Going out with your friends can be fun, but, unfortunately, the morning after often leaves a pounding headache that makes us want to stay in bed all day. While drinking in moderation isn’t likely to leave lingering effects the morning after, most of us have a tendency to over drink, especially on holidays like New Year’s Eve. Drinking an extra amount of water in between cocktails and beers can help curb the hangover in the morning, but many people aren’t thinking about tomorrow when they are out drinking. The next time you wake up and feel the wrath from the night before, try these few easy hangover cures to help you kick the lethargic feeling of a hangover.
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Even if you wake up after a long night of partying and feel as though consuming anything is the last thing you want to do, it is important to get fluids and some food into your system. After drinking a lot of alcohol, your body gets dehydrated. It is important to choose drinks that will not only make you feel better, but also hydrate you. Alka-Seltzer’s soothing, fizzy drink has been curing stomach issues for decades, and it can help with a hangover too. Combine the drink with a few plain crackers, and it will help absorb some of the acidity left over in your stomach. If bubbly drinks don’t suit you, try sports drinks. Sports drinks, like Gatorade, are high in electrolytes and are a great choice to sip on the morning after. While there is little evidence that sport drinks are any better than water to drink, the most important thing is that you are getting fluids to replace the dehydration that occurred the night before. Science suggests that coconut water is a much healthier and more effective way to replenish the lost fluids in your body. James M. Schaefer, Ph.D., explains on Details, a body and health website, that while sports drinks contain a lot of sugars, “a low-sugar coconut water, on the other hand, contains just as many electrolytes as Gatorade.” Skip the extra sugar and drink coconut water—your body will thank you.
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Foods high in carbohydrates like bagels or crackers may also help ease hangovers by restoring blood sugar levels. Bagels are often a top choice for a day after partying, but eggs might be able to help even better. Nutritionist Monica Reinagel, M.S., L.D.N., C.N.S., states on Details that “eggs pack heavy loads of cysteine, an amino acid that can break down toxins the body hasn’t.” You can still have your bagel, but think about adding two fried eggs onto it as well. Another food that might help kick a hangover is ginger. Details explains that “a small dose of ginger also stimulates a stalled, post-drink digestive system, helping ease constipation, gas, bloating, indigestion, and even vomiting.” Reinagel says that if you don’t like the taste of ginger, “‘take two ginger capsules every hour with water,’” Details states. Make sure you are eating too, though!
If you are still feeling sick, try to take a nap. Being exhausted won’t help your hangover go away, so you might as well sleep it off (and skip brunch). Pain medications can help as well, just be careful; if you already have a lot of alcohol in your system, medicines like Advil might not be good for your body.
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