We’ve all been there. You wake up the morning after a birthday or night out, and your head is throbbing. You nauseously run to the bathroom and sit in front of the toilet for the next half hour. It sucks. But you can’t possibly believe there are no ways to prevent this awful, morning-after feeling.
Read below for five ways to prevent your next hangover.
What to eat before you go
Eating fatty foods, or foods high in fiber before a night of drinking helps prevent alcohol from entering the bloodstream as quickly. When you’re snacking, foods high in healthy fats like nuts and avocado will help your body break down the liquor and stop it from reaching your bloodstream as fast. Craig Offman explains in his article from Real Simple that foods high in fat delay the body’s absorption of alcohol.
When eating dinner beforehand, go for a steak rather than a salad, or an omelet at the diner nearby. Foods high in protein are also preventative measures against hangovers.
Avoid congeners
Many drinkers have misguided information on what drinks leave you feeling better the next day. Congeners are impurities added to beverages and have been found to worsen hangover symptoms. In an article from MedicalNewsToday, Bethany Cadman lists a few drinks high in congeners which include whiskey, bourbon specifically, cognac, and tequila. Drinks such as vodka, rum, and gin have lower levels of congeners and can leave you feeling better the next day.
Pedialyte
Pedialyte has been trending on many college campuses amongst those seeking the cure to hangovers. Replacing the fluids lost while consuming alcohol is crucial to your physical state the next morning. Pedialyte replaces and replenishes the electrolytes and sugars you need for proper hydration. Rehydrating with Pedialyte can drastically alter the way you’ll feel the morning after, and in fact, some college students use it as a chaser after taking a shot.
Supplements
Other than dehydration, inflammation in the body is another major cause of hangovers. In a MedicalNewsToday article, Christian Nordqvist articulates all the facts regarding inflammation.
As part of the body’s immune response, inflammation occurs as an attempt to remove and protect itself against harmful stimuli, alcohol being one of them. Doubling up on multivitamins, taking ibuprofen, or supplements high in vitamins and antioxidants can help your immune system recover while drinking alcohol.
Eat before bed
Making sure to eat before crashing is evident, but make sure you’re getting the right things in your system. Although a greasy slice of pizza or burger may sound delicious and even logical, carbohydrates are best. Something plain like toast or bread is easier to digest and will increase your chances of sleeping peacefully through the night. Foods with higher sources of fat may disrupt both your sleep and your digestive system.