Is your hangover cure making things WORSE?

Too much booze will result in a thumping head, upset stomach and furry mouth. But, as Michele O’Connor discovers, we may be making things more unpleasant for ourselves when we look for quick fixes

Downing coffee

The main cause of a hangover is the effect of ethanol – the alcohol in your drinks. It’s a toxic chemical that also acts as a diuretic, which means it makes you pee more and you can become dehydrated.

Drinking cups of strong coffee after a heavy night may seem like an obvious solution, but while caffeine will provide a quick boost, coffee can also further dehydrate you, raise your heart rate and irritate your digestive system.

This can lead to diarrhoea, nausea and palpitations – all of which will intensify your hangover.

It’s far better to stick to water – although some swear by flat lemonade or squash. Fresh ginger tea is also good for nausea. If you’re really dehydrated, try rehydration sachets to replace lost minerals and salt.

Energy drinks

Don’t be tempted to hydrate with sports drinks as they are often high in sugar. Some brands contain as much as 45g – or 9 tsp – of sugar per 500ml can, which will cause your blood sugar levels to soar and crash, especially if you haven’t eaten.

Even the sugar- free varieties are loaded with high amounts of caffeine and other stimulants that can leave you feeling jittery ( and cause diarrhoea).

The hair of the dog

While some people claim drinking more alcohol eases their symptoms, this will simply

‘ top up’ your blood alcohol level, so extending the time you have alcohol on board, and you’ll still get a bad hangover when the alcohol wears off again. Meanwhile, routine ‘ hair of the dog’ drinking can lead to increased tolerance of alcohol and drinking more each time. If you’ve had a heavy drinking session, hangover or not, you should wait at least 48 hours before drinking any more alcohol to give your body time to recover from the abuse.

Attempting to ‘ sweat it out’

No amount of exercise can reduce the effects of a hangover – it’s more likely to make your symptoms worse as ‘ sweating it out’ will only further dehydrate you.

“A bracing walk in the fresh air will help clear a thick head – but too much exercise can put strain on a heart that may

The body metabolises alcohol at the rate of one unit per hour. So if you had 12 units between 9pm and midnight, you could still be over the limit to drive at 7am

already be feeling under stress,” warns Dr Sally Norton, NHS consultant and founder of wellbeing website vavista. com. “So, moderation is key – both in the amount you drink and the attempts you make to overcome the after- effects.”

A ‘ morning after’ fry- up

The age- old advice to eat before boozing is one worth following because drinking on an empty stomach leads to alcohol being absorbed twice as fast into the bloodstream. “A good meal, particularly one high in fats, will slow down the absorption of alcohol,” says Dr Norton.

“And if we feel full, we may also be less tempted to over- do the drink.” But choose your food and snacks much more carefully the next day. A salty bacon sandwich or fry- up will only increase your dehydration levels further.

Late- night takeaways

Contrary to popular belief, that late- night kebab won’t ‘ soak up the alcohol’. Remember, food has to be in your stomach before you start drinking for it to have any impact. US researchers found that, after knocking back quite a few drinks, students were more likely to eat a big meal of unhealthy food before going to bed compared to when they were sober. The Drunchies

Hangover study, published in the Californian Journal of Health Promotion, showed alcohol disrupts your blood glucose balance which is why good intentions fly out of the window after we’ve had a few drinks.

“Late- night fast food is usually fatty and sugary or salty – all of which are bad just before sleep,” explains Dr Norton.

It can take up to 12 hours to digest and the salt triggers your gastrointestinal tract to draw water from the body, leaving you even more dehydrated and with a pounding headache.

“It will increase the likelihood of acid reflux which is also triggered by alcohol,” adds Dr Norton. “None of that helps you get good quality sleep so you will wake groggier than ever.”