How to Cure a Hangover
Ringing in a new year tends to bring revelry, glitz and ... a pulsating headache. When it comes to hangovers, everyone has a swear-by-it remedy, and hundreds are free for the taking online. The problem: “In terms of anything that’s proven to ‘cure a hangover,’ there isn’t anything,” says Michael Fingerhood, an associate professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore. That doesn’t mean you have to be miserable all day, though. Experts suggest one of these tricks to take the edge off a hangover and end it a little faster.
1. Drink lots of water.
It’s hardly groundbreaking advice, but it should be a top priority. Alcohol makes you pee. That can lead to dehydration, prompting the hallmark dizziness and lightheadedness of a hangover. In addition to water, sip on some flat ginger ale, since it will help soothe your stomach. And down some juice, since vitamin C helps replenish your energy.
2. Stay away from the coffee (and booze).
It won’t wake you up. Rather, caffeine will further dehydrate you and could aggravate your stomach, making you feel even more queasy. And put down that beer, because even though it might temporarily numb your symptoms, it’ll make your headache worse in a couple hours.
3. Eat, but don’t binge.
Crackers and toast can boost blood sugar that may have dipped while drinking, contributing to your fatigue and overall weakness, according to Mayo Clinic. Also consider pretzels and a banana to replace the salt and potassium lost through urinating so much. Forget the cheeseburger feast – most of us lack the stomach for it the day after drinking.
4. Get your body working faster.
When alcohol gets into the system, “it’s got to be metabolized. There’s no way around it,” says Thomas Tallman, a Cleveland Clinic physician in emergency medicine. The fructose in sports drinks, fruit juice and honey may help burn the alcohol more quickly. So will exercise, if you can force yourself to get moving, he says. Stick with light cardio or a yoga class, which won’t dehydrate you as much as other workouts.
5. Take a pain reliever, but sparingly.
They’ll likely alleviate a headache, but aspirin can upset an already irritated tummy, and acetaminophen could lead to liver damage, according to Mayo Clinic. Don’t go over the recommended dose. In fact, try half a dose, and see if it works.
6. Try some prickly pear.
Research suggests that extract from the prickly pear cactus may lessen that next-day sting. One study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, found that folks’ hangover symptoms were 18 percent less severe with the extract than with a placebo. Supplements made with prickly pear extract, which helps replace the B vitamins drinking depletes, are commonly available at vitamin shops and online.
7. Try the ion detox foot spa
The ion detox foot spa can help you rule out the body of toxins, relieve suffering from a hangover.