girl in bed tired hungover sunshine
girl in bed tired hungover sunshine

The Best Hangover Cures That Actually Work: Before, During & After Drinking

Hangovers are the worst. Let’s look at steps to reduce its chance of striking, before, during and after a few bevvies.

Are you frantically googling hangover cures, or doing some research before a night of heavy drinking ahead? We’ve got you covered.

University life means alcohol will be pretty prevalent. This means the chances of a hangover are extremely likely if you don’t take care of your body. Hangovers happen after your body has gone through the necessary metabolic reactions to break down alcohol, which in the end produces the bodily toxin acetaldehyde. Too much of this is what causes the hangover. In addition to that, you’re going to go to the loo a fair bit while you’re out drinking, so that’ll contribute to your hangover too.

Alcohol takes a toll as you can see, and is one of the contributing factors to freshers’ flu. Let’s find out how to get rid of a hangover, the best hangover cure methods out there, and how you can prevent one before and during a drinking session.

How to prevent a hangover: before, during and after drinking

Before drinking alcohol

Stay hydrated

One of the best hangover cures is to stay hydrated. Ask yourself how much water you’ve had today. None? Get some down you before heading out. Adults should have at least 2 litres a day, so get cracking.

Eat healthy fats

Eating healthy fats before drinking can help slow alcohol absorption. Think avocados, walnuts and almonds. We’re a huge fan of guac on toast with a side of coconut water to wash it down, especially as the latter adds some more electrolytes into your diet, too.

Eat high-fibre foods

Fibre-rich foods are fantastic for your health. They also help break down alcohol and absorb it, meaning less alcohol for your body to process.

During

Avoid congener-based drinks

Ethanol is the culprit in alcoholic drinks, but they also contain a chemical called congeners. These are toxic substances that contribute to a hangover and come in the form of methanol and acetone.

Drinks high in congeners:

  • Whiskey — especially bourbon
  • Cognac
  • Tequila
  • Brandy
  • Red wine

Opt for low-congener drinks instead like vodka and gin instead.

Drink more fluids

It’s important to keep the good kinds of fluids up while drinking alcohol. For every alcoholic drink you have, chase it down with a glass of water.

Keep track

Try to keep track of how much you drink. This is so you can see where you’re at and stop if you start to feel too woozy. Knowing your drink limit can also help you prevent a hangover too.

Skip shots

Straight alcoholic shots are going to hit your system far quicker than say a mixer. Say no to shots, and instead sip your drinks slowly so your body isn’t hit with too much alcohol all at once.

After drinking alcohol  — how to cure a hangover fast

Drink plenty of water

Want to know how to sober up before bed? It goes without saying, but you’ll need to get your hydration levels right back up, hence why it’s the number one thing on your best hangover cures list after drinking. Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning you may have been to the bathroom to pee more than usual. This loss of fluid leads to dehydration, so use the time post-drinking sesh to replenish to keep up with your water intake. Plus, it’s one of the fastest and best ways to sober up.

Get plenty of sleep

Alcohol seriously messes with your circadian rhythm. By getting more sleep you can help your body do its thing and make other symptoms like headaches and body aches better.

Eat a proper breakfast

If you want to know how to stop feeling sick after drinking, the next best way to sober up is by eating a good breakfast. It can help with your blood sugar levels. When you’re hungover, it’s typically lower than it should be.

It’s a good idea to incorporate foods that are both healthy and can steadily raise blood sugar levels. Think foods like eggs, yoghurts, oats and other L-cysteine and zinc-rich foods. They can help ease nausea, tiredness and weakness.

Take a painkiller

So long as you have no stomach issues, NSAIDs like ibuprofen can really help with hangover symptoms. Paracetamol should be avoided because it can increase the risk of liver damage. If you can’t hack an ibuprofen for hangover days, it is a case of staying hydrated and having lots of rest. 

Build up your glutathione levels

Glutathione is an antioxidant compound that can detoxify alcohol in our bodies. It becomes depleted the more alcohol we drink. It’s made from the proteins we ingest, and is maintained from our intake of vitamin C too.

This is a great time to incorporate some high protein and vitamin C-rich foods like chicken, tofu, beef, strawberries, mango, raspberries and peppers. Snack on the fruit and veg raw, or if you have the energy, roast some meat and veg and snack on the fruit throughout the day.

Ways to relieve hangover symptoms

Dreading that two-day hangover? Some of the best ways to relieve a hangover fast is through some very simple methods.

Take Milk Thistle before you drink alcohol

Milk thistle for a  hangover? We’ll explain,

Milk Thistle is a super popular remedy you’ll often see floating around when googling hangover cures. Supposedly, it helps protect against liver damage. And while it’s not a cure-all, it’s supposedly a preventative measure to take. 

It can also alleviate stomach upset caused by alcohol too, so it can’t hurt to give it a try. Just be sure to do your research and always follow the how-to-take instructions. 

Avoid hair of the dog

Hair of the dog is a common “cure” and supposedly one of the best hangover cures, but in reality, it’s really not. It’s a method that involved drinking alcohol again to delay your hangover symptoms. Yes, you’ll feel better for a little while, but you’ll only be delaying the inevitable.

Stay hydrated

We can’t stress this enough, Staying hydrated is going to replenish all of your lost fluids from the night before. Sip water in small amounts if you’re struggling or have a sore stomach, but try to aim for 2 litres.

Take an Antacid

Antacids like Rennies can help relieve high stomach acid and heartburn. Always follow the packet instructions. It’s a great option for those who tend to get indigestion or feel sick after drinking alcohol.

Take rehydration treatments

While there’s no solid evidence that rehydration sachets cure a hangover, they will certainly help restore your electrolytes. Simply googling rehydration sachets hangover will retrieve a ton of options that can help replenish the lost electrolytes to alcohol. 

Best hangover foods

Hangover food doesn’t have to be complicated and is likely to be foods already in your kitchen. Here are the best hangover food options to eat on a rough hangover day.

1. Eggs

Eggs are fantastic and one of the best hangover cures for good reason.

They’re a great source of protein and cysteine, an amino acid that helps the body produce glutathione, a compound that helps break down alcohol. If you’re not a fan of eggs, you can also try finding it in cheese, chickpea, seeds and nuts. 

2. Ginger

Ginger is an anti-inflammatory and can help alleviate and cure hangovers nausea and sickness. Add it to any dishes you make, or brew it as a tea with a drop of lemon for a soothing lemon and ginger tea (which will give you a nice hit of vitamin C too).

3. Lean protein

Light and lean proteins like chicken and turkey are far easier to digest than say a bacon sarnie. Have some during lunchtime to lessen the slump you get in the afternoon which is worsened by a hangover. Plus, protein helps neurotransmitters work properly even when consuming alcohol.

4. Green vegetables

Salads may be the last thing on your mind. We don’t blame you. But after reading why bitter greens after a hangover will help, you’ll be reaching for them asap.

Greens like kale, cabbage and rocket help encourage the flow and production of bile in the liver to remove toxins. The faster the toxins are out of your body, the faster your hangover will disappear.

5. Plain toast

There’s just some hangovers that are hard to get through, and perhaps having proteins and veg too soon might upset your stomach more so. If you’re especially rough, start off having some plain toast. Bread has lots of carbohydrates, which you’re gonna need if you’re hungover.

6. Vitamin C fruit and vegetables

Vitamin C in tandem with glutathione makes great antioxidants. They can fight free radicals which are caused by the oxidative stress brought on by alcohol. Have foods like oranges, berries and peppers throughout the day or as a dessert after your other meals.

Fast hangover cures

There’s no real fast hangover cure, but we’ve discussed tons of ways to speed up your hangover recovery, such as:

  • Hydrate
  • Replenish lost nutrients like B and C vitamins and electrolytes (essentially an emergency hangover cure)
  • A good and balanced breakfast
  • Fresh air
  • Lots of sleep
  • Taking anti-inflammatories

If you combine all of these tips, you’ve got the best hangover cure, plus you’re likely to get rid of a hangover fast.

What is a hangover?

A hangover is all the nasty symptoms you get after a heavy night of drinking. Symptoms of a hangover include a hangover headache, muscle aches, fatigue, stomach pain, dizziness, light sensitivity, sweating and high blood pressure. Typically, dehydration is the culprit behind many of these symptoms, so staying hydrated can offset them.

Why do you get a headache after drinking?

One of the worst hangover symptoms has to be the hangover headache. Due to the nature of alcohol being a diuretic, you’re going to get dehydrated thanks to the number of trips to the bathroom. This in turn causes you to get a headache after drinking.  It’s also common to forget to stay hydrated while having alcohol, so this also contributes to dehydration.

Plus, alcohol gives your body more histamine, which causes inflammation and stress throughout the body. As it starts to wear off, you’ll be left with a pretty nasty headache.  

How long does a hangover last?

A hangover lasts roughly 24 hours, but depending on your physical health, hydration levels, any existing illnesses, medication and lifestyle, you could have a hangover for around 3 days. The less preventative hangover measures you take before, during and after you drink, the longer your hangover will last.

Does coffee help a hangover?

Coffee can and also doesn’t help a hangover.

While caffeine is designed to give us a pick-me-up, we need to remember that it’s also a diuretic, meaning more trips to the bathroom and prolonged dehydration. It also narrows blood vessels which can worsen an existing headache.

If you absolutely must have your morning coffee at all costs, just be sure to have some water beside you.

Does hair of the dog work?

Hair of the dog works on a temporary basis, but only delays the onset of your hangover symptoms to come. We recommend getting your hangover done and dusted so you can feel like yourself again. Plus, revelling in hair of the dog on the regular basis can have a negative impact on your overall health and even contribute to alcoholism. Reach something hydrating instead.

It works by boosting endorphins, which in turn delays some of your hangover symptoms from arriving. But like we said, just give your mind and body a rest by drinking something like water or juice.

Does Berocca work?

Berocca is packed with vitamins B6, B12, C and other minerals, making it one of the best hangover cures out there. When it comes to a hangover, Berroca certainly works, as vitamin C can help with liver regeneration. It’s far better than reaching for any other kind of soft drink like Fanta or Coke because Berocca is actually good for you.

Are bananas good for a hangover?

Drinking alcohol depletes you of your electrolytes which leads to dehydration and that dreaded hangover. Bananas can help replenish your potassium stores and in turn, alleviate your hangover symptoms. While it’s no quick fix, it will certainly speed up your recovery. Especially when combined with regular water intake.

Is milk good for hangovers?

Milk can work wonders for your body suffering from a hangover, which is why people reach out for it as one of the best hangover cures. When hungover, our bodies are dehydrated and lacking in nutrients. Milk contains a ton of nutrients and is hydrating too. Plus, it can help raise your blood sugar slowly, which prevents sudden sugar crashes that usually make a hangover worse.

Does Myrkl work?

Have you heard of Myrkl? If not, it’s a new set of “hangover tablets” designed to keep a hangover at bat. It’s essentially a probiotic supplement that includes two important healthy bacteria (Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus coagulans) that break down alcohol and turn it into water and carbon dioxide. It also includes the amino acid L-cysteine and vitamin B12. 

According to a study on Myrkl, alcohol levels were up to 70% lower after an hour of taking the pill.

At the moment, you can buy Myrkl on their website only. However, there ar ethical and health concerns surrounding it, so do your research.

This article is for informational purposes only. If your symptoms don’t improve or get worse, then seek professional medical advice.