5 ways to prevent hangovers

 

A hangover refers to a set of symptoms that occur as a consequence of drinking too much.

Typical symptoms include fatigue, weakness, thirst, headache, muscle aches, nausea, stomach pain,  sensitivity to light and sound, anxiety, irritability, sweating, and increased blood pressure.

The main cause of a hangover is the effect of ethanol,  the alcohol in your drinks.

It's a toxic chemical that works in the body as an expellant, which means it makes you pee more and you can become dehydrated as a result.

Hangovers tend to go away on their own, usually within 24 hours.

However, the progression and severity of symptoms over time can vary from one person to the next.

Below are some tips one can use to prevent hangovers;

1. Drinking alcohol in moderation.

The best and most effective way to avoid hangovers is drinking in moderation or not at all since the more alcohol one takes, the more likely they are going to have a severe hangover the next day.

How much is safe for an individual to drink varies from one person to another depending on various factors like, how much food they ate, how much water they have drunk, and how they slept the previous day.

2. Drinking enough water

Alcohol is an expellant/ diuretic meaning that it increases the urge to urinate and can cause an individual to be at a higher risk of being dehydrated.

Drinking water alongside alcoholic drinks helps an individual to stay hydrated and reduces symptoms of dehydration such as thirst, fatigue, and headache.

3. Getting enough sleep

Sleep cannot sober you up or free you from the damage of alcohol, but it can reduce the side effects you'll feel.

Alcohol can have a negative impact on both the quality and duration of sleep. Getting enough sleep helps a person recover from the night before. So try going to bed early the next day.

 Getting some rest is a great remedy for recovery and prevention.

4. Eating before drinking

Eat before and during drinking sessions, if your stomach is empty when you start drinking, the alcohol will enter your bloodstream faster and you will feel a lot worse the next day.

You may feel the effects of your drinks quickly, making it harder to manage your drinking. It's a good idea to eat before your first drink, and while you are drinking.

So just make sure that you line your stomach properly with a heavy and decent meal, full of protein, and veggies just to prepare your body for drinks.

5. Avoid  taking carbonated drinks

Carbonation affects alcohol by temporarily moving the alcohol into your bloodstream faster than normal leading to an unpleasant morning after.

That rate of alcohol absorption means you might feel the effects of bubbly alcoholic beverages faster compared to flat drinks.