Just because you party or go a little too hard, doesn’t mean you need to regret it the next day. Be proactive about managing your potential hangover with these three tips and your future self will thank you.
What is a Hangover?
You probably know what a hangover is, but just in case, we wanted to go over what the symptoms are and what causes it.
A hangover typically follows when you have too much alcohol the day/night before. It’s a series of unpleasant symptoms created as your body processes the alcohol.
These symptoms may include:
- Fatigue
- Thirst
- Difficulty concentrating
- Headache
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Loss of appetite
- Jitters
What Causes a Hangover?
Hangovers are partially caused by the ethanol in alcohol — the chemical that makes you drunk. The more ethanol you consume, the worse your hangover will likely be because it causes oxidative stress to form in your brain. In layman’s terms, it causes an imbalance of chemicals in your brain that disrupt natural processes. The more oxidative stress, the more severe your hangover will likely be.
Genes also play a big role in hangovers, as they influence how quickly your body can break down ethanol. The better your body is at it, the less likely you are to get a hangover.
Research shows that inflammation is likely one of the main causes of a hangover. Unfortunately, ethanol increases inflammation. Therefore, when it is present in higher quantities, chances are, your hangover symptoms will also be more intense.
Ways to Prevent a Hangover
Most hangover preventions are targeted toward managing symptoms, as opposed to addressing the cause of hangovers. If you have alcohol, then you are introducing your body to ethanol, which isn’t easily combated. However, you can do some things to help flush it out of your system faster or avoid it.
Here is what we recommend.
Avoid Drinks High in Congeners
Ethanol is the main active ingredient in alcoholic drinks, but they also contain varying amounts of congeners. Congeners are toxic chemicals that include methanol, isopentanol and acetone. These chemicals increase the frequency and intensity of hangovers, so it’s best to avoid them. That means skipping the bourbon, whiskey, cognac, and tequila and opting for colorless drinks, such as vodka, gin, and rum, instead. If you really want to beat the system, stick with vodka, as it has almost no congeners at all.
In studies that compared the effects of vodka and whiskey, both the frequency and intensity of hangovers were greater for whiskey.
Drink Plenty of Water
Almost nothing will dehydrate you faster than alcohol, which will give you a killer headache in the morning, as well as increase your fatigue.
A good rule is to drink a glass of water — or another non-alcoholic beverage — between drinks and to have at least one big glass of water before going to sleep. However, when you’re about to go to bed, don’t overdo it on water! This can disrupt your sleep, which isn’t good if you want to prevent a hangover. Your body and brain will need all the rest they can get so try to avoid gulping down too much water right before bed.
Instead, schedule an IV treatment before you drink. An IV from IV Revival will hydrate you and will help keep you hydrated while you party.
Consider Supplements to Reduce Inflammation
Many hangover symptoms are caused by low-grade inflammation.
In fact, some anti-inflammatory drugs have been shown to be quite effective against hangovers. Take some before you go to bed (follow the instructions and talk with your doctor if you have concerns) to help combat inflammation while you sleep. Do not take ibuprofen, though! A more recent study showed that ibuprofen combined with alcohol could be toxic to liver cells.
That’s why we always recommend adding anti-inflammatory vitamins to your IV treatment before you drink.
Our IVs, which are perfect for both treating and helping prevent hangovers, include:
- IV Fluids: A sterile saline solution that delivers nutrients directly into your bloodstream, rehydrates your body
- Vitamin B12 to fight fatigue
- B-Complex Vitamins: to help your gut digest and process alcohol
- Anti-Nausea: Helps calm your stomach and improve your comfort during your recovery
- Anti-Inflammatories: Helps ease headaches and muscle aches that can occur when you have a hangover, improving your overall comfort during recovery
Want to learn more or to schedule your at-home appointment? Give us a call today at (602) 755-9525 or book online! Our treatment is 100% judgment free, your IV is administered by registered nurses, and will be done in under an hour so you won’t have to worry about missing any of the fun. Schedule your appointment today!