WHY HANGOVERS ARE NO LAUGHING MATTER
PEOPLE tend to joke about hangovers. Perhaps they wouldn’t laugh so much if they knew hangovers are actually withdrawal symptoms, which can last for a few hours to more than 24.
Typically, they come on around ten hours after your blood alcohol level peaks, but this varies according to your sex, weight and genetics. Some people don’t get them at all: up to 23 per cent of the population are reported to be hangover-resistant. Not surprisingly, they’re more likely to become heavy drinkers.
So what can you do to lessen the chance of getting a hangover? First, an obvious tip: drink less.
Second, drink slowly, so you’ll have more time to process the alcohol, which means your blood alcohol peak won’t be as high.
Third, dilute your drinks with water, ice, soda, lemonade or other mixers. Bear in mind that flat drinks are better, as fizzy ones can make you absorb alcohol faster.
Fourth, drink smaller measures. Shrinking your glass means you consume less booze over the course of an evening.
Fifth, drink clear spirits. They contain fewer complex substances called congeners, which are thought to make hangovers worse. One study showed that vodka produced a lesser hangover than whisky, for example.
OK, let’s assume you failed to follow all that good advice — what now? Well, nothing can actually cure a hangover, but you can alleviate it with the following tried and tested remedies . . .
● TAKE ibuprofen, an anti-inflammatory, when you go to bed and/or when you wake up, ideally with food, as it can be harsh on the stomach lining. ● HAVE a pint of water before bedtime, and one when you get up. Electrolyte/sports drinks also help by restoring lost salts. ● TUCK into cereal or toast. You’ve likely got low blood sugar, so carbs will help. ● DRINK any source of caffeine, if you can. It will help you feel more awake. Coca-Cola, for instance, also provides carbs and fluids. ● TAKE probiotics. A study on heavy drinkers found these reduced levels of inflammation. ● MOVE. Exercise will speed up your metabolism and help shift your hangover. So don’t stay in bed.