We have all been there. Waking up the next morning after a night like no other. Cursing the bastards that convinced you it was a good idea to take those last four tequila shots at the end of the night. Now, you’re paying for it with a splitting headache, queasy stomach, aching body and a sheer regret you have to endure this self-inflicted torment. Hangovers suck.
You don’t have to always pay this hefty toll after a long night of partying though. A little preparation and awareness can save you from saying for the 1000th time, “I’m never drinking again.” Check out seven easy steps you can take to help enjoy your drinks and not end up hating your life so much the day after.
Table of Contents
1. Stay hydrated
You need to get plenty of water before, during, and after a night of heavy drinking. Fluid loss affects glucose levels and makes your brain’s nerve receptors scramble for what they need, causing a pulsating headache. Besides bland water, try pickles and sports drinks like Gatorade to get plenty of water and electrolytes. Better yet, if you like the taste of coconut water, grab some Vita Coco for an all-natural way to get these essentials and also a ton of Vitamin C.
2. Don’t drink on an empty stomach:
We have all said, “I’ll be drinking my dinner tonight.” Bad idea. Eating before boozing it up can help absorb the alcohol and your body will process it slower. Especially starchy fruits like bananas, carbohydrates like bread, and fatty foods such as almonds. The slower your body processes the alcohol, the better off you are.
3. Avoid dark liquors:
The darker the alcohol, the more toxins it contains. Whiskeys, bourbons, dark rums and red wine are all on this list. Bourbon, for example, contains 37 times more toxic compounds than vodka does. Stick with the lighter liquors like vodka, gin, white wine, and light rums. They aren’t going to be a fool-proof alternative, but certainly will play less on your hangover.
4. Pace yourself:
If you’ve hit the funnel 10 times and are a case of beers deep in your evening’s festivities, you’re likely going to wake up the next morning hating your life. The more alcohol your body has to process at one time, the more likely you are to work yourself into a painful position. If you’re using to pounding down four drinks in an hour, try cutting back to two.
5. Don’t mix different alcohols
Rick James convinced us, “it’s a celebration, bitches,” and that’s all we need when the liquor, beer, and champagne are flowing. Different alcohols have different properties in them. Your body already works hard to process one, so combining several types puts you on course to a morning-after disaster.
6. Stay away from the cheap stuff
It’s true, your grandpa was always grumpy because that bottle of Old Crow wasn’t making him feel any better. The production process of cheap liquor isn’t at the same standard as it’s pricier counterparts, which are distilled multiple times to remove impurities. As the saying goes, you get what you pay for – and in this case, it’s more toxins in cheap booze.
7. Get your vitamins in
Your body needs the right fuel to fire off in a normal fashion, and after a night of binge drinking, you’re stripped of many natural and essential vitamins and minerals. You dip on the folate and B12 to name a couple, so a multivitamin can help you get you what you need in a jiffy.
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