Waking up with a pounding headache after a night out: that is the recognizable feeling of the hangover that most of us have suffered from at some point. Nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea are also symptoms that can indicate a severe hangover. Even though we all know that prevention is better than cure, it is not so easy to drink alcohol in moderation when you are in the mood. How can you actually avoid the headaches and general malaise caused by excessive alcohol consumption?

Hangover and headache

The development of a hangover has to do with the fact that alcohol causes the kidneys to secrete a lot of fluid. That’s why you have to pee a lot after drinking beers. In this way, alcohol causes dehydration of the body and because fluid is also lost in the brain , you will get a headache. That headache is, as it were, a signal from your brain that it needs extra fluid to function.

Tip: extra water

Precisely to compensate for the dehydrating effect of alcohol, it is a good idea to drink a few extra glasses of mineral water . You can do this both before you start your night out and during the evening. It is advisable to drink a glass of water between the beers you order so that your fluid reserves can remain more or less at the required level. For example, some goers adhere to the principle: “one beer, one glass of water or soft drink and then another beer” to reduce the chance of a hangover (and drunkenness).

Combination alcoholic drinks

nausea can also be part of the general hangover feeling the next morning. To prevent stomach ache and nausea, it is advisable to combine as few different types of alcohol as possible. After all, every alcoholic drink has specific characteristics in terms of added aromas, flavorings, fermentation and distillation, all of which your body must process. The more types of alcohol you consume, the harder it will be on your liver and the greater the chance of stomach pain , diarrhea or nausea.

Hearty meal beforehand

If you know you will be going out, don’t forget to eat. Drinking alcohol on an empty stomach can greatly increase the risk of stomach ache, headaches and nausea. This is because the alcohol can then be absorbed less by the nutrients. In addition, your body needs a lot of energy to break down the alcohol used, which means that many vitamins are lost. It is therefore best to eat a healthy, hearty meal beforehand. It is not recommended to eat too heavy and fatty food because your digestive system will then need a lot of energy and time to break down that meal.

Drink water before you go to sleep

As a particularly effective tip to prevent a hangover, many people drink 1 or 2 glasses of water just before going to bed. This way, your body can take some fluid with you when you sleep to fight dehydration. This is certainly recommended if you already feel very thirsty when you get home from your night out. Drinking will also reduce the typical feeling of thirst the next day. If everything is a bit heavy on your stomach and drinking water is difficult, suck on some ice cubes. This way your stomach is not tested, but you still absorb fluid.

Alcohol in the early evening

If this all seems too difficult for you, there is a fairly simple tip that will easily reduce the chance of a hangover: drink a few glasses of alcohol, especially in the early evening, enjoy it, and then gradually reduce it with water or Soft drink. By the end of the evening, your body will have largely broken down the alcohol, so you will normally not wake up with a hangover the next day. An additional advantage of this is that you will be able to sleep better .

Remedies for a hangover

Painkillers

Painkillers are the last resort against the hangover when it is already too late. You can combat that annoying pounding headache with classic painkillers such as aspirin, paracetamol or ibuprofen. You can also opt for a headache powder to combat the hangover.

Lemon juice

A remedy from grandmother’s time, but no less effective, is drinking a few glasses of lemon or lime juice. Lemons and limes contain a lot of vitamin C, which is a very useful vitamin for purifying the body of waste products. A glass of lime juice can therefore be effective in assisting the liver in its function of breaking down and removing alcohol. The faster this process goes, the faster you will feel better. You can also add half a teaspoon of salt and a tablespoon of sugar, possibly supplemented with ice cubes. By drinking this drink, that annoying hangover will gradually disappear and you can quickly regain your strength.

read more

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