Dealing With Holiday Hangovers; How To Avoid Them and De-Bunking Hangover Myths

While New Year’s Eve has now come and gone, many of us are now left feeling the effects of last night’s antics as we brought in the new year.

Nearly everyone has experienced a hangover at some point or another, ranging from pounding headaches to an upset stomach. However, have you ever wondered what actually goes on with your body after a night of drinking?

Here’s a look at a few drinking facts and debunking a few of those hangover remedies that we often look to.

Despite whether or not you’re into Hennesey or Tequila, the effects are precisely the same. All drinks, even mixed drinks, usually contain the same amount of alcohol.

Having something to eat while you’re drinking and afterward can have a huge effect on how drunk you end up. When you ingest alcohol, it goes into the stomach then passes into the small intestine. There, it is absorbed into the bloodstream. Eating will slow down this absorption process, meaning it’ll take you just a little longer to begin feeling those drinks.

Blackouts are caused by ingesting large quantities of alcohol fairly quickly. Once you do this, you will likely not remember much of your evening. Once the blood alcohol level reaches a certain level, the brain stops creating new memories. Pace yourself!

While you’re struggling to bounce back from your holiday hangover and possible blackout, the fact is there is little you can do to sober up, despite the popular mythical remedies of drinking caffeine, water, and working out. There is only one true cure for a hangover, and that is time. The alcohol has to exit your body in order for you to feel better. Caffeine, water, cold showers, and the slew of other rituals that drunk people partake in sobering up will only make you feel more alert. However, they will do nothing to remove the alcohol from your body, as it has to metabolize.

Researchers have pinpointed a few different causes for hangovers.

Since alcohol causes frequent urination, dehydration is soon to follow. The effects are especially profound if you have been drinking in a hot venue such as a crowded nightclub or bar. This is what leads to the feeling of dizziness and lethargy.

Furthermore, alcohol can irritate the stomach lining, causing vomiting, diarrhea, and possible electrolyte imbalance, which can lead to nausea, muscle cramps, and other feelings of weakness.

Alcohol also interferes with glucose production, resulting in low blood sugar, which will leave you feeling sluggish.

While all of this liquor knowledge could deter one from drinking altogether, partaking in a cocktail or two does not have to be a terrible experience. The key to dodging a hangover is pacing yourself.

Be sure to count the drinks that you’ve had throughout the night. Know your limits and stick to them. Don’t gulp your drink down as if it’s your last drink on earth. Instead, take sips of your drink and avoid shots, despite your friends practically shoving them down your throat while at the bar. Nibble on something in between sips if possible.

Enjoy those drinks with your friends and family this holiday, but most importantly, never get behind the wheel, even if you’ve only had one drink.