is a diuretic that can cause dehydration. To fight the hangover before it happens, try and have a glass of water with each alcoholic beverage you consume. The more hydrated you are, the fewer hangover symptoms you may experience the next day.
Obviously, it’s difficult to plan that well ahead when intoxicated. It’s essential to take small sips of water, even if your hangover includes nausea or vomiting. You could also try a sports drink or Pedialyte since these provide sodium and potassium, aka electrolytes, to speed recovery and help you hydrate your body even faster. It seems like there may be something to that banana myth after all.
Painkillers
Hydration alone may not be enough to squash a bad hangover. You may need a painkiller to help alleviate headache symptoms. Many people experience alcohol-induced migraines after imbibing a few too many beverages. Avoid acetaminophen, or Tylenol, as it may accentuate the toxic effects this pain reliever has on the liver. Instead, take NSAIDs, like ibuprofen or aspirin, for headache relief.
Coffee
Sometimes painkillers need a little boost to soothe those pesky hangover headaches. Reaching for a cup of coffee can help. Alcohol induces headaches by dilating your blood vessels. The caffeine in coffee is a stimulant that will increase your heart rate and constrict your blood vessels. It doesn’t hurt that coffee can help fight the grogginess you usually feel after indulging in a few too many beverages.
Take your vitamins
Another way to fight hangovers before they derail your plans is to be diligent about taking daily vitamins. Vitamin C helps your liver accelerate the process of detoxifying your bloodstream after a night of heavy drinking, and B vitamins can help give you an energy boost. While you can reap these benefits orally from a multivitamin, iv therapy will work much faster.
Eat a balanced breakfast
Skip the greasy hangover cure and make sure to have a healthy breakfast. Carbohydrates can help too by raising your blood sugar levels back to normal. Try pairing a bagel with a tasty smoothie full of leafy greens, banana, and orange juice to provide your body with the Vitamin C, B vitamins, and potassium it needs to get you back on track.
Get your heart pumping
When you are hungover and feeling sluggish, hitting the gym or going for a run is probably the last thing on your mind. But by getting in some movement you’ll raise your heart rate, which will help your body eliminate the toxins causing your hangover symptoms.
Tommy Williamson did his degree in psychology at the University of Hertfordshire. He is interested in mental health, wellness, and lifestyle.