For a lot of people who choose to drink alcohol, nursing a hangover is as much of a turn of the year tradition as making a resolution.
The term hangover was originally used to describe unfinished work after a meeting, but was soon adapted to refer to the age old after effects of a heavy night of boozing in 1904.
A hangover is caused by a number of factors bought on by alcohol including dehydration, irritation of the digestive system, impaired immune system, low blood sugar and a difficult night sleeping.
While there are plenty of suggested hangover cures, do any actually work?
The first cure most people suggest in ‘hair of the dog’ or to keep drinking alcohol. While this might make you feel momentarily better, it means you are living off borrowed time.
By drinking more alcohol you are delaying the appearance of symptoms until the extra drinks wear off.
Avoid purported cures such as drinking coffee, having a cold shower or eating greasy food.
While they might make you feel momentarily better, coffee will dehydrate you, more nutritional will help you recover faster and a cold shower will wake you up but not relieve any symptoms.
The National Health Service in the UK give the following advice on treating a hangover:
Rehydrating yourself to deal with painful symptoms, with the best time to rehydrate being before going to sleep after a hefty drinking session. Water, soda water or isotonic drinks are the best bet.
Painkillers to help with headaches and muscle cramps.
Sugary foods to help you feel less trembly.
A thin, vegetable based soup to help top-up depleted vitamins and minerals while being easily digested.
However, the only thing that will truly cure a hangover is time, and drinking less.
Happy New Year!
