Things to Know About Preventing Hangovers

Any person with half a brain knows that the only way to be absolutely sure that you will not have a hangover in the morning is to avoid alcohol the night before. However, for some people, this is a totally unrealistic plan. So, if you have had a drink or two too many, here are some ways to prevent and/or alleviate the symptoms.

Dehydration is one of the biggest contributors to hangover symptoms, so drinking non-alcoholic beverages before, during, and after your alcoholic drinks can help prevent or lessen symptoms. Besides the dehydration, the frequent trips to the bathroom and or vomiting can lead to a loss of essential vitamins and minerals. Dairy products, fruit, and honey can help you to feel better, while smoothies and soups can help hydrate you. Food does not absorb the alcohol in your system, but does decrease the concentration, causing less irritation and slower absorption. Eating and drinking while you are out can also cause you to drink fewer alcoholic beverages.

Any alcohol can give you a hangover if you have enough of it. However, some are more likely to do so than others. Mixing alcohol is one way since your body takes longer to metabolize the different ones. Carbonated drinks can speed up alcohol absorption. Sweet drinks hide the flavor of the alcohol, causing many people to over imbibe. Dark alcohols contain more congeners, as does red wine. Cheap alcohol also tends to have more congeners in it than the more expensive varieties. This does not mean you cannot have these, just be sure to drink in moderation.

Popping pills has been a popular way of solving a vast variety of aches, pains and disorders. Taking a multivitamin and/or a Vitamin B-complex and Vitamin C supplement before and after drinking can help your body process the alcohol better and slow down the loss of nutrients.

Aspirin can be helpful the next day, but should not be taken while you drink or immediately after. It can irritate your stomach and may slow down your metabolism, causing the alcohol to stay there longer. Acetaminophen can cause liver damage when taken with alcohol, as can ibuprofen. Save your pain killers for the morning after experience.

Drink timing is also an important part of your hangover prevention – and deciding when it is time to call a cab. Drinking alcohol slowly allows your body more time to process the alcohol. The liver can only process two teaspoons of alcohol per hour, so it can take two hours to completely metabolize the alcohol contained in one beer. Drinking when you are tired, sick, or stressed can take even longer to process since your body is already overworked. Different medications can also affect the rate.

Watch how many drinks you drink for your evening. Set a limit for yourself, and once you reach it limit yourself to non-alcoholic drinks. Keep in mind that while the one drink per hour guideline works for some people; your own tolerance can vary.

One “drink” is usually considered as one ounce of 100-proof liquor, a 4 ounce glass of wine, or a 10 ounce bottle of 5.7% beer. For someone less than 130 lbs, even one drink an hour can lead to an illegal blood alcohol level for driving. Someone 130 to 150 pounds may be able to do a drink or two in an hour before reaching that level, and the number goes up from there. In general, if you have had five or six drinks in two to three hour’s time, you are almost guaranteed to go to jail if you get pulled over, so call a cab.