The nauseating painful feeling of an intense hangover is an experience that makes many alcohol drinkers reconsider ever looking at another alcoholic drink let alone consume one. Hangovers are hard to forget. After waking up with a hangover, it often feels as if there is a brick painfully perched upon the head. Hangovers typically cause people to feel queasy, and needless to say, some end up vomiting as a result. Hangover sufferers who throw up just once are lucky. How could this be lucky you ask? Unfortunately, people often get sick a number of times before their hangover symptoms begin to subside.
Did you ever wonder what exactly causes drinkers to experience a hangover after drinking too much alcohol? Is it a bad combination of alcoholic drinks, or is it too much alcohol in general? Knowing what really causes a hangover can help drinkers avoid the awful experience of ever having one.
Hangover Cause and Effect
Alcohol works as a diuretic, and that of course is why drinking and frequent bathroom visits are synonymous. As the body loses valuable water and becomes dehydrated, the mouth becomes increasingly dry, the muscles become weak, and the stomach becomes upset. The body becomes dehydrated, and the head begins to throb, hence the feeling of the painfully heavy brick.
Surprisingly, some of what causes the discomforts of a hangover have nothing to do with alcohol per say. Drinks containing alcohol contain something called “congeners.” These added ingredients give certain alcoholic drinks distinct colors and flavors. Bourbon, red wine, and brandy are the worst offenders. Vodka and gin contain very few congeners. Darker alcoholic beverages contain the most hangover causing congeners, while light or clear alcoholic beverages contain the least.
If you think cheaper alcohol could be the cause of dreadful morning hangovers, you are right. Cheaper alcoholic drinks go through fewer processes which remove congeners. The more congeners, the more likely you’ll suffer a hangover.
Alcohol and the congeners contained therein effect individuals differently, so learning which drinks tend to cause hangovers is often the key to preventing them. Think back on your last hangover, and chances are you’ll realize how you could have enjoyed drinking and easily prevented that hangover.
Preventive Medications
Hangover prevention medications and various preparations are for sale in drug stores, grocery stores, and liquor stores. They sound like miracle drugs, but do they really work, and what do they contain? It is said that hangover prevention medications really do work, but they must be taken before drinking rather than after. If hangover prevention medications are taken after drinking, it’s too late. Follow label directions carefully to attain the best results.
Hangover prevention medications contain activated charcoal and calcium carbonates. These ingredients supposedly absorb the toxins that cause hangovers. The ingredients are said to be safe and have virtually no side affects.
Before Bed
Drinking lots of water or other sugar-free nonalcoholic liquids can help prevent a mind-numbing hangover. After an evening of drinking, it’s important to drink at least 16 ounces of water or other sugarless fluids before retiring. This will help keep the body sufficiently hydrated as well as naturally rid the body of hangover-causing toxins.
The metabolism slows down during sleep, allowing toxins to remain in the body, so it’s also important to stay awake for at least an hour after drinking. This allows the body sufficient time to process and eliminate the toxins before they have a chance to cause a morning hangover. While waiting to retire for the evening, continue drinking water or other sugarless liquids.
Upon Awakening
Acetaminophen with a tall glass of water can help diminish hangover symptoms. Take the recommended dosage of acetaminophen and water, and consider going back to bed for a few hours. When rising for the day, take another recommended dose of acetaminophen as soon as sufficient time has passed since the first dose. Assuming it’s still morning, have bland foods for breakfast such as hard-boiled eggs with dry toast.
Continue eating bland foods until feeling well enough to eat normally, and throughout the day, keep drinking water or other sugar free liquids. Do not drink more alcohol to get rid of a hangover. The good old “hair of dog” theory is not a healthy one. Drinking during early morning hours to get rid of hangover symptoms indicates a drinking problem.
For occasional hangover symptoms, just follow the aforementioned instructions. If you don’t follow a plan of attack against brutal hangovers, you might not be able to stand the thought of consuming another alcoholic drink – at least until next weekend.
Reference:
- Help is available for those who want to stop drinking. ; www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/?Media=PlayFlash
