Get Rid of Hangover Safely and Naturally
Edited by Nerissa Avisado, Eng, Lynn, Nuance and 1 other
Partying all night long can be a killjoy the morning after when you wake up with a hangover. A hangover is set of nasty physiological symptoms experienced after too you've consumed too much alcohol the night before. While studies will tell you that about 25-30 percent of drinkers are already immune or resistant to hangovers, there are more of the unlucky ones who need to be on guard against it. Who said anything about not partying or not drinking? Moderation is the easiest solution, but so is learning about different home remedies for hangover. Before experimenting on remedies, however, first understand what a hangover is and what exactly causes it.
The Dreaded Symptoms of a Hangover
A few hours after drinking, you start feeling the manifestations of a hangover. These are:
- A splitting headache
- Nauseous feeling
- Sensitivity to light
- Irritability to noise
- Exhaustion
- Loose bowel movements
- Extreme desire for liquids
- Intense dehydration
- Hypoglycemia or low blood sugar level
- Despair and fretfulness
- Episodes of vomiting
Learn the Causes of a Hangover
If you are old enough to drink, you are old enough to understand the effects alcohol will have on your body, and try to avoid hangovers. If you do, you can enjoy parties and other social activities, without paying the high price the next day. If you want to know why hangovers happen, here is what Educalcool[1] has to say about it: "Excessive drinking assaults just about every part of the body; and every organ is under attack has to defend itself. These bodily defense mechanisms lead to dehydration and low blood sugar. That shortage of water and sugar are what explain the particular discomfort of a hangover."
- 1Dehydration.Drinking excessive ethanol, which is a diuretic, can make you pee more; this can result in dehydration. Thus, the body instinctively draws water from any source, including the brain. This will cause the brain to shrink a bit causing headaches. Dehydration also causes one to lose electrolytes, which triggers muscle cramps and pains.
- 2Alcohol is a toxic beverage that over-works the liver as it tries to flush it out of your system.Hypoglycemia or low blood sugar.A busy liver cannot perform its usual function, which is to produce glucose. Thus following a drinking spree, expect you glucose levels to drop drastically. Glucose is the primary source of energy. With hypoglycemia or low blood sugar, expect the body to feel tired or weak and the brain to feel dizzy, restless, depressed, and have difficulty focusing, thinking and seeing with clarity. The body shifts to fatty acids as a source of energy; this causes other hangover symptoms.
- 3Sleep deprivation and disturbance.Alcohol makes you sleepy because it can alter your sleep pattern or cycle. Sleeplessness can also affect the cognitive functions of the brain. Consequently, after heavy drinking, one struggles to get a good sleep, feels tired and has weak control of their cognitive capacities.
- 4The liver's acetaldehyde production.The liver needs to produce the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase to process the alcohol and transform it into acetaldehyde, an extremely toxic substance. This makes the body sweat, becomes flushed, the heart to beat faster, and it makes you nauseous and incites vomiting. Can these similarities between acetaldehyde effects and those of alcohol hangover, be a direct result of the metabolism of alcohol by the liver?
Risks and Complicating Factors
Aside from the fact that some people are resistant to a hangover, it is also notable that the intensity of the symptoms of hangover greatly vary from person to person, even when two people consume the same amount and kind of alcohol. This is because people tend to react differently with different kinds of risk or complicating factors such as:
- 1Hangovers may also be triggered by the congeners and impurities found in the alcoholic beverage. Congeners are chemical compounds normally mixed in alcoholic drinks, such as histamine, methanol, or polyphenols. On the other hand, impurities or preservatives that may bring on hangover include zinc and other metals added to alcoholic drinks as sweeteners and/or flavor enhancers. That's why it is better to mix fresh fruit extracts and juices to alcohol than artificially sweetened drinks.Congeners and Impurities.
- 2There is a hypothesis that psychosocial factors can influence the severity of hangover. There are studies conducted by Harburg et al. (1993)[2] that shows significant relationships between drinkers' psychosocial state and the intensity of their hangover symptoms. An experiment backs up the hypothesis that feelings of guilt about drinking, neurosis, anger, depression or negative life events can actually make hangover more severe.Psychological Susceptibility.
- 3There are strong associations between smoking and drinking alcohol. Even occasional smokers can feel the urge to smoke at social functions that include drinking. This phenomenon may be explained by the pharmacological interaction between smoking and alcohol[3]. The combination will make the symptoms even worse.The Dangerous Mix Of Alcohol And Tobacco.
Prevent Hangovers
If there is one smart and viable solution to stop a hangover, it's to avoid drinking alcoholic beverages. This can be extremely hard to do, especially during special occasions. If you understood the discussion above, you already know how important it is to:
- 1This will restore sleeping patterns. Drink a glass of water between every alcoholic drink you consume. Drink more water before going to bed.Stay hydrated.
- 2Make sure you include enough carbohydrates or sugar.Consume a balanced healthy meal.
- 3H22. Replenish your body with water as well as juices from fruits or vegetables to help address dehydration.
- 4Resting and sleeping can help your body recover the disrupted sleep cycle. Call into work and say you're sick. It is best to stay at home in bed. While at home, have enough protein-rich meals and lots of orange juice rich in vitamin C.Catch some ZZZZZzzzzzs.
- 5It is another diuretic that will only add to the dehydration in your body. Keep away from it, even though it's common for people to try sober up their friends by giving them coffee. It's counterproductive when recovering from hangover. You must also avoid taking pain relievers. You do not want to overwork your liver that has been processing excessive amounts of alcohol. Aspirin or Alka-Seltzer are common meds for hangovers, and are generally perceived to be safe.Avoid caffeine.
Natural Ways to Beat Hangover
Quench Your Thirst
- 1Plain water.Nothing beats a hangover better than drinking water. Drink a glass of water before bedtime and upon waking up. Stay hydrated to ease episodes of hangover.
- 2A tall glass of chilled lemon juice fresh is a popular home remedy for hangovers. You can opt to add it to tomato juice for more flavor. The sour taste of tomato can help relieve hangovers.Lemon Juice.
- 3Lime.
- Mix 2 teaspoons of lime water, 1 teaspoon of sugar and ½ cup of water.
- Drink it slowly upon waking up to help diminish hangover.
- 4Sip hot soup.Sipping hot and delicious soup made from bacon and egg is a good way to fight dehydration while filling you up with loads of nutrients. Miso soup is a Japanese home remedy for making people with hangover feel better. Miso soup is not only hydrating, it also replenishes the lost electrolytes and other essential nutrients.
- 5Smoothies made from fruits are fantastic options to treat hangover.Fruit smoothie.
- Mix banana, kale, lemon, and blueberry, and then add a spoonful of honey. It can relax your stomach and nerves.
- The honey helps replenish the lost blood glucose.
- The fruits restore the essential nutrients and minerals that the body lost.
- 6If you have a headache and you feel nauseous, drink a cup of sugarless green tea.Healthy green tea.
- 7Gatorade.If you feel weakness in the muscles or you are suffering from cramps, your body must have lost a lot of electrolytes. Gatorade can quickly restore the electrolyte imbalance.
Feed Yourself
- 1Good banana.Bananas are rich in potassium and can help battle the electrolyte imbalance by consuming 1-2 bananas.
- 2Honey not only increases the diminished sugar level in the blood, but it also contains high amounts of potassium and antioxidants.Naturally sweet honey.
- 3An apple a day.Cure hangovers deliciously by eating apples. You can eat them straight, or mix it them in a salad.
- 4Fight your hangover by drinking a cup of medicinal ginger tea or chew small bits and pieces of ginger. This can relieve nausea and vomiting as well as improve the digestion of alcohol as it soothes the stomach.Gingery treats.
- 5Spicy Peppermint.If you feel discomfort because of gas caused by drinking excessive alcohol, peppermint is the perfect herb to use. You can either chew fresh leaves, or make tea with them. Peppermint works like a carminative that effectively eliminates gas from the digestive system.
Relax that Body!
- 1Freshen up and wake up your senses. You can also try switching between cold and hot water to feel the tingling sensation on your skin.Take a shower.
- 2Move your body.Break into a sweat.Go for a long walk or go for short sprints to break into sweat. Alternatively, you can also try any sport you love - rugby, basketball, swimming, ride a bike, or mow the grass in the lawn. Do something to start sweating. That will make your mind and body feel better.
- 3If you can hardly lift your arms and legs, how can you get moving? You can alleviate a hangover in a very relaxing way - get pampered by getting yourself a conventional spa massage using eucalyptus oil. This will work on your circulation and detox the alcohol in your body, but be aware, the smell of the alcohol seeping through your pores will not be very pleasant for the person giving you the massage.Massage with Eucalyptus Oil.
If you have problems with any of the steps in this article, please ask a question for more help, or post in the comments section below.
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Categories : Relationships
Recent edits by: Nuance, Lynn, Eng
