Hangovers usually occur in the morning after drinking, and the more alcohol that is consumed, the more severe the symptoms. Drinking alcohol can affect cognitive function and concentration. It causes gastrointestinal irritation, dehydration, and inflammation, contributing to hangovers. You experience hangovers because of the way the alcohol reacts with your body system. Therefore, you can prevent hangovers or mitigate their effects if you learn how they affect you. In this article, you will learn how to prevent hangovers so you can go about your normal activities the next day.
Symptoms of Hangovers
Knowing the symptoms of hangovers can help you quickly identify the signs and find solutions. However, it is better to prevent hangovers because of their unpleasant effects. They can interrupt your day by affecting your cognitive function, sleep pattern, and mood. Hangover symptoms often materialize differently each time you drink. They include dizziness, nausea, fatigue, headaches, thirst, migraines, mood swings, and thirst.
Other symptoms include sluggishness, insomnia, or disturbed sleep cycle. Continuous drinking can also lead to an increased risk of arrhythmia because one of the symptoms of hangovers is an increased heart rate. Hence, avoiding excessive drinking can be helpful to your overall mental and physical well-being.
What Alcohol Does to the Body
Alcohol makes you lose bodily fluids, which often causes thirst and headaches. Some people may also experience migraines. It also interacts with your stomach by increasing acid production, which may cause stomach aches and nausea. Additionally, drinking alcohol can result in inflammation, which can interfere with your mood and cause mood swings and fatigue.
Excessive drinking or binge drinking can also lead to over-reliance on alcohol. The body calms down once it gets used to drinking. Once it reaches that point, withdrawing from drinking can cause restlessness, aggression, or anxiety as the body tries to adjust to the reduced alcohol levels. Therefore, knowing how to circumvent the effects of alcohol on the body will help you to prevent hangovers.
How to Prevent Hangovers
Drink Water
Alcohol makes you urinate often, so you expel bodily fluids rapidly. It worsens if you are in a heated place, which makes you sweat since you will lose more fluids. This situation will leave you dehydrated, and you may wake up with a nasty headache the next day. Therefore, one way to prevent hangovers is by drinking lots of water. This way, you are replacing the fluids you lose.
Eat a Greasy Breakfast
Eating greasy food after a night of drinking can help prevent hangovers. Greasy foods have been found to slow down the absorption of alcohol in the blood. This delayed onset can help prevent hangovers, as your body has time to recover. However, greasy food might not be good for you if you have a sensitive digestive system, as it can upset your stomach.
Drink Moderately
The best way to prevent hangovers is not to drink at all. However, if you must, know your limit and drink accordingly. Don’t consume more than your system can handle. If you are testing your limits or don’t know, drink one bottle an hour to slow down the absorption.
Eat Before/While Drinking
Drinking on an empty stomach can aggravate hangover symptoms. One good way to prevent hangovers is to ensure your stomach is full before you drink. You can also eat as you drink if you are not able to do so before drinking. This way, the alcohol doesn’t go straight into your bloodstream.
Be Active
Another way to prevent hangovers is by moving around. You are more likely to drink more alcohol if you just sit at the table. Therefore, moving around to engage in other activities will help prevent hangovers.
Hangovers can be distressing, especially when you get them for the first time. They don’t usually get easier with time, either. Therefore, it’s best to prevent them than to try and manage them after they have occurred.
#Clique, have you ever experienced a hangover? What was it like? What steps did you take to avoid a hangover? Let us know in the comments.
