As we come closer to December, we also get closer to the party season where there is a slew of year-end parties, Christmas parties and other work and private functions where the drinking of alcohol is normal, and there are hangovers aplenty.

Everyone needs to relax a bit at the end of the work year, and nobody is saying that you should not party, but party sensibly. Get out your glad rags and your dancing shoes and kick up a storm on the dance-floor, but remember that you still have to function the next day, so take some precautions to avoid those hangover blues.

Alcohol is a diuretic, which means that it tends to increase the flow of urine, which causes your body to get rid of excess water – just ask beer drinkers; they know that once they have gone to the toilet for the first time while drinking beer it seems as though they have to go every 5 minutes thereafter. This means that your body becomes dehydrated, which is why you wake up with a dry mouth, headache and nausea and swearing “never again.”

If you are one of those who do not drink alcohol or one of the lucky few who do not suffer from hangovers then that is great, but for the rest who wake up feeling like death the next morning, here are some easy tips to avoid a hangover or at least aid in the recovery process:

  • Alternate Alcohol and Water: Drink one glass of water between each alcoholic drink; it will rehydrate you and slow down your drinking too;
  • Hydrate Before you Dehydrate: Drink a lot of water the day before and the day of partying to ensure that your hydration levels are adequate before you start partying;
  • Drink Water before Retiring: Drink around 500ml of water before going to bed and place a glass of water next to your bed to drink if you wake up during the night or first thing in the morning; this will rehydrate your body while you are sleeping and help it to recover; and
  • Drink Water First in the Morning: When you wake up, do not reach for coffee or “hair of the dog” but for a nice large glass of water; this will help hydrate you quicker.

Enjoy your partying but remember, always drink sufficient water to keep your body hydrated at all times – your liver will thank you and so will your head.

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