Five hangover remedies you might not have tried – with one that doesn't cost a penny
Share:
It can be hard not to overindulge during the festive season, especially at a lively New Year’s Eve party with friends and family. However, many of us find ourselves waking up with an awful hangover after too much alcohol the night before, which can make us feel rotten for the rest of the day. “Hangovers are predominantly caused by dehydration and poor sleep patterns caused by the alcohol,” says nutritionist Steph Baker. “Alcohol has a diuretic effect, increasing the production of urine and leading to a loss of fluids, so being dehydrated can make a hangover feel worse.”.
Excessive amounts of booze can also cause vomiting, which leads to further loss of fluids. Steph says, “The following day, you need to think about drinking plenty of liquids, ideally two to three litres of water, and try to catch up on some much-needed sleep.” According to Dr Sanjay Mehta, a GP at The London General Practice, darker alcoholic drinks like red wine, rum and whisky tend to lead to a worse hangover than lighter liquids, because they contain certain chemicals that lighter ones don’t.
He says, “Age can also play a part in terms of hangovers. It’s not the most significant factor, but it is certainly a factor for two reasons. The first aspect is that your liver works less effectively as you get older. The other is that there’s a marginal decrease in your body’s water composition as you age, so the alcohol in your system becomes more concentrated.”.
