Preventing a Hangover

You work really hard all week long. When Friday comes around, you can not wait to enjoy a cold drink to unwind and relieve some stress. You go out to the bar with your buddies. You are feeling great and having an awesome time. The drinks are cheap and the night is young. What could possibly be the disadvantages of this? The answer is easy: waking up the next morning with a hangover.

When you have a hangover, your head is pounding out of control. You are nauseated, still staggering and running into everything, and you feel like you have gotten hit by a semi-truck. You go to the refrigerator and chug down anything that even looks liquid, and still can not get enough to drink. The thought of food makes you sick. You all of a sudden are sensitive to light and noise. You just want to stay in bed all day, and even then you can not get enough sleep. You may not be able to stop throwing up. You wonder what stupid things you did or said, because you are sure that you somehow made a fool out of yourself even though you do not remember what you did. You swear that if you survive the day that you will never drink again for as long as you should live. It all makes you wonder if the exciting night that you had last night was even worth it.

What causes a hangover?

Drugs or drinking, of course. You most commonly get hangovers the morning after drinking. It is caused by being dehydrated, an ethanol intoxication, having low blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia) and having a vitamin B12 deficiency. You can feel the effects of a hangover for two to three days.

How do you prevent hangovers?

The best answer, although it is the answer no one wants to hear, is to refrain from drinking alcoholic beverages or taking drugs. If you are going to drink, drink slowly. Do not do keg stands, funnel a beer, or race your friends to see who can chug a picture of beer the fastest. Sure, all of these things may lead to a fun night out, but they are sure to cause a hangover the next morning. Be sure to eat plenty of foods, especially breads, rice, or pasta prior to drinking. Eat a little snack before you pass out as well. The food will help to soak up the alcohol and sober you up a little, lowering your blood alcohol level. Drink plenty of fluids, especially water or a sports drink like Gatorade, that will replenish some of the nutrients and electrolytes that your body needs. You can drink a glass of water or another non-alcoholic beverage in between beers or cocktails. Drink light or ultra light beer. Make your drinks weaker than usual by adding extra ingredients, extra ice (to water down the drink), or less alcohol. Drink as much water as possible before you go to bed. Fill up a glass of water and set it beside the bed in case you wake up during the night. Drink a glass of water every time you have to get up to use the bathroom. The more water or Gatorade you drink, the more hydrated your body will be, and the better you will feel the next morning, limiting the effects or eliminating the hangover. Exercising will help, although exercise is always the very last thing that I would want to think about if I have a hangover. Drinking white wine will give you less of a hangover than red wine will. There are medications (usually powders) that you can buy at drug stores, stores such as Wal-Mart, some grocery stores, and health or supplement stores such as GNC. These medications are said to prevent a hangover, no matter how much you drink, when taken prior to drinking alcohol. Some people say that it is difficult to get a good buzz if you have taken these medications. The only thing that is proven to reduce a hangover is to wait it out and let your body metabolize itself.