Partied hard for the Eagles? What to know about hangover & how to treat one
Whether you were celebrating your team’s Super Bowl win or drowning your sorrows after the clock ran out, we know many of you are waking up with a raging hangover.
No matter how hard you try to quiet the pounding in your head by summoning an extra hour of sleep, Sunday night's decisions are a force with which to be reckoned.
Despite the regret coursing through your veins that’s making you believe your current state of lethargy will never end, there are a few tips and tricks for beating the effects of a long night of drinking.
Before we help you eliminate your hangover, let’s run through the basics first.
What is a hangover?
It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of a night out or forget how many drinks you’ve really had during a casual kickback.
And for those of you who recently wrapped up your Dry January, you might’ve been in for a rude awakening over the past week when you realized your alcohol tolerance is not what it once was.
Unfortunately, the fun and games of Sunday night are no longer when you sit up with a throbbing head and an upset stomach.
The most common symptoms of a hangover are disrupted sleep, inflammation, fatigue, min-withdrawal, mild dehydration, gastrointestinal irritation and acetaldehyde exposure, which can lead to irritation, rash and burning of your respiratory system along with dizziness, coughing and shortness of breath.
Make some room for hangxiety, too
The severity and range of symptoms depend on each individual's alcohol tolerance and body, but drinking until intoxication puts everyone at risk for any of these aftereffects (and perhaps some other less-than-positive life choices).
Aside from the physical ailments, you also could end up with a bad case of hangxiety the next day, a feeling of overwhelming anxiety or dread.
This can stem from not remembering what you did or how many times you tripped Sunday night, and can manifest in the forms of getting butterflies in your stomach, fidgeting and feeling like your heart is racing.
You might feel stressed or sad amidst bouts of ease as your brain tries to recalibrate itself from the effects of alcohol.
Hangover 411:How long does alcohol stay in your system? That depends on several factors.
Hangxiety explained: Anxious after a night of drinking? It may be 'hangxiety,' the hangover's neurotic cousin
Other hangxiety symptoms include sweating, worrying, general distress for no known reason, inability to concentrate or make decisions, having a lapse in memory and inability to complete simple tasks.
Hangxiety usually lasts about a day, but if it continues for two or three days, your body might be alerting you that something else is going on like alcohol withdrawal. In this case, seek professional help.
How to cure your hangover
Instead of spending all day in your pajamas and wearing dark sunglasses anytime the sun hits you, these hangover remedies will have you swapping out your lazy day for a feel-good moment in no time.
Get some sleep: If you stayed up until the birds were chirping, chances are your body is exhausted and desperately wants to catch up on rest. To catch up on your beauty sleep, try snoozing your alarm and sleeping in for a while, taking naps throughout the day or hitting the hay early the night after.
Hydrate: Telling you to drink might sound counterproductive, but we’re not talking about alcohol. Starting your morning with a glass of water, or ending the night before with one, is a great way to fight the effects of dehydration. Bonus recovery points if you have any sports drinks on hand, as they can help restore electrolytes.
Eat up: Although your friends will have you believe that a greasy slice of pizza or a double order of french fries is all you need to get better, you should probably opt for other food options to help you fuel up.
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Fruits can help restore hydration and bland foods like applesauce, toast, bananas and rice will boost your blood sugar and be easy to digest.
Whatever you do, don’t try the “trick” of consuming more alcohol to mitigate your current hungover state. The hair of the dog will only prolong your recovery time.
Give it time: The most important part of beating a hangover is to wait it out. Nothing will be an instant cure for Sunday night’s mistakes, but allowing your body to catch up and restore itself will do wonders. So yes, this means you probably should decline Monday's happy hour or party invitation if you’re still feeling under the weather. Stacking those Long Island’s atop Sunday night’s concoctions is not the answer.
How to prevent a hangover
Now that you know how to drag yourself out of the barrel, we would be doing you a disservice if we didn’t share the best piece of advice of all:
Abstain from alcohol: Consider taking a break from alcohol if you find yourself overdoing it too frequently and try to consume alcohol in moderation when you do partake in drinking. Dry January doesn’t have to mean the end of sobriety, and there are plenty of local spots serving up tasty mocktails to help you routinely implement alcohol-free periods into your lifestyle.
Sip on local mocktails and more: What's hop water and 7 places to enjoy Dry January
Alternate beverages: If you are opting for alcoholic beverages, a good rule of thumb is to alternate between the hard and virgin beverages you have while out on the town. Throwing some tasty bar snacks into the mix isn’t a bad idea either.
Eat before going out: Speaking of food, make sure you eat a satisfying meal before heading out. Drinking on an empty stomach can exacerbate the effects of drinking too much and you will definitely be cursing yourself the next morning for going light on dinner the night before.
Prepare in advance: Having an errand-free day scheduled for after a wild night will give you a buffer in case you overdo it and ease any anxiety you might have about spending the next in bed. Make a to-do list before going out and check off as many as you can ahead of party time.
You’ll be able to indulge in guilt-free self-care and binge-watch TV the next day without that voice in the back of your head nagging you about tasks.
If all else fails and you once again start your morning with the telltale signs of having had one drink too many, at least you’ll be more prepared this time.
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: What is a hangover and how can I cure it fast?
