If you have never had a night out on the town, overindulging in drink, and waking up the next morning feeling like death warmed over, then consider yourself fortunate because you have never had a hangover. If you shudder at the notion of recalling the experience, continue reading to see how drinking water can reduce the likelihood of experiencing a hangover the next day.

Just what exactly is a hangover?

A person who has had too much alcohol the night before will wake up with a variety of unpleasant symptoms known as a hangover. These symptoms typically begin to manifest themselves in the morning. The symptoms include a throbbing headache, aching all over the body, a dry mouth, soreness all over the body, dizziness, and even nausea. It seems like the floor is moving, and the world is whirling around me at the same time.

What are the Roots of a Hangover?

The following are the direct causes of the symptoms that are experienced by a person who has a hangover:

  • Alcohol is a diuretic, which means that it increases the flow of urine, which in turn causes the body to get rid of excess water. Since alcohol is a diuretic, the effects of alcohol on the body include these diuretic effects. If you drink 30 millilitres of alcohol, you will lose 200 millilitres of water. If this fluid is not replaced, it will result in dehydration; however, adding more alcohol will not be effective in doing so.
  • The intoxicating effects of alcohol on the human body; drinking an excessive amount of alcohol can have a negative impact on the central nervous system, the brain, the liver, and one’s ability to perceive sensations. It has the potential to alter your mood, as well as your sleeping habits and your body’s natural rhythms.

The likelihood of having a hangover is reduced by consuming adequate amounts of water.

There is no set amount of alcohol that will result in a hangover because everyone’s body processes alcohol in a different way. In general, though, the greater the amount of alcohol you consume, the greater the likelihood that you will wake up with a hangover the following morning.

If you want to avoid getting a hangover in the first place, or get rid of one if you already have one, the only surefire solution is to cut back significantly on your alcohol consumption. If, on the other hand, you are aware that there is a possibility that you will consume more alcohol than is healthy for you at a particular event, there are measures that you can take to reduce the likelihood of developing a hangover the next day.

Before You Are Going Out Drinking

  • Before you go on a binge, load up on foods that are high in vitamins and minerals, such as soy foods, bananas, wheat germ, and cereals made with whole grains.
  • Consume a plate of spaghetti or another dish that is high in carbohydrates, as this will assist the body in absorbing the alcoholic beverage.
  • Consuming foods high in fat or grease will help to coat the lining of your stomach, so reducing the rate at which alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream. If you can handle the taste, one teaspoon of olive oil will do the trick instead.
    Consume a lot of water before heading out so that you are completely hydrated when you start drinking alcohol.

Drinking During Your Outing

  • Choose beer instead of wine since it has a higher water to alcohol ratio and will cause less dehydration than wine does.
    If you’re going to consume spirits, choose clear ones like gin or vodka because they contain less potentially harmful chemicals.
  • Consume your alcoholic beverages on the rocks and take small sips of them; as the ice melts, it transforms into water, which dilutes the alcohol and, as a result, the effects of the alcohol.
  • Consume a large portion of anything before heading home to ensure that the alcohol in your stomach is diluted and does not enter your system as rapidly as it would otherwise.
    Drink water, drink water and drink water! If you follow each glass of alcoholic beverage with a glass of ice-cold, purified water, you can reduce the effects of the alcohol and delay the rate at which you are dehydrating.

After a Night Out Drinking

  • Make sure you drink at least one full glass of water as soon as you open your eyes in the morning; it’s a good idea to set the glass down next to your bed before you go to sleep.
  • Consume a breakfast that is really oily; this will help to neutralise the majority of the stomach acid caused by the alcohol and will fill you up.
  • Spread Tabasco or any other hot chilli sauce on your food; this will cause you to perspire, which will speed up the process of flushing toxins out of your body.
  • Increase the amount of water you drink to restore the fluids that your body has lost and to keep the fluid balance in your body stable.

Drinking water is about the only other way to at least neutralise the effects of alcohol on the body, if not completely avoid getting a hangover altogether. Of course, the ideal approach to avoid a headache is to not drink too much, but drinking water is about the only other option to avoid drinking too much. Drinking water is both the best strategy to prevent getting a hangover and the best treatment for one if you already have one. This is because dehydration is the primary factor in why you are feeling so awful after drinking. It is important to keep in mind that water consumption is necessary for your health since dehydration affects every cell in your body, leading them to function less effectively than they otherwise would.

Source:

WebMD

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