SUPPLIES
- Water
- Gatorade
- B and C vitamins
- Food
- Pain medications (over-the-counter)
Overview
Hangovers happen to everyone, It is part of the learning process of how to properly consume alcohol. It's problematic if you consume alcohol when not drinking enough water in between drinks, drinking on an empty stomach or drinking too much alcohol in a short period of time. All of these things contribute to a hangover the next day. Curing a hangover fast--usually the next day after a night of drinking--is possible, but it does depend on the amount of alcohol consumed in relation to body weight and alcohol tolerance.
Step 1
Drink a lot of fluids. Alcohol makes the human body dehydrated. It is important to replenish these fluids. Drinking water--as well as sports drinks like Gatorade that have electrolytes--is an easy and fast way to rehydrate the body. Contrary to popular belief, drinking coffee is not a fast hangover remedy. In fact, it is important to avoid caffeine, as this can further dehydrate the body since it's a diuretic.
Step 2
Get extra sleep; take a hot shower. Sleeping in if it's the weekend will help, along with going to bed early the next night. Along with taking a shower, sleeping relaxes the body and helps it move along the recovery process.
Step 3
Do some light exercise. Even though it sounds like exercise is the last thing a hungover person would want to do, it helps to stretch and do some light activity, like doing yoga or talking a 30-minute walk. This is a good way to get the body moving and to increase circulation.
Step 4
Eat foods that coat and fill up the stomach. These can include greasy food, like Chinese, eggs, hamburgers and French fries, and bread. For many people, these types of food 'coat' the stomach and intestines and help soothe it. Even though the stomach is usually nauseous during a hangover, it is important to eat something.
Step 5
Take medicine. This can include aspirin or ibuprofen, but be careful not to take acetaminophen, as it can further thin the blood when alcohol is still in the blood stream. Besides over the counter pain medication, taking a B vitamin that has B6 and B12 in it, along with a C vitamin may help.
Step 6
Drink in moderation. While it may not cure a current hangover, drinking in moderation at the next social event will help prevent another wasted day spent being hungover. Remembering to eat and drink water in between cocktails, as well as knowing the limit, will help inhibit the possibilities of another hangover in the future.
TIPS AND WARNINGS
- WARNING : Do not do strenuous exercise while you are hungover, especially since alcohol dehydrates the body.
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