How to Cure a Hangover

Some Tips to Relieve the Effects of Too Much Alcohol

Mar 9, 2008 John O'Connor

Feeling terrible after a few too many the night before? Some practical advice on what to do to cure a hangover and make the morning after a little more bearable.

1. Pull the duvet back over your head

Sleep. "If only I could", you might think but rest is the best in this case. It will give the body time to get to work on dealing with all those toxins you so kindly gave it a few hours earlier.

It won’t be easy though. Alcohol is a depressant and inhibits one of the body’s natural stimulants, glutamine. The result is that when you stop drinking the body goes into glutamine overdrive, meaning deep sleep will prove impossible. And guess what you need most to get over a hangover? Yes, some healing deep sleep.

2. Get the fluids back

Dehydration is inevitable. The diuretic effect of alcohol causes more urine than usual to be produced, leading to dehydration and resulting in a headache. The body also needs its salts and vitamins to function and their loss only contributes to that "morning after" feeling.

So get back to drinking. Only this time have only a bottle of water in your hand. A pint an hour is recommended. Isotonic drinks can help replace some lost salts with fruit juices providing a boost to your energy levels.

3. A fry-up for breakfast.

Brave enough to face some food? Ok, if the thought doesn’t send the stomach churning, a massive fry-up may help.

If you forget about the calories, fried eggs and bacon can provide much needed energy, while the cysteine in eggs helps to clean up the toxins.

Can’t face the frying pan? It is suggested that bouillon is a good friend at times like this – simmer some aromatic herbs with beef, veal or poultry in boiling water.

4. Exercise

Easier said than done, of course. But if you can stumble into the shower and then into a tracksuit, try a 3k run or cycle. The body may protest at first but once the sweat starts to flow and the endorphins kick in, you’ll feel surprisingly good.

You will also, of course, have the high moral ground on your fellow drinkers when informing them of your exploits. Warning – as a result they may shout loudly at you.

5. RU-21. The Miracle Pill

Allegedly designed by the KGB to be taken by their sociable agents prior to nights of spy schmoozing, this contains natural ingredients to stifle the build up of acetaldehyde in the liver, one of the main causes of the most severe hangover symptoms.

6. Choose Your Drinks

Congeners are released into the body as the liver breaks down the alcohol and, along with acetaldehyde, cause unwelcome after effects from a night of drinking. Congeners are found in the darker alcoholic drinks, such as red wine and whiskey. Port, one of the darkest, is considered the worst.

7. The Hair of the Dog

Originating from the term coined when a hair from a rabid dog was placed in the bite wound of its victim, this could be described as ‘what not to do’.

Taking more alcohol is just postponing the inevitable. Sure, initially the body will get to work on processing the fresh booze and you will feel a little better, but once you have stopped drinking…

Have a good night. Cheers…

Sources

The Observer Book of the Body (Observer Books 2008)

"How To Cure A Hangover - The Best Remedies from the World's Greatest Bartenders " by Andrew Irving (Little Books 2005)

The copyright of the article How to Cure a Hangover in General Medicine is owned by John O'Connor. Permission to republish How to Cure a Hangover in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Wine

Beer

Whiskey