How to Prevent a Hangover on New Year's Day
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There's only one sure way to prevent a hangover—and that's to not overdo it the night before or to not drink at all. Moderate drinking means one drink a day for women of any age and men older than 65, and up to two drinks a day for men 65 and younger.
Still, you may find yourself tempted to overindulge on New Year's Eve. Here are some strategies to help you prevent a hangover, which can lead to nasty symptoms such as a splitting headache, nausea, diarrhea, fatigue, and tremors.
Prevent a Hangover
Track your intake. Set a limit, and then keep tabs on your drinking as you go to make sure you stick to it. Measuring your drinks can help, too.
Opt for light-colored beverages. Dark liquors such as whiskey and red wine are more apt to leave you with a hangover than colorless or lighter drinks because they have higher levels of congeners, substances produced during fermentation that can have toxic effects.
Eat something substantial that includes some fat. Good options include pizza or a turkey sandwich with cheese. Just make sure you don't drink alcohol on an empty stomach.
Drink lots of water or other nonalcoholic liquids. Alternate one alcoholic drink with a glass of club soda or plain water. That helps in two ways: It decreases your overall alcohol load and helps prevent the dehydration that contributes to hangovers.
Consider taking aspirin or ibuprofen (Advil and generic) to ease a next-day headache, if your stomach can handle it. Products that combine an anti-inflammatory like aspirin or ibuprofen with caffeine might be especially helpful. But avoid acetaminophen (Tylenol and generic) if you drink heavily, because the combination can damage the liver.
What About Those Hangover Cures?
As for the hangover cures sold online and in stores that come with the claim that they'll sop up the toxic byproducts of alcohol, don't waste your money. They usually include activated carbon or a mix of vitamins and herbs, and they have creative names like Chaser, Drinkin' Mate, and PartySmart. But there's very little evidence that they will prevent or chase away a hangover.
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