Trying to Cure Your Hangover With 'Hair of the Dog' Will Probably Make It Worse, Experts Say
So you've spent a fun night out on the town ... only to wake up with a killer hangover the next morning. From a pounding headache to terrible nausea (not to mention the dreadful feeling of hangover anxiety), we've all felt the misery that comes with experiencing a hangover after a night of heavy drinking — and wondered how to best get rid of it, pronto. But what are the best hangover cures, and which ones are actually backed by science?
To find the best ways to tackle every morning-after symptom that might come your way, we consulted various experts on which remedies from your handy hangover kit actually work (and which really don't). Though there's unfortunately no instant cure-all for a hangover — besides not drinking so much in the first place, of course — the good news is that there are several ways to alleviate your symptoms, so you can start feeling better as soon as possible. If you're wondering how to get rid of a hangover fast, here are the best hangover cures that actually work, according to experts:
1. Stay hydrated.
Yes, you've heard it a thousand times before — but there's a good reason why so many experts stress drinking plenty of water when you're drinking alcohol. As a diuretic, alcohol pulls water out of your system (i.e., it makes you urinate more often!), which can easily lead to dehydration, explains George Koob, PhD, Director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). Because of this, it's important to stay hydrated to off-set (and prevent) any alcohol-induced dehydration that may cause headaches, dizziness and other common symptoms.
Ideally you would continuously be drinking adequate fluids throughout the day you're drinking alcohol (including before and in-between drinks), but if you're unable to, the next best thing to do is rehydrate the next day as best as you can, says Stefani Sassos, MS, RDN, Registered Dietitian for the Good Housekeeping Institute. "You want to aim for half your body weight in ounces of water a day and to sip that gradually over the course of the day," she says. (If you weigh 160 pounds, for example, you'd want to drink around 80 ounces of water, or 10 cups.)
2. Replenish your electrolytes.
While plain water is always a good choice to help you rehydrate after a night of drinking, it's also helpful to drink plenty of fluids that have electrolytes, the essential minerals that your body loses (along with water) when you drink alcohol. Sports drinks like Gatorade are common sources for electrolytes, but Sassos warns that they may be loaded with added sugar, artificial sweeteners and food dyes; instead, she recommends coconut water, which can be a great alternative. "I like to call coconut water nature’s sports drink," Sassos says. "It’s packed with electrolytes to help get your body back to normal and also contains potassium which can help your cells maintain good fluid balance."
3. Eat a nutritious meal.
Alcohol can impact your blood sugar levels, so getting a bite to eat can help get these levels back up to normal while also helping to restore important vitamins and minerals that your body may have lost due to alcohol intake. Generally, Sassos recommends eating a balanced meal complete with adequate lean protein, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats, while avoiding fried and sugary foods which may only exacerbate your hangover symptoms. Some high fructose foods (like toast with honey) can also help speed up alcohol metabolism if there is any residual alcohol in your system, adds John Brick, PhD, an alcohol research scientist and author of The Doctor’s Hangover Handbook.
No matter what food you choose to eat, though, Sassos stresses the importance of listening to your body and making decisions based on what makes you the most comfortable. If you're feeling nauseous, for instance, she recommends trying out some more plain starches, along with warm water and ginger tea to soothe your GI tract. "Everything in moderation until you determine if it makes you feel better," agrees Dr. Brick. "Remember, you body went through a lot last night and making it work more the next day may not be helpful."
4. Take some medicine.
Since headaches and body aches are often among the most common symptoms of a hangover, you may be able to get some relief by taking OTC medications like aspirin or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). However, you should always be careful not to exceed the recommended dosage, warns Dr. Brick, as there are some medications that are best not to combine with alcohol in excess (and can actually irritate your stomach even more). "For example, the combination of acetaminophen with alcohol may result in liver damage and excess use of aspirin may cause stomach tissue damage," he says.
5. Get some (light) exercise.
You probably won't feel like working up a sweat when you're hungover, but a little light exercise can potentially provide some benefits, provided that you're feeling up to it (and that you're remembering to hydrate throughout). "Exercise gets the circulation going and gets more oxygen to the brain — that's a good thing," explains Dr. Brick.
You should be careful not to push yourself, however, as a heavy work-out can have the potential to make you feel more exhausted — especially if exercise isn't part of your regular routine, says Dr. Brick. "Intense exercise when you’re hungover may just lead to more dehydration and worsen your hangover symptoms," agrees Sassos. "Make sure you rehydrate and stick to gentle exercise to get the body moving and help flush out toxins from your body. A light walk or short yoga class (not hot yoga!) is a good idea once you are feeling better."
6. Get plenty of sleep and rest.
According to the National Sleep Foundation, consumption of alcohol is linked to poor sleep quality and duration — and while lack of sleep isn't specifically the cause of a hangover, it can often make your hangover feel worse by exacerbating symptoms like fatigue, headache and dizziness. That's why you might want to consider just canceling your plans for the day and going back to bed (after a big glass of water and a healthy breakfast, of course), as catching up on your sleep may be your best bet to help your body recover and recuperate after a long night of drinking.
7. Avoid "the hair of the dog."
While the popular phrase “hair of the dog that bit you” may sound logical (and tempting), it's important to note that drinking more alcohol to reduce the effects of a hangover is generally never recommended by experts. "In a sense, a hangover is just a mini withdrawal syndrome, where your brain is paying you back for the effects that the alcohol had in the first place," explains Dr. Koob. Because of this, drinking more alcohol merely provides temporary relief to the problem — and can often lead to an even worse hangover the next day, warns Dr. Koob.
Furthermore, if you're not careful, continuously indulging in the "hair of the dog" method can lead to the development of unhealthy drinking habits and even alcohol dependence. "Having a drink to alleviate a hangover the next day may help some people but it may also signal a drinking problem and is not recommended," advises Dr. Brick. "I do not recommend drinking to lessen the effects of a hangover. If that seems to help, you should consult a health care specialist."
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