: After a night of carousing, you are woken up in the morning by a pounding headache and an excruciating pain in the joints. You also feel exhausted anxious, irritable, depressed and may also be sensitive to light. All this, you know, is part of the “hangover”. Worst, a hangover may not just be about the “morning after”. It may go on for days.
Usually, a hangover begins several hours after the last drink, when the blood alcohol level begins to drop. Symptoms normally peak when the alcohol level is zero, and may continue for an entire day.
Hangover is the sum of effects of alcohol (such as dehydration that leads to headache and dry mouth, stomach pain, nausea, fall in blood sugar levels that leads to lack of energy, disturbed sleep patterns, fatigue and irregular heartbeat) and non-alcohol factors such as:
Congeners: These toxic chemicals, such as congener methanol, formed during fermentation in most alcoholic beverages are responsible for headaches and vicious hangovers.
Use of drugs, especially nicotine through cigarette smoking.
Personality traits such as neuroticism.
Negative events and feelings of guilt.
Contrary to popular opinion, combination of different alcoholic beverages is unlikely to worsen hangover except if you have consumed too much.
If you want to enjoy your drink without the fear of the looming hangover, follow these tips:
Either drink plenty of plain water, fresh lime water, juices, coconut water or plain sodas before going to bed.
Take vitamin B6 or an extract from Optunia ficus indica (a prickly pear cactus) or a simple vitamin B supplement before drinking.
Take foods that contain complex carbohydrates, such as toast and crackers as they can combat low blood sugar and possibly nausea.
Do not drink on an empty stomach.
Sleep or rest adequately to ease fatigue.
Drink non-alcoholic, non-caffeinated beverages to alleviate depression. Caffeine can worsen symptoms as it is a diuretic and increases urine production.
Time is the most effective treatment; symptoms usually disappear in eight to 24 hours.
Certain medications can also relieve some symptoms. Antacids, for example, may relieve nausea and stomach pain. Mild painkillers may reduce headache and muscle aches, though, they may cause stomach irritation.
Use of medicines like painkillers and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can be dangerous particularly for heavy drinkers as it can increase the risk of liver damage and stomach bleeds. Therefore, alcohol should thus be taken in limited amounts. Frequent hangovers that are cured by another drink often called ‘hair of the dog’ should be...
